Arsenal creativity concern grows as Ødegaard and Eze fail to deliver

Arsenal’s dramatic penalty shootout win over Crystal Palace masked a growing concern for Arsenal: their main creative hubs are not producing enough.

Maxence Lacroix’s late own goal should have settled the Carabao Cup quarter-final, but Marc Guéhi’s stoppage-time equaliser exposed a familiar flaw — dominance without a decisive edge. While Kepa Arrizabalaga emerged as the shootout hero, Arsenal should never have needed him.

From the opening minutes at the Emirates, Arsenal controlled territory and possession. Noni Madueke missed a gilt-edged chance after three minutes, while Gabriel Jesus squandered another from close range before half-time.

These were not isolated moments. Arsenal generated volume, but not enough clarity — a theme Mikel Arteta acknowledged after the match.

“We generated a lot, and yeah, the margin should have been much bigger,” Arteta said.
“That should have been three or four, and then we're not worried about what happens in the last minutes.”

His frustration was less about the late concession and more about keeping Palace alive through wastefulness.

Arteta insists he is not worried about chance creation in isolation, yet the underlying data points to a subtle but important drop-off. Arsenal currently sit fourth in the Premier League for chances created, behind Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool — a worrying trend in a title race defined by fine margins.

The burden has increasingly fallen on Declan Rice, who ranks third in the league for big chances created. By contrast, Arsenal’s designated creators have been quieter than expected.

Ødegaard’s injury problems provide some explanation for his muted numbers, and Eze’s integration into Arsenal’s system is still ongoing. Yet at this level, context only stretches so far.

These are the players Arteta relies on to decide tight matches — especially against low blocks and organised defences like Palace’s. When they fail to impose themselves, Arsenal’s dominance risks becoming sterile.

Arteta has repeatedly called for continuity rather than panic.

“I think what we have to do is continue to generate the chances that we do, and conceding nothing,” he said recently.

That confidence is understandable. Arsenal remain competitive on four fronts and are firmly in the title race. But with Manchester City closing in and last season’s dropped points looming large in the memory, marginal gains now matter enormously.

This is not a crisis, but it is a warning sign. Arsenal’s machine is well-oiled, but its most creative cogs are not spinning fast enough.

If Ødegaard and Eze rediscover their sharpness, Arsenal can turn dominance into control — and control into trophies. If not, nights like this may continue to drift unnecessarily towards drama.

With Chelsea awaiting in the Carabao Cup semi-finals and the Premier League title race tightening, Arsenal’s creative leaders must respond quickly.

Arteta does not need overhaul — he needs sharper execution from his best technicians. In a season defined by margins, Arsenal’s creativity problem could yet decide everything.

Do Arsenal need tactical tweaks — or simply more from Ødegaard and Eze?