Whereas it’s nonetheless a bit early to be making any agency predictions about this season’s Premier League title race, it’s in all probability truthful to say that Arsenal can be kicking themselves for a missed alternative yesterday.
The Gunners might solely handle a 1-1 draw away to Fulham, with as William Saliba tapped in from Kai Havertz’s knock-down from a nook.
Bukayo Saka then had a late purpose dominated out for offside, however basically we simply haven’t seen Mikel Arteta’s aspect trying that harmful in assault, , Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard all beneath par for a while now.
Arsenal have a proud historical past of taking part in trendy and attack-minded soccer, with Arsene Wenger placing collectively a few of the most entertaining groups in Premier League historical past throughout his time in cost.
Arsenal don’t look artistic sufficient beneath Mikel Arteta, and the stats show it…
This Arsenal aspect, nonetheless, is kind of totally different, with Arteta making the north Londoners right into a extra tall and bodily workforce who’re extra resolute than loads of Wenger’s groups, however much less pleasing on the attention.
This stat beneath from James Benge relatively sums up Arsenal’s issues in video games like yesterday’s…
Arsenal have created an open play anticipated purpose in one among their final eight Premier League matches. Throughout the season as an entire it is three of 15. They rank thirteenth within the Premier League for open play xG.
It could be that Arsenal can handle this within the switch market, however it is going to be tough to search out actual high quality simply accessible in the midst of the season, so it would imply ready till subsequent summer season.
AFC actually need to win a significant trophy quickly, although, after coming so shut within the final two seasons, and with Manchester Metropolis lastly struggling a major dip this time period, which might be unlikely to final that lengthy.
This can be a huge alternative for Arsenal, however they seem to have gone backwards in some methods beneath Arteta, who arguably hasn’t put sufficient emphasis on a very good attacking gameplan.
The Spanish tactician has clearly accomplished a very good job with Arsenal total, however followers can be involved that gamers like Martinelli, Jesus and Trossard have gone backwards beneath his steering, whereas there doesn’t appear to be a lot sophistication to the play apart from to present it to Odegaard or Saka and hope for the most effective.
Arsenal want one other game-changer on this workforce, or they want Arteta to present his present attacking gamers a bit extra freedom to precise themselves, with crosses into the field and objectives from set items merely not sufficient for a workforce with ambitions of successful the title.