Arsenal are actually the worst team in the Premier League in one key area this season

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Arsenal are currently the worst team in the Premier League in one offensive metric and Mikel Arteta will undoubtedly be worried.

The Gunners have experienced a mixed start to the season, claiming impressive wins over Manchester United and Leeds United, before suffering a disappointing defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

Liverpool beat Arsenal 1-0 before the international break, courtesy of a stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai, in a match that has sparked discourse about Arteta’s tactics.

While the Spaniard is trying to integrate several new players and will be aware that this may come with some teething issues, he’ll be expecting his team’s performances to improve in the coming weeks.

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Arsenal are bottom of the league in open-play big chances created

A lot has been made of Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces, and they certainly have been dependent on these situations to create dangerous moments thus far this season.

According to FotMob, the Gunners currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table for open-play big chances created, having generated just a single big chance that didn’t come from a corner or a free-kick.

This big chance fell to Viktor Gyokeres in the Leeds game, with the Swede stabbing the ball wide mid-way through the first half at the Emirates after Martin Zubimendi had pressed high and won it back.

Other than that, Arsenal’s primary opportunities have come for Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori from corners.

Even bottom-place Wolves, who are yet to pick up a point, have created more from general play than the Gunners.

Part of this can be dismissed by the fact that Arsenal have played both Liverpool and Manchester United away, tough games against opposition who aren’t likely to concede high-quality chances at a high rate.

However, Arteta will not want to see his team at the bottom of this metric in a month’s time.

Should Arsenal be worried about this open-play big chances table?

After just three matches, the sample size means this can be dismissed and Arsenal shouldn’t be overly concerned about their chance creation.

As the new attacking players gel together, the automatisms between them should start to click, and the Gunners should become more free-flowing and able to generate good shooting opportunities.

Arteta’s side also aren’t bottom across the board in offensive metrics.

According to FBRef, the Gunners have created the sixth most total expected goals, significantly more than 13th placed Liverpool, who won’t be concerned about their attack.

Arsenal have also taken the fourth most shots in the league, indicating that big chances created isn’t necessarily the most integral metric for measuring how an attack is performing.

Ultimately, set-pieces still count, and if a team is sustainably lethal from them, then that’s not something to be worried about, but an encouraging sign.