Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column that combines data and opinion to shed light on key stories from the Premier League. This week, we're examining Arsenal's attacking woes and how Mikel Arteta can address them.
Despite their first-leg lead against Sporting, Arsenal's attack has been underwhelming, and Arteta will hope to see improvement against Manchester City on Sunday. With a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the pressure is on City to win, but Arsenal's lack of offense could hinder their chances of a positive outcome. Arteta's approach has been scrutinized, with some questioning whether his perceived risk aversion has come at the cost of fluency and flair on the ball.
The team's reliance on set pieces and defense has also been criticized. Injuries have limited Arteta's options, with Bukayo Saka ruled out and Martin Odegaard doubtful for Sunday's game. The need for changes in forward areas became clearer against Sporting, where Arteta fielded a front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres, which has not been effective. The trio has only won two of the last six games they've started together, 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 a 43.5% rate of touches ending in possession losses. Martinelli and Madueke also rank high on the list, with 38.9% and 36.1% respectively.
Manchester City, by contrast, do not have a single player over the 30% mark. The game changed with Arsenal's substitutions, with Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Max Dowman, and Gabriel Jesus completing 89% of their passes and allowing Arsenal to play in Sporting's half during the closing stages. Arteta's hand may be forced on his team selection, with Madueke a doubt for Sunday's game and Dowman potentially starting.
Havertz can provide the outlet Arsenal lacked, having endured an injury-hit season but showing reminders of his effectiveness as a focal point against Sporting. 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 for periods of the game, but raising the technical level of their attack could hold the key to emerging with a positive result.