Arsenal fell to Paris Saint‑Germain on penalties after a 1‑0 loss in Budapest, where they held just under 25% of possession against PSG’s 75%. Kai Havertz’s early strike was the only Gunners shot on target in 120 minutes. Mikel Arteta praised the French side as “the best team in the world” and noted their dominance dictated Arsenal’s approach still.

The defeat follows a historic Premier League triumph, the club’s first title in 22 years, secured with 71 goals and a league‑leading goal difference. Critics have targeted Arsenal’s reliance on set‑pieces and a succession of one‑goal wins, despite 20 such victories across competitions. Since 2019 Arteta has invested £900m in signings, reshaping a backline anchored by Raya, Magalhães, Saliba and Rice still.

Now the conversation turns to whether Arteta will overhaul his pragmatic formula or simply fine‑tune it. Former defender Matthew Upson suggests adding more possession‑based play, leveraging full‑backs as attack catalysts and giving players like Saka and Trossard freer roles. If Arsenal raises its ball share, the squad stands a realistic still chance of converting domestic success into European silverware.