Arsenal's Creative Woes in Open Play: A Potential Title-Deciding Factor

Welcome to The Debrief, a Sky Sports column where Adam Bate analyzes key Premier League stories using data and opinion. This week, Arsenal's dismal performance against Bournemouth is under scrutiny. Despite their success with set-pieces, the Gunners struggled to create from open play, with an expected goals total of just 0.18. This over-reliance on set-plays may harm 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. They have had more matches with low open-play expected goals than Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea combined. This lack of creativity might explain their struggles with fluency, making them reliant on moments rather than sustained pressure. Meanwhile, West Ham's 4-0 win over Wolves, aided by Jarrod Bowen's two assists, has moved them out of the relegation zone. Bowen's consistency is notable, with only Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes achieving more than 10 goal involvements in each of the past six seasons. His potential to join Erling Haaland in achieving 20 goal involvements in three consecutive seasons is a testament to his reliability. Additionally, Sunderland's Brian Brobbey has impressed with his ability to hold the ball up, with a high success rate of retaining possession, making him a valuable asset for his team.