To be honest we have 18 goals and 11 big chances, it means that we have scored goals off penalties and deflections and have been significantly luckier. This is not sustainable…. If I was Arteta I would be worried that we are lacking firepower in the striker department and our reliable creative players aren’t delivering as they used to. Odegaard and Saka haven’t been the force they were last season. In fact our players aren’t in top 10 in goals scored and assists.
Defensively we are solid now… but come January transfer season, he needs to add some power to the frontline.
This may sound unpopular and I am no way shitting on the manager or the team, just a stat that I am trying to wrap my head around…. Happy to be change my mind.
It doesn’t help that Havertz has been thrown into the starting XI in midfield to help with the creation of chances and has not delivered at all. Not trying to put the blame on him, because Odegaard hasn’t been very creative either, Saka is lacking sometimes, Zinchenko is not at his best. There is also that Partey at RB bullshit that Arteta tried to push early on (to fit Havertz in the lineup), the fact that our players don’t want to shoot outside the box (miss Xhaka on that part).
I think some of it is due to individual performances that need to be improved, but another part is due to coaching or playing style. Sometimes they focus too much on possession and when they get to the final third, or close to the box, they play a safe pass instead of trying a through ball or a shot.
The goal against City came from a run by Tomi and a long through ball from Partey.
My point is that we need to take more risks near the box because we won’t score all goals by passing 50 times and shoot from the goal line. Otherwise, the opposition will just sit deep, wait and hit us on the counter (that’s what United did and it almost worked out for them).