ARSENAL are struggling in the Premier League this season… really struggling.
The Gunners’ 2-1 loss at home to Wolves on Sunday saw them slip to 14th in the Premier League.
Arsenal have one of the worst shooting records in Europe this season
Arteta’s flops have struggled to create chances to get shots off this season
Mikel Arteta’s job is now being questioned, with his record worse than predecessor Unai Emery.
But at least there is one positive for Arsenal: It’s easy to see where the problem lies.
Arteta had hoped to pack his midfield with creative talent in the summer transfer window.
The likes of Lyon creator Houssem Aouar, Philippe Coutinho and Jorginho were all linked.
⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates
Arsenal did manage to sign Thomas Partey in a deadline day swoop after triggering his £45million release clause.
But the lack of creativity is still a huge concern – particularly with the artist formerly known as ‘The Assist King’, Mesut Ozil, dropped from Arteta’s Premier League and Europa League squads.
Arsenal have managed just ten goals in ten Premier League games this season.
Whichever way you look at it, that’s a shockingly low figure… even for a side tipped for relegation.
In fact, only three teams in the top-flight have scored fewer goals – West Brom, Burnley and Sheffield United, all of whom sit in the drop zone.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe in attack, Gooners had believed they had a front-three on par with Liverpool’s outrageously-talented trio.
So with all their attacking talent, why are Arsenal struggling to score so badly?
First and foremost, to score you need to shoot. And Arsenal don’t shoot.
The Gunners have taken an average of just 9.5 shots per game in the Premier League this season.
That tally is the joint-fourth-lowest in the top-flight – on par with basement boys Sheff Utd.
Only Crystal Palace (9.4), Burnley (9.2) and Newcastle (8.5) average fewer shots per game.
Incredibly, Arsenal actually average fewer shots per game than EVERY bottom-ranked club in each of the Big Five leagues.
Manchester clubs have the worst net spend in the past decade by some distance
In Italy, Crotone currently sit bottom of Serie A – but have still taken 10 shots per game.
Huesca are dead-last in Serie A, but have managed 10.2 shots per match.
It’s the same story in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 too, with Schalke (10.6) and Dijon (10.1) both bottom of their respective division, but getting more shots off than Arsenal.
Only ONE team in all of Europe has taken fewer than 8 shots per game – Spanish strugglers Elche, who’ve managed just 5.4.
But every other club in the Big Five leagues have managed eight or more – with Arsenal barely above that tally.
Overall, the Gunners sit 84th out of the 98 teams in Europe’s Big Five divisions in terms of shots taken.
So, to get goals you need to take shots. To take shots you have to create chances.
And it seems to create chances Arsenal will need to buy – because this current crop of flops is struggling.
Arteta will be praying the January transfer window comes round as quickly as possible.
But he’ll have to struggle through a crammed December schedule first…
Arteta reveals his thoughts on Arsenal’s loss to Wolves
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
