Nearly two weeks ago it looked like Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League title were falling by the wayside.
The Gunners have been the team to beat in England’s top flight this term and indeed they still are. Yet, after drawing 1-1 with Brentford and then surrendering a two-goal advantage over Wolves to drop points at Molineux, things looked rather grim for Mikel Arteta’s men.
However, they have bounced back brilliantly, destroying Spurs eight days ago and then beating Chelsea in rather more ugly fashion on Sunday.
Their title charge may well be back on track but they need more from some of their senior players who are starting to make a few mistakes as the season reaches crunch time.
Is Declan Rice running out of gas?
One of the biggest strengths of this Arsenal team is just how consistent they are. It’s one of the main reasons why they’ve been able to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool so well over the last three seasons, albeit without winning the biggest prizes.
They now have arguably the best defence in Europe but chinks in the armour are beginning to emerge. They have kept just two clean sheets in their last six matches in all competitions.
The nadir of the campaign was that 2-2 draw with Wolves where two of their most consistent figures, Gabriel Magalhaes and David Raya, combined to make a fatal mistake. Both players challenged for the ball, leading to possession falling to Wolves.
The club’s record signing Declan Rice has also been a little off the boil of late too. While the midfielder has been in pole position to win the PFA Player of the Season for much of the campaign, his performances in the last week have left something to be desired.
Arsenal’s most expensive signings of all time
The Gunners have spent generously in recent years.
Indeed, it was the midfielder’s error that led to Randal Kolo Muani’s equaliser against Spurs. He was perhaps fortunate not to give away a penalty against Chelsea either as the ball struck his arm from a corner. Luckily for the Gunners, it was not given.
Those are not the only hairy moments for Rice of late. While he did register the assist for Jurrien Timber’s winner on Sunday, his passing was more errant than normal against the Blues with one notable moment seeing him pass the ball straight out of play for a corner when he was trying to find Raya.
Rice was not terrible against Chelsea, let’s set the record straight on that. He wasn’t poor in the slightest. Yet, the England star is usually so impressive that it’s really quite obvious when he’s not at his best.
Arsenal star is outshining Rice
If Arsenal are victorious in their pursuit of Premier League glory, then the midfielder may still win the Player of the Year award. However, for now, he is slightly being outshone by some of his teammates.
Indeed, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres were the heroes against Spurs just over a week ago, combining effortlessly to score two goals apiece during that immense 4-1 victory.
Meanwhile, against Chelsea last weekend, it was Timber and William Saliba who came to the rescue. Saliba, in particular, has been rock solid in recent weeks, firmly reminding everyone why he is one of the best defenders in world football.
When Saliba first came into the Arsenal team, he looked like a Rolls-Royce. The Frenchman is calmness personified but he has arguably been in the shadow of Gabriel across recent seasons.
Together, they form the best defensive partnership in the country, perhaps even in Europe, but it’s the louder and more barnstorming Gabriel who has earned most of the plaudits.
The Brazilian is a monster, scoring three goals and supplying four assists in all competitions this term. However, Saliba deserves his flowers too, as he showed against Chelsea.
The France international, who signed for £27m, had not scored this season but popped up with a vital moment against Liam Rosenior’s men. Typically, Gabriel was still involved. The big centre-back rose highest at the back post to head the ball into the path of his defensive colleague who found the net from close range via a deflection.
|
Saliba vs Gabriel in 2025/26 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 mins) |
Saliba |
Gabriel |
|
Goals |
0.1 |
0.2 |
|
Pass accuracy |
92.57% |
89.33% |
|
Forward passes |
20.3 |
18.6 |
|
Tackles |
1.2 |
1.4 |
|
Aerial duel success |
52.94% |
64.71% |
|
Ground duel success |
59.46% |
74.65% |
|
Duels won |
4.5 |
5.9 |
|
Interceptions |
0.6 |
0.9 |
It is not just the defender’s efforts in the final third that should be heralded. He did a phenomenal job at the back, tasked with marshalling Cole Palmer.
During the opening exchanges Arsenal looked rather confused with Chelsea’s tactical plan. While Palmer was fielded as the right winger on the team sheet, he was essentially given a free role to operate wherever he liked.
However, what nullified that threat was Saliba who regularly stepped into midfield to track the visitors’ key man. It worked a treat with the 24-year-old stopping Palmer from registering a single key pass or successful dribble.
Valued at £100m amid prior interest from Real Madrid, his importance to the team cannot be understated. That price tag means he’s the most valuable player in the team now. Yes, he’s worth even more than the Gabriel, even more than Rice, even more than starboy Bukayo Saka.
Indeed, according to Football Transfers expected transfer value model, Rice is valued at £94m while Saka is now a £90m-rated talent.
The fact Saliba is worth even more speaks volumes about just how good he has been since first arriving under Edu’s stewardship back in July 2019.
Better than Gabriel & Rice: £27m Arsenal star is now the best in the world
Arsenal overcame Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday and they had their £27m signing to thank.