Welcome to The Radar, a column by Nick Wright that uses data and opinion to shed light on key stories from the Premier League. This week, we're focusing on Arsenal's attack, which has been underperforming despite the team's six-point lead at the top of the league. Mikel Arteta's approach has come under scrutiny, with some questioning whether his aversion to risk has come at the cost of fluency and flair.
The team's reliance on set-pieces and lack of open-play chance creation have also been criticized. Injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have limited Arteta's options, but the need for changes in forward areas became clear in the recent game against Sporting.
The front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres has not been effective, with the team only winning two of the last six games they've started together. The trio's inability to retain possession has been a major issue, with Gyokeres losing the ball 246 times in the Premier League this season. By contrast, Manchester City do not have a single player with a possession loss rate over 30%.
Arteta may be forced to make changes to his team selection, with Kai Havertz potentially providing the outlet they've been lacking. Havertz has been effective as a focal point, winning aerial duels and completing passes.
His deployment up front could help give Arsenal's attack the balance it needs, while also allowing Gyokeres to make an impact as a substitute. With Manchester City's quality, Arsenal will need to fall back on their defense at times, but raising the technical level of their attack could be key to a positive result.