Arsenal currently sit top of the Premier League after 25 games, six points clear of Manchester City in second.
Mikel Arteta’s side have finished runners-up in the past three Premier League seasons. But it feels imperative they got over the line this time round from such an advantageous position.
Since their loss against Manchester United, Arsenal have won four in four, scoring 11 goals and only conceding twice. They’ve got back on the horse and put their foot on the gas to show they mean business.
In this article, we’ll cover
Arsenal’s attacking metrics so far
Arsenal have generated 44.15 Expected Goals so far this season, scoring 49 goals. They’ve outscored their xG by +4.85.
A big part of the Gunners’ chance creation this season has been their effectiveness from set-pieces. They’ve generated 13.23 xG from set-pieces, scoring 15 goals from these situations. That’s 30.61% of their total goal output coming from set-piece scenarios.
Arsenal average 14.96 shots per game, getting 5.08 of those on target and averaging 0.12 xG per shot.
But as Manchester City look to be ramping things up, delivering an emphatic comeback victory against Liverpool at Anfield at the weekend, will Arsenal have the firepower to withstand any pressure in this second half of the season?
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Viktor Gyokeres
Seven of Viktor Gyokeres’ eight Premier League goals have come against newly promoted sides, which has helped the Gunners kill off games earlier in recent weeks, with big wins against both Leeds United and Sunderland.
This in itself is a positive. Arsenal have struggled to put teams away in the past, allowing frustration and nerves to build, which had led to points dropped, something the Gunners are currently avoiding.
However, Gyokeres is struggling overall. He only averages 2.23 shots per 90 mibutes, a drastic drop off from his numbers at Sporting CP, which shows he is having less impact in the attacking third.
The Sweden international is an active runner in the last line, and is still getting himself into good areas, shown by his 0.48 big chances missed per 90 metric.
Gyokeres’ role is still a key one within the overall team and attacking unit. But if goals aren’t coming from him, others will have to step up and deliver the goals to make up the difference.
Kai Havertz return
Kai Havertz has recently returned from a number of setbacks, spending the majority of this season out injured, only managing three appearances in the league, totaling 158 minutes this season.
The 26-year-old scored nine league goals last season, also providing three assists and has been a big miss for the Gunners this season.
In the past few weeks, we’ve seen Arteta utilise Havertz alongside Gyokeres, forming an aggressive 4-2-4 on the ball and allowing Arsenal to be more direct.
Gabriel Jesus is another forward option who returned in December from a big injury, scoring two Premier League goals in just 281 minutes this season, and offering something different as more of a false nine profile.
Other options?
Of course, along with the striker options, Arsenal have a number of left-wing choices. They all offer something different to Bukayo Saka on the right, who himself could prove to be the difference maker in the second half of the season.
Noni Madueke, while favouring the right wing, is capable of playing on the left, giving Arsenal a direct carrier who is left-footed on the left side.
However, both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are more likely to receive minutes on that side of the pitch, giving Arsenal a right-footed player on that side with the ability to cut inside and get shots away.
Whether this will be enough remains to be seen, but Arsenal are going to need everyone to step up in the final months of the season, with Manchester City in pursuit, trying to make it four years on the bounce that the Gunners miss out on the title.