What's Behind Arsenal's Struggling Attack and How Arteta Can Revive It

Welcome to The Radar, a column where data and opinion come together to shed light on the Premier League's most pressing stories. This week, we're examining Arsenal's attacking woes and potential solutions. Despite their first-leg lead against Sporting, Arsenal's performance highlighted the need for improvement in their attack. Mikel Arteta will hope to see the same defensive solidity against Manchester City on Sunday, but their attacking struggles are a concern. With a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the pressure is on City to win, yet Arsenal's lack of offense could hinder their chances of a positive outcome. Arteta's approach has faced intense scrutiny, with some questioning whether his perceived risk aversion has come at the cost of fluency and flair. 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. However, the need for changes in forward areas became apparent against Sporting. For the second consecutive game, Arteta fielded a front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres, a combination that has not yielded smooth football. Arsenal have only won two of the last six games this trio has started together. The selection of these three players leaves Arsenal lacking the 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 possession loss rate of 43.5 percent. Martinelli and Madueke also rank high on the list, at 38.9 percent and 36.1 percent respectively. By contrast, Manchester City do not have a single player above the 30 percent mark. The introduction of substitutes like Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus improved Arsenal's control, completing 89 percent of their passes. Arteta may be forced to make changes to his team selection, with Madueke a doubt for Sunday's game. Havertz, who has endured an injury-hit season, can provide the outlet Arsenal lacked. He has been effective as a focal point, winning aerial duels and completing passes. His deployment up front on Sunday could help give Arsenal's attack the balance it has often lacked. Manchester City's quality means Arsenal will need to fall back on their defense, but raising the technical level of their attack could be key to a positive result. Other notable stories include Granit Xhaka's return from injury and his importance to Sunderland, as well as Chelsea loanee Tyrique George's potential to exploit Liverpool's vulnerability to counter-attacks.