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

Welcome to The Radar, a column by Nick Wright 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 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 a more robust defense against Manchester City on Sunday, but their attacking struggles must be addressed. Arteta's approach has faced intense scrutiny, with some questioning his perceived aversion to risk and potential neglect of open-play chance creation. Injuries have limited Arteta's options, with Bukayo Saka ruled out and Martin Odegaard doubtful. 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. 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. Manchester City, by contrast, do not have a single player over the 30% mark. The game changed with Arsenal's substitutions, as players like Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus brought technical quality, allowing Arsenal to play in Sporting's half. Arteta may now be forced to change his team selection, with Dowman potentially starting and Havertz providing an outlet. Havertz has endured an injury-hit season but showed his effectiveness as a focal point against Sporting. He won more aerial duels and completed more passes than Gyokeres, highlighting his superiority as a targetman. His deployment up front on Sunday could help give Arsenal's attack the balance it has lacked. Arsenal will inevitably need to fall back on their defense, but raising the technical level of their attack could hold the key to a positive result. Other notable stories include Granit Xhaka's return from injury and his importance to Sunderland, as well as Tyrique George's potential to exploit Liverpool's vulnerability to counter-attacks.