Arsenal's Lack of Open-Play Creativity: A Potential Title-Deciding Factor

Welcome to The Debrief, a weekly Sky Sports column where Adam Bate analyzes key Premier League stories using data and opinion. This week, he reflects on Arsenal's concerning performance against Bournemouth, which has put the title back in the balance. Despite their success with set-pieces, the Gunners struggled to create from open play, with an expected goals total of just 0.18. This overreliance on set-plays may damage their momentum, as seen in the 26 minutes spent with the ball dead, including six minutes preparing for corners and seven minutes waiting for throw-ins. Arsenal's formula has taken them to the top, but their inability to create from open play is unusual for a Premier League leader. In fact, they 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 could explain their lack of fluency, making them reliant on moments rather than sustained creativity. Meanwhile, West Ham's 4-0 win over Wolves has moved them out of the relegation zone, thanks in part to Jarrod Bowen's two assists. Bowen has been consistent, ranking among the top half dozen players in the Premier League for goal involvements since signing for West Ham in 2020. His reliability and robustness make him a talisman for the team, and he is well-placed to join an exclusive club of players with 20 goal involvements in each of the last three Premier League seasons. Elsewhere, Sunderland's Brian Brobbey impressed with his ability to hold the ball up, leading the line and allowing his team to 'kill the press.' His success rate at retaining possession after receiving the ball is higher than anyone else near the top of the list, making him a valuable asset for the Black Cats.