Thierry Henry explains reasons for Arsenal's issues in attack

Thierry Henry was in fine form on Monday Night Football as he analysed the factors behind Arsenal's attacking malaise.

Arsenal are currently six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool in a season that's seen Manchester City finally lose their grip on the division. The Gunners initially seemed best placed to take advantage of City's demise, but Mikel Arteta's men have won just half of their 16 Premier League outings and are also four points behind Chelsea in the table.

Only four teams have scored more goals in the league than Arsenal this season, but there has undeniably been a reliance on set-pieces. 27.59% of their goals this term have come from set plays - the fifth-highest reliance in the division. In multiple games, Arsenal have exuded control but lacked verve when attempting to prise open defences. They haven't scored an open-play Premier League goal in three games, with recent draws against Fulham and Everton exemplifying their woes in attack.

Thierry Henry explains reasons for Arsenal's issues in attack

Arsenal's attack was one of multiple topics covered by Henry and Jamie Carragher ahead of Bournemouth's clash with West Ham. Henry commented on the Gunners' imbalance going forward and the predictability of their possession play.

When talking through sequences during the first half of the 2-0 win over Manchester United, Henry criticised the lack of off-the-ball runs in support of Bukayo Saka as well as Martin Odegaard's conservatism in possession.

"What do you do when you're Arsenal and you have a little problem... you go to Bukayo Saka," the Gunners icon said.

Henry once described Saka's wing twin, Gabriel Martinelli, as "coming" in best left-winger in the world conversations, but the Frenchman was particularly scathing of the Brazilian during his analysis.

“Gabriel Martinelli’s best asset is pace, but he never uses it," he commented. "When he’s one-on-one and there’s space in behind, he chooses the safe option and goes backwards. I would never do that. ”

The stats would suggest that Martinelli is actually engaging in more one-v-ones this season than he ever has done in his senior career (5.16 attempted take-ons per 90 minutes in the Premier League), but his measly success rate of 30.6% is currently the worst of his career, too.

Martinelli's woes, compounded by a left-hand side which has chopped and changed, have allowed teams to make a more concerted effort to shun Arsenal down the right. Teams can double and even triple-team Saka in the hope that their right-back will deny Martinelli one-on-one. This imbalance has been key to Arsenal's suffering, and while there's an obvious personnel issue, Mikel Arteta has to shoulder some responsibility for failing to change.

There's a sense of risk-aversion permeating through this Arsenal squad, a sentiment that doubtlessly traces down from the control-oriented boss.

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!