Welcome to The Radar, a column where Nick Wright uses data and opinion to explore key Premier League stories. This week, we examine Arsenal's attacking woes and potential solutions. Despite their defensive solidity, Arsenal's attack has been underperforming, and Mikel Arteta faces intense scrutiny over his approach. The team's reliance on set-pieces and perceived lack of risk-taking have raised questions about the balance between defense and offense.
Injuries to key players, including Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, have further complicated Arteta's selection decisions. The front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres has not yielded the desired results, with the trio struggling to retain possession and create scoring opportunities.
According to Opta, Gyokeres has the second-highest rate of possession losses among outfield players, while Martinelli and Madueke also rank high on the list. In contrast, Manchester City do not have a single player with a possession loss rate above 30%.
The introduction of substitutes like Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus has improved Arsenal's control and technical quality, but Arteta may need to make changes to his starting lineup to address the attacking issues. With Havertz potentially starting up front, Arsenal could gain a more effective outlet and improve their ball retention.
Meanwhile, Granit Xhaka's return from injury has been crucial to Sunderland's upturn in form, and he will face his former manager Unai Emery when Sunderland take on Aston Villa. Other key matches include Manchester City vs. Arsenal, Liverpool vs. Everton, and Chelsea vs.
West Ham.