Will this be the season Daniel Arzani not only reproduces his career-best form, but surpasses it?
Australian football fans have been waiting in hope for the 25-year-old to return to the levels he showed as a rising star at Melbourne City in the 2017-18 Isuzu UTE A-League season, and seven rounds into the new campaign, things are looking promising for the winger now at Melbourne Victory and thriving under new head coach Patrick Kisnorbo.
Of his six appearances for the season to date, Arzani has started just three times but all three of those starts have been consecutive heading into Round 7.
GET YOUR TICKETS TO ROUND 8 OF THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE SEASON!
With Victory serving the bye this week, aleagues.com.au takes a look at the underlying stats that point to Arzani producing a greater attacking threat than he ever has in the Isuzu UTE A-League, and his comparison to creators at rival clubs around the competition.
WEEKEND PREVIEW: What you need to know for Round 8 of the Isuzu UTE A-League
Arzani is the Isuzu UTE A-League’s top dribbler after Round 7
Arzani has played just 297 minutes across his six appearances this season – that’s an average of 49.5 minutes per game – but regardless of limited playing time, he’s both attempted and completed more dribbles than any other player in the league.
Dribbles attempted in the Isuzu UTE A-League
- Daniel Arzani (42)
- Keegan Jelacic (31)
- Marin Jakolis (30)
- Zinedine Machach (29)
- Liam Gillion (27)
Dribbles completed in the Isuzu UTE A-League
- Daniel Arzani (23)
- Zinedine Machach (15)
- Nicolas Milanovic (14)
- Jay O’Shea (13)
- Marin Jakolis (13)
Comparatively, players who rank highly on the above lists have played considerably more minutes than Arzani so far this season (eg: Keegan Jelacic – 509 minutes, Marin Jakolis – 590 minutes, Zinedine Machach – 527 minutes).
Arzani has completed more dribbles per 90 minutes (6.97) than any player in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
GET YOUR TICKETS TO ROUND 8 OF THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE SEASON!
Central Coast Mariners star Mikael Doka has dominated chance creation so far this season, with his 25 far and away the most opportunities crafted by an Isuzu UTE A-League player – but Arzani ranks fifth overall, again having played far fewer minutes than the remaining players in the top five.
Chances created in Isuzu UTE A-League
- Mikael Doka (25)
- Marin Jakolis (18)
- Yonatan Cohen (`15)
- Andreas Kuhn (14)
- Daniel Arzani (14)
Chances created from set plays in Isuzu UTE A-League
- Mikael Doka (10)
- Marin Jakoli (9)
- Yonatan Cohen (6)
- Daniel Arzani (5)
- Hideki Ishige (5)
Arzani is also fifth in the league for duels this season. Auckland FC’s Guillermo May leads the way on 108 but has played 526 minutes compared to Arzani’s 297. Angus Thurgate is second on the list, but has played 630 match minutes.
Most duels in the Isuzu UTE A-League
- Guillermo May (108)
- Angus Thurgate (99)
- Zinedine Machach (91)
- Keegan Jelacic (90)
- Daniel Arzani (88)
A clear theme emerges when you assess the statistics: Arzani is having a significant impact as a ball carrier and distributor in the final third this season, but simply hasn’t been on the pitch enough yet for that impact to shine through in terms of conversion into goals and assists.
Despite starting three games in a row, Arzani is yet to make it past the 77-minute mark in any game this season.
When second-half substitutions turn into consistent 90-minute shifts, there’s no ceiling on where Arzani can take his already impressive attacking numbers.
GET YOUR TICKETS TO ROUND 8 OF THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE SEASON!
Arzani’s five Isuzu UTE A-League seasons, compared
We’re just seven rounds into the 2024-25 campaign, but when analysing Arzani’s early statistics against his four prior seasons in the Isuzu UTE A-League, it paints a promising picture of what’s to come from the Victory winger.
Last season was his first at Melbourne Victory and, having made 26 starts in 31 games, Arzani put up his best attacking numbers in league history, with four goals and six assists in 2,102 minutes of game time.
Another highlight season in Arzani’s A-Leagues career was in 2017-18, when the then-teenager won the league’s Young Footballer of the Year award with two goals and three assists from 18 games and 1,195 match minutes.
R7 TALKING POINTS: ‘I’ve put my neck on the line to give them a chance’
Arzani spent two seasons at City (2016-17, 2017-18), one season at Macarthur Bulls in 2022-23 and has since been based at Victory – and his statistics per-90 in 2024-25 are in many cases better than any he’s produced in four full seasons prior to the current campaign.
Arzani’s key stats – per 90 minutes, season-by-season
Shots inside box (including blocks) per 90 minutes
- 2024-25: 2.42
- 2015-16: 1.53
- 2023-24: 1.5
- 2017-18: 1.21
- 2022-23:1.07
Touches per 90 minutes
- 2024-25: 105.45
- 2016-17: 86.95
- 2023-24: 77.93
- 2017-18: 72.75
- 2022-23: 67.9
Dribbles completed per 90 minutes
- 2017-18: 8.28
- 2016-17: 7.63
- 2024-25: 6.97
- 2023-24: 3.94
- 2022-23: 3.46
Chances created per 90 minutes
- 2024-25: 4.24
- 2016-17: 3.05
- 2023-24: 2.91
- 2022-23: 2.31
- 2017-18: 1.96
Passes opposition half per 90 minutes
- 2024-25: 43.03
- 2016-17: 36.61

- 2023-24: 32.41
- 2017-18: 28.17
- 2022-23: 25.47
Duels per 90 minutes
- 2024-25: 26.67
- 2016-17: 25.93
- 2017-18: 25.68
- 2022-23: 17.93
- 2023-24: 16.96
Ball recovered per 90 minutes
- 24-25: 8.48
- 16-17: 7.63
- 23-24: 5.91 

- 22-23: 5.33

- 17-18: 4.44
Arzani and Victory are next in action in Round 9 against Melbourne City in the second derby of the season; the annual ‘Christmas Derby’ promises to be a huge occasion at AAMI Park with both Victory and City building respectively formidable form lines through the early rounds of the season.
City will be out for revenge after Victory’s 3-1 win in Round 2 in which Kisnorbo’s side charged into a 3-0 lead after just 25 minutes in the first derby of the season.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ROUND 9 MELBOURNE DERBY!
