Astonishing stat highlights major concern for Arteta amidst Arsenal’s struggles

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Arsenal have had a strong start to the season, as they are unbeaten in the league and top of the Champions League group, but they have not been as fluid in attack as they were last season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have, at times, struggled creatively, and whilst they may have improved in other aspects, they have not perhaps been at their devastating best going forward, and have not blown teams away like they did at times last season.

A stat has now emerged which may highlight an issue Arsenal have faced this season: they are not scoring enough early goals.

Arsenal’s slow starts this season

Stat expert Scott Willis has now highlighted an astonishing contrast between this season and last, as Arsenal’s ability to score early on in games has fallen off a cliff.

“Last year Arsenal scored 14 goals in the opening 15 minutes of Premier League matches, this year it has been 0. In the opening 30 minutes last year, it was 29 goals scored, this year just 4,” he tweeted.

Obviously the stats are currently comparing 38 league games to just nine, but it does raise a valid issue, as Arsenal have not scored a single goal in the first 15 minutes of any game this season.

Is there a lack of urgency at Arsenal?

Although Arsenal have seemingly controlled more games this season, they are not winning by high scorelines, and this has seen them get punished twice, dropping points from winning positions against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

The slow starts means that, particularly at the Emirates, teams can sit deeper against Arsenal and grow in confidence defensively. The lack of early goals also makes it more difficult for Arsenal to open teams up further, and add even more goals on top.

Whilst it is still fairly early in the season, this will be a huge concern for Arteta, and it is a stat he would no doubt want to change as the campaign goes on.

Last season saw Arsenal, and Gabriel Martinelli in particular, score early in games against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and others, which saw them rack up impressive wins with the early strikes proving to be strong statements about their attacking ambitions.

Being able to lay down markers at the start of games can also give Arsenal a mental advantage over their opposition, and will also ease tensions in the Emirates crowd, which has had a more nervous edge to it this season.