Arsenal players showed Andrea Berta their biggest problem after PSG humiliated them in one area

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Arsenal have plenty of problems to solve in the summer transfer window after another season without silverware.

The Gunners’ last hope of a trophy was the Champions League; however, Paris Saint-Germain denied Arsenal access to the final. 

PSG beat Arsenal over two legs, winning the first leg 1-0 at the Emirates and then winning 2-1 at the Parc des Princes. 

It was a frustrating contest, more than anything, for Mikel Arteta’s side, as the same squad that scored five times over two legs against Real Madrid struggled immensely in the final third against the Parisians. 

• READ MORE: Arsenal fans are seeing something for the ‘first time’ as player suffers ‘tough’ night vs PSG

PSG humiliated Arsenal in expected goal metric

The opening 15 minutes of the second leg were so impressive that many wondered how on earth Arsenal did not grab an early goal.

Instead, it was PSG who opened the scoring, netting against the run of play as Fabian Ruiz produced a moment of magic.

Such moments of inspiration were the brutal difference between the two sides, sending a clear transfer message to Arsenal’s recruitment team regarding what’s missing.

Seeing the goals that Ousmane Dembele, Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi scored in the tie was one thing, but studying the statistics behind the contest was another. 

Revising the expected goals (xG) metric, which measures the likelihood of a chance resulting in a goal, Arsenal severely underperformed, and PSG massively overperformed.

The French side’s three strikes amounted to a combined xG of just 0.18, while over the two legs, Arsenal racked up an xG of 5.11, scoring just once.

If there’s one positive to being knocked out of the Champions League so late into the competition, it’s that the differences between the current squad and Europe’s elite are clearer than ever to see.

Andrea Berta must eye quality finishers in the summer transfer window

Arsenal’s shortcomings in attack are desperately frustrating for Arteta, but in some way useful for new sporting director Andrea Berta. 

The Italian has one of the simplest tasks in football, as strengthening Arsenal’s attack is a non-negotiable this summer.

PSG progressed to the Champions League final because they had what Arsenal didn’t: players capable of making something out of nothing.

The Gunners, on the other hand, struggled to finish the succession of chances they created, ramping up their xG tally without impacting the scoreline.