Welcome to The Radar. Nick Wright’s Sky Sports column combines data and opinion to highlight must-know stories from the top and bottom of the Premier League. this week:
🔴What are Arsenal’s big challenges in attack?
🆚 Emery reunites with Xhaka
🔍 Players to watch this weekend
Arsenal technical problems
Having taken the lead in the first leg against Sporting, Arsenal were able to put their defense back in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg. Although he has shown some vulnerability in recent games, he has regained his solidity, which has helped him advance to the top four.
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Declan Rice can’t wait for Arsenal to play Man City and says he wants to make a ‘huge statement’ with victory at the Etihad Stadium
Mikel Arteta will be hoping for the same defensive stinginess against Manchester City on Sunday. But Arsenal’s performance against Sporting was also a reminder that there is room for improvement at the other end of the pitch. Their attack ends in failure.
How can Arteta change that? Maybe there’s no need for that. They have a six point lead at the top of the Premier League. The onus is on City to win the game. But against opponents of their level, it is difficult to see positive results unless offensive solutions are found.
Arteta’s approach has come under intense scrutiny. Has his risk-aversion come at the expense of his fluency and flair with the ball? Have they prioritized set pieces so much that they have neglected creating chances in open play? Are Arsenal relying too much on defense?
Human resources are also an important factor. Injuries continue to limit Arteta’s options, with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard both doubts for Sunday’s game. However, the need for changes in the forward area became clearer against Sporting.
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Gary Neville gives his verdict on how Arsenal will face Man City on Sunday
Arteta used a front three of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Victor Gyokeres for the second game in a row, but this combination clearly did not work and was not conducive to smooth football.
Arsenal have only won two of the last six games the trio have started together. And in one of those games, against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium in February, substitute Kai Havertz needed a late goal.
All three players can be powerful when running toward or behind the opposing defense. This season, both have contributed by scoring 36 goals. However, their choice leaves Arsenal without the technical safety to keep possession high up the pitch.
Sunday, April 19th 4pm
4:30pm kickoff
After the Sporting game, Declan Rice said, “It’s important that we get better at the basics. We’re giving a little bit of a sloppy pass with just five or 10 yards.” “We lacked a bit of clarity in the final third,” added midfield partner Martin Zvimendi.
In particular, the task of retaining the ball has been a struggle for Gokeres.
According to Opta, he has lost the ball 246 times in the Premier League this season, but has taken only 566 touches, which gives him the second highest number of touches among outfield players in his division, giving him a loss rate of 43.5 per cent.
Martinelli and Madueke also rank high on the list with 38.9 percent and 36.1 percent, respectively. In contrast, Manchester City don’t have a single player above 30 per cent.
Like Gokeres, who completed just five of nine passes against Sporting, Martinelli and Maduke had difficulty holding onto the ball on Wednesday, giving up the ball 12 and 17 times respectively.
The game changed due to Arsenal’s substitutions. Certainly not from a creativity standpoint. But at least in terms of control.
Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Max Domann and Gabriel Jesus completed 89 per cent of their passes and their technical quality allowed Arsenal to play inside Sporting’s half in the closing stages.
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The story of Man City’s victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final
Arsenal may need the same capacity at the Etihad Stadium to avoid a repeat of the second-half barrage of last month’s Carabao Cup final, when Arsenal were unable to take to the pitch and Manchester City’s pressure proved too much.
Pep Guardiola’s pressing or non-pressing structures proved crucial as his front four kept Arsenal’s goalkeeper and defenders at bay, instead cutting off routes into the midfield and forcing long passes to the Gokeres strikers, who were unable to hold on to the ball.
Arteta may have to make a selection on Dauman, with Madueke doubted for Sunday’s game and Saka injured against Sporting.
Havertz, on the other hand, could give Arsenal the outlet they have been missing.
Kai Havertz has scored four goals and provided two assists in just 713 minutes this season.
The 26-year-old has endured an injury-plagued season. He struggled in midfield in the Carabao Cup final and again in the defeats to Southampton and Bournemouth. However, the game against Sporting reminded him of his effectiveness as a focal point.
In the opening 35 minutes, Havertz, who scored the goal that tied the game in the first leg, won more aerial duels than any other player on the pitch and scored three goals, including one off Eberechi Eze’s tee-up shot. Havertz also completed 15 passes, three times as many as Gokeres.
Considering the last two seasons in the Premier League, and his limited appearances this season due to injury, the numbers show that Havertz is better than Gokeres in terms of dueling and ball possession. Simply put, he’s a better target man.
Manchester City need no reminder of what Havertz can do in that role. The player, who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against Chelsea, also starred in Arsenal’s 5-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium in February last season.
On this day, Havertz set up Odegaard’s opening goal and scored his own fourth goal. He also played by completing all but two of his 28 passes, and won more aerial duels than any other player on the pitch, winning three.
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Arsenal have a history of winning title-defining matches. Will they be able to do it again?
Having only played a handful of games for Arsenal all season, his inclusion up front on Sunday will help give Arsenal’s attack the balance it often lacks, while also giving Joekeles a chance to come off the bench and make an impact on tired legs.
Due to Manchester City’s high quality, Arsenal will inevitably have to rely on their defense during game time. However, increasing the level of attacking technique to the extent that a player’s ability allows may hold the key to good results.
Xhaka’s Sunderland influence
Arsenal’s captaincy has been another focus of discussion this week after Rice was handed the captaincy for Arsenal’s last two games. Meanwhile, former captain Granit Xhaka is preparing to face the manager who stripped him of his armband in 2019.
Sunderland took on Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on Sunday, beating Spurs to pick up another big scalp. They are doing well in the Premier League with three wins from four games. Xhaka’s return from an ankle injury was a major factor in the turnaround.
Sunderland’s Premier League performance with and without Granit Xhaka
His performance in the Premier League with and without him speaks volumes about his importance. Sunderland’s average points per game jumps from 1 to 1.5 when he starts. They have lost four of their six Premier League games without him, compared to just six of their other 26 games.
He was typically influential last weekend, taking more touches and passes than anyone else on the pitch and proving the ball-playing talent that Spurs sorely lack. He could strengthen his case for a season-long contract at Villa Park.
Player Radar: Other Players to Watch
Tyrik George, on loan from Chelsea, struggled for minutes at Everton, but his speed and directness off the bench helped the Reds come from behind to win against Brentford last weekend.
David Moyes promised him more playing time. Could he be selected to exploit Liverpool’s vulnerability to counter-attacks in the first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium?
Live Radar: What’s on Sky this weekend?
Spurs will take on Brighton in the Roberto de Zerbi derby on Saturday Night Football, with Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports main event coverage beginning at 5pm, ahead of kick-off at 5.30pm.
The extravagant Super Sunday will see Aston Villa v Sunderland, Everton v Liverpool and Nottingham Forest v Burnley available on Sky Sports from 2pm, before Man City take on Arsenal at 4.30pm.
Crystal Palace will play West Ham on Monday Night Football. Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event coverage begins from 6.30pm ahead of an 8pm kick-off time.
Read last week’s Radar column
Alejandro Garnacho and the rest of Chelsea’s failed summer signings were the subject of my last column. Antoine Semenyo’s influence on Manchester City and Brian Brobby’s contribution to Sunderland were also highlighted.
