Arsenal’s weekend collapsed at the Emirates, a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth that left them trailing Manchester City after the champions beat Chelsea. The Gunners managed just one shot on target and recorded an open‑play expected‑goals figure of 0.18, the lowest of any top‑six side this season.

Arteta’s reliance on set‑pieces intensified, with defenders pushing forward whenever a foul was won in midfield. Declan Rice’s pinpoint deliveries have justified the approach for much of the campaign, yet Saturday saw 26 minutes of dead‑ball possession and seven minutes waiting for throw‑ins, eroding any rhythm the team might have built.

Statistically, Arsenal sit sixth in open‑play xG among the top‑six, trailing even Brighton. In the previous eight title‑winning campaigns, champions have finished in the top two for this metric, making Arsenal’s record an outlier. Their formula has delivered points, but a reliance on set‑piece moments risks exposing a creative deficiency when facing clubs like City.

If Arsenal can silence City with a set‑piece winner at the Etihad, the critique may fade; otherwise, their inability to generate open‑play chances could prove decisive in a title race that now hinges on fine margins.