Welcome to The Radar, Sky Sports' data‑driven column where Nick Wright mixes statistics with opinion to highlight the stories that matter across the Premier League. This week the focus is on Arsenal's attacking woes and the tactical options available to Mikel Arteta as his side prepares for a decisive clash with Manchester City.
Arsenal entered the Champions League quarter‑final second leg with a comfortable first‑leg advantage over Sporting CP, allowing them to sit back on a defensive shell on Wednesday. The strategy paid off, as the Gunners held firm and secured a place in the last four. Yet the same match also underlined a lingering problem: the attack is still struggling to produce consistent, quality chances. Arteta will be hoping that the defensive discipline shown against Sporting can be replicated against City on Sunday, but relying solely on a back‑four will not be enough when facing a side that dominates possession and presses relentlessly.
While Arsenal currently sit six points clear at the top of the table, the pressure will shift to City to win, and a lack of offensive solutions could quickly turn a comfortable lead into a precarious one. The manager's approach has come under intense scrutiny.
Critics argue that an aversion to risk has stripped Arsenal of fluidity and flair, with a heavy emphasis on set‑pieces and a tendency to retreat into a defensive block. The question is whether Arteta should overhaul his tactics or simply fine‑tune the existing system. Injury concerns compound the dilemma. Bukayo Saka is confirmed out for Sunday’s fixture, and Martin Ødegaard remains doubtful.
The forward line, however, revealed deeper issues in the Sporting game. For the second consecutive match Arteta started Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyökeres together – a trio that has yet to click. The three‑man line has produced only two wins in six starts, the most recent being a narrow victory over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi‑final second leg, a win that was ultimately secured by a late substitute goal from Kai Havertz.
Individually, Madueke, Martinelli and Gyökeres have contributed a respectable 36 goals between them this season, but collectively they struggle to retain possession high up the pitch. "It's about doing the basics better – the five‑yard, ten‑yard passes we’re giving away too sloppily," Declan Rice observed after the Sporting match. His midfield partner, Martin Zubimendi, added that Arsenal have lacked clarity in the final third. Gyökeres, in particular, appears uncomfortable with ball retention.
Opta data shows he has lost possession 246 times in the Premier League this season, with a loss‑rate of 43.5 % – the second‑highest among outfield players. Martinelli and Madueke are not far behind, with loss‑rates of 38.9 % and 36.1 % respectively.
By contrast, every Manchester City outfield player stays under the 30 % threshold. The numbers translate into on‑field performance. Gyökeres completed just five of nine passes against Sporting, while Martinelli and Madueke each mis‑controlled the ball multiple times – 12 and 17 losses respectively.
The game only turned when Arteta introduced Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Max Dowman and Gabriel Jesus. Those four combined for an 89 % pass‑completion rate, allowing Arsenal to dominate possession in the latter stages and create clearer chances. If Arsenal hope to avoid a repeat of the second‑half collapse they suffered in last month’s Carabao Cup final against City, they will need that same technical proficiency at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s side excels at forcing opponents into long, low‑quality passes by compressing space around the goalkeeper and defenders. Gyökeres, who struggled to hold the ball, will be exposed if Arsenal cannot keep the ball moving quickly.
Arteta may be forced to reconsider his starting XI. Madueke is a doubt after a knee knock sustained against Sporting, and the manager could look to rely more heavily on Havertz as a focal point. Despite an injury‑plagued season, Havertz has shown he can be a potent target man. In the first leg of the Sporting tie, he won three aerial duels – more than any other player on the pitch – and delivered a decisive assist for Eberechi Eze.
He also completed fifteen passes, three times as many as Gyökeres. Historically, Havertz has demonstrated his value against top opposition. He scored the winning goal in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph over City and was instrumental in Arsenal’s 5‑1 demolition of the same side at the Emirates in February 2023, providing an assist for Ødegaard and netting the fourth goal himself. His ability to link play, retain possession and win aerial battles makes him a superior option to Gyökeres when Arsenal need a reliable outlet.
A tactical shift to a more balanced attack – perhaps a 4‑2‑3‑1 with Havertz leading the line and Martinelli or Madueke operating on the wings – could give Arsenal the technical edge required to break down City’s organized press. This would also free Gyökeres to exploit his pace as an impact substitute later in the game. Beyond personnel, Arsenal’s captaincy has been a talking point.
Declan Rice has worn the armband in the last two matches, while former captain Granit Xhaka, now at Aston Villa, prepares to face the manager who stripped him of the role in 2019. Xhaka’s recent form at Villa – where his presence lifts the team’s points‑per‑game average from one to 1.5 – underscores the impact a confident, ball‑playing midfielder can have. In summary, while Arsenal’s defensive foundation remains solid, their attacking unit must evolve if they are to secure a positive result against a world‑class Manchester City side. Improving ball retention, selecting a more effective front‑three and possibly deploying Kai Havertz as a central target could provide the missing link between defence and goal.
The upcoming Sunday showdown will test whether Arteta can adapt his tactics quickly enough to keep Arsenal’s title charge on track.