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

Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright combines data and opinion to shed light on key Premier League stories. This week, the focus is on 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 attack continues to misfire. The question remains: how can Arteta change it?

With a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the onus is on City to win, but against such a high-quality opponent, finding offensive solutions is crucial. Arteta's approach has been scrutinized, with some suggesting a perceived aversion to risk has come at the cost of fluency and flair on the ball. Personnel is another factor, with injuries limiting Arteta's options and the need for changes in forward areas becoming clearer. The front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres has not worked, and their selection 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 the second-highest rate of touches ending in possession losses among outfield players. Martinelli and Madueke also rank high on the list. The game changed with Arsenal's substitutions, particularly the introduction of Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Max Dowman, and Gabriel Jesus, who completed 89% of their passes and allowed Arsenal to play in Sporting's half. Arteta's hand may be forced on his team selection, with Madueke a doubt for Sunday's game.

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 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.