Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright uses data and opinion to shed light on key stories from the Premier League. This week, we examine Arsenal's issues in attack and potential solutions. Despite their first-leg lead against Sporting, Arsenal fell back on their defense in the Champions League quarter-final second leg, showcasing their vulnerability in recent games.
Mikel Arteta will hope to see the same defensive solidity against Manchester City on Sunday, but their attack continues to misfire. Arteta's approach has been scrutinized, with questions about his perceived aversion to risk and potential neglect of open-play chance creation in favor of set-pieces. Personnel is another crucial factor, with injuries limiting Arteta's options and the need for changes in forward areas becoming clearer against Sporting. The front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres has not worked, and their selection leaves Arsenal lacking technical security to retain possession high up the pitch.
According to Opta, Gyokeres has lost possession 246 times in the Premier League this season, with the second-highest rate of touches ending in possession losses among outfield players. Martinelli and Madueke also rank high on the list, and their struggles to hold on to the ball against Sporting were evident. The game changed with Arsenal's substitutions, with players like Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus completing 89% of their passes and allowing Arsenal to play in Sporting's half.
Arteta may be forced to change his team selection, and Havertz could provide the outlet they lacked. The 26-year-old has endured an injury-hit season but showed his effectiveness as a focal point against Sporting, winning more aerial duels and completing more passes than Gyokeres.
His deployment up front on Sunday could help give Arsenal's attack the balance it has often lacked, while also giving Gyokeres the chance to make an impact as a substitute. Manchester City's quality means Arsenal will need to fall back on their defense, but raising the technical level of their attack could hold the key to a positive result.