'One-nil to the Arsenal.'
It's a chant that takes me right back to the early 1990s and George Graham's Gunners, years where the club was, on occasion, derisively referred to as boring — 'boring, boring Arsenal', as another chant goes.
One-nil to the Arsenal was the final result at Brentford on Saturday evening, a stoppage-time Kai Havertz header enough to hand Mikel Arteta's side three points.
To describe this current iteration of Arsenal boring would be a stretch. However, there are issues that were evident in Brentford that the team need to address to be considered a true title challenger, despite moving to the top of the table in victory.
Arsenal's attack a problem area
As mentioned, boring might well be a stretch, but the Gunners are certainly on the spectrum of it, perhaps a slightly less harsh synonym away.
Indeed, matches involving Arsenal have produced the fewest expected goals (xG) total of any team in the Premier League on average.
It's mostly down to the control they crave. Only Manchester City and Brighton have averaged a higher possession percentage than Arsenal this season, marginally more than the 61.11% recorded by Arteta's team.
As City-lite, if you will, Arsenal don't have the creative or goalscoring quality to keep up with Pep Guardiola's team over the course of a full season, especially when it comes to repeatedly emerging on top in these games of narrow margins.
Six Premier League teams, including Brentford, have created a higher xG for total than Arsenal, which isn't a huge surprise when watching the Gunners play this season.
Attacking stats have also been padded in big margin wins over Sheffield United and Bournemouth, with Arteta's side averaging 1.73 xG for per game during the 2023/24 campaign thus far.
Martin Ødegaard has been absent through leave and absent without leave this term. Gabriel Martinelli is skinning opposition players on Arsenal's left side but producing almost nothing in terms of a final ball. Bukayo Saka is a little out of form.
And Arsenal lack a striker capable of converting goalscoring chances created at an acceptable rate for a title challenge. Gabriel Jesus said as much of himself in an interview over the international break.
Defence solidity a positive by-product
The upside of Arsenal's control is limiting opponents' scoring opportunities. Arsenal possess the best defensive numbers in the league this season, conceding just 10 goals in 13 games and allowing an average of 0.79 xG against per game.
Having the best centre-back in the Premier League in William Saliba helps with that, but it also should allow Arsenal to be a bit less risk-averse when moving forward.
They certainly need an injection of creativity up top. Whether that comes in a January shopping spree or improvement from the players already at the club remains to be seen. Both are distinctly possible.
For now, though, the nil is needed because Arteta's side barely look capable of getting more than one.
Bear that in mind when betting on Arsenal matches in this busy festive period.
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