Pair of worrying stats suggest Arsenal have been LUCKY this season even amid sluggish start

The Gunners are unbeaten, but fortunately so

September 25, 2023 at 1:57 pm GMT+1

A pair of worrying stats have surfaced surrounding Arsenal after they were held to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates in the north London derby.

Unbeaten going into the game, they faced off with a rejuvenated Spurs side also yet to lose going into the game, and a brace from both Bukayo Saka and Heung Min-Son meant that the points were ultimately shared in north London in a disappointing result for Mikel Arteta’s side.

It is the second time that they have dropped points at home this season, also throwing away a late lead against Fulham after needlessly conceding a corner in the dying minutes.

Widely expected to challenge Manchester City once more this season, they have scored just 11 goals in six games, of which three have come from the penalty spot.

Though they remain unbeaten after six games, a start that they would have dreamed about in seasons gone by, they have already given up four points to Pep Guardiola’s side in the race for the Premier League title, and are within the chasing pack rather than in the lead as they were for much of last season.

Speaking ahead of the north London derby, Mikel Arteta revealed that he felt his side needed to be better in the ‘fine margins’ of games, but a pair of stats have surfaced to suggest that the Gunners are lucky to even be where they are.

As per Scott Willis on Twitter, the north London outfit have racked up a total expected goals of just 7.6 from open play across six games this season, a return which would leave them 12th in the Premier League by this model.

7.6 - Arsenal's open play expected goals this season, ranking 12th best in the Premier League. That's 1.3 per match. It's still not clicking. pic.twitter.com/zjpA203zSI
— Scott Willis (@scottjwillis) September 25, 2023

Worse still is the “big chances” that Arteta’s side have created.

As per the Premier League, this figure stands at just seven, fewer than Luton Town and Crystal Palace and is the 15th best in the division. The only sides below them are freshly promoted pair Burnley and Sheffield United and midtable sides Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Bournemouth.

With a new style having to be fashioned in a bid to get the best out of new signing Kai Havertz, there were always set to be teething problems, but the lack of cutting edge in the final third will certainly be something that worries the Gunners boss.