Could Arsenal's Limited Open-Play Creativity Prove Costly in the Title Race?

Welcome to The Debrief, a Sky Sports column where Adam Bate combines data and opinion to reflect on key Premier League stories. This week, he examines Arsenal's concerning performance against Bournemouth, which has put the title back in the balance. Despite Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth playing good football, Mikel Arteta's team struggled to create chances, with an expected goals total from open play of just 0.18. The Gunners' reliance on set-pieces has been a theme this season, but this match highlighted the potential drawbacks of overemphasizing this tactic. With 26 minutes and 48 seconds spent with the ball dead, Arsenal's possession was often interrupted. The team's formula has taken them to the top of the Premier League table, but it has led to a bitty game, with too many matches featuring limited open-play creativity. In fact, Arsenal have had more matches with an open-play expected goals total of 0.3 or lower than Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea combined. This is unusual for a Premier League leader, as the eventual winners typically rank among the top two for open-play creativity. Meanwhile, Jarrod Bowen played a crucial role in West Ham's 4-0 win over Wolves, moving them out of the relegation zone. Bowen has been consistent, with eight assists and eight goals in the Premier League this season, and his output has been impressive since joining West Ham in 2020. He ranks among the top half a dozen players in the Premier League for goal involvements and is on track to join an exclusive club if he can finish the season strongly. Elsewhere, Sunderland's Brian Brobbey impressed in their 1-0 win over Tottenham, showcasing his ability to hold the ball up and retain possession. His success rate is higher than anyone else near the top of the list, and he has become a key player for Sunderland, bringing more to the team than just his six Premier League goals.