Arsenal’s biggest problem is plain to see

Arsenal are stuck in a rut. Dissecting the performances in the last three matches has turned into agonising mental gymnastics as one issue overtakes the next. There is, however, one common theme ahead of facing Chelsea.

Drawing a blank against Southampton despite having 23 shots now means that Arsenal have scored with just two of their last 63 attempts at goal, one of which was heavily deflected. Meanwhile, they’ve conceded eight from the last 14 they’ve had on target.

In the defensive sense that can, sometimes, be pure bad luck. Teams are scoring with almost every shot on target and the finger can’t really be pointed at Aaron Ramsdale either. If you gave that chance to central defender Jan Bednarek ten more times he’s probably miss the other nine.

The clear issues are at the other end of the pitch. It’s all about conversion or, in the Gunners’ case, a lack of it.

Arsenal’s biggest problem is plain to see with the lack of goals in the team costing them dearly as they battle for Premier League top four

Despite some desperately poor performances where the side haven’t been able to even get a point against three bang average teams, the chances have been there. If Bukayo Saka scores in the first half Arsenal could easily have gone on to win that game. They probably would have.

Across the whole season only Brighton (-13.6) are underperforming their xG more than Arsenal (-10.2). The hardest part of football is putting the ball in the back of the net and unless this team does that first in a match they stand next to no chance of securing points. Indeed, Arsenal have won just four points from losing positions this season.

Collectively Arsenal have lost 11 of the 13 Premier League matches in which they’ve been trailing, all because they do not have the cutting edge in attack. There is not enough of it and, obvious to everyone, certainly not in the centre-forward position.

This run of defeats is understandably seeing the mentality of the team being critiqued. When the pressure is on them, and Arteta, they fold. But the absolute bottom line, simple as simple can be, is that the team does not score enough goals.

Southampton had one chance and won. Brighton had one chance in the first half and scored, and then netted a screamer after the break. There a huge differences in solidity and fluidity now when compared to the recent Wolves and Aston Villa matches, but even then those games were decided by just one goal.

Absolutely zero threat from the No. 9 position for most of the season has caught up with Arsenal. The hope was that this final run-in could be seen out without that coming back to bite the team, but it hasn’t.

Diving into why this and why that, it all comes back to goals.