Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright combines data and opinion to shed light on key stories from the Premier League. This week, the focus is on Arsenal's attacking woes 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 for similar defensive solidity against Manchester City on Sunday, but their attack continues to misfire.
Arteta's approach has come under scrutiny, with questions about his perceived aversion to risk and potential neglect of open-play chance creation in favor of set-pieces. The team's reliance on their defense is also a concern.
Injuries have limited Arteta's options, with Bukayo Saka ruled out and Martin Odegaard doubtful for Sunday's game. 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 this list.
Manchester City, by contrast, do not have a single player over the 30% mark. The game changed with Arsenal's substitutions, bringing in players like Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus, who completed 89% of their passes and allowed Arsenal to play in Sporting's half.
Arteta may need to make changes to his team selection, with Dowman potentially coming in and Havertz providing an outlet as a focal point. The 26-year-old has endured an injury-hit season but showed his effectiveness against Sporting, winning aerial duels and completing passes. His deployment up front on Sunday could help give Arsenal's attack the balance it has lacked.
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.