Liverpool's Creativity Crisis: No Shot on Target vs Arsenal Exposes Iraola's Issues

Liverpool suffered a historic low against Arsenal, failing to record a single shot on target in a Premier League home game for the first time since records began in 2003 – a run of 442 matches. The 1-0 defeat laid bare a deepening creativity problem under manager Andoni Iraola. Here's the full analysis.

Match: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal (Premier League)
Historic stat: First Premier League home game without a shot on target since 2003 (442 games)
Key issue: 17 shots worth just 1.05 expected goals
Big chances: Only 7 created in 9 league games – second-bottom in the division
Next up: Liverpool face a crucial run of fixtures as they look to climb the table

The numbers

442 – Premier League home games since records began in 2003; Liverpool had never failed to register a shot on target until Arsenal.
17 – Shots against Arsenal, worth a meagre 1.05 expected goals.
140 – Total shots this season (fifth-highest in the Premier League).
9th – Rank for goals scored; 11th for expected goals.
39% – Proportion of shots from outside the box (fourth-highest in the division).
8% – Proportion of shots from inside the six-yard box (sixth-lowest).
93% – Dominik Szoboszlai's shots from outside the box (highest in the league among all players).
7 – Big chances created in nine games (second-bottom, between Coventry and Hull).
0.09 – Average expected goals per shot (one of the lowest in the division).
250 – Touches in the opposition box this season (eighth in the league).
30 – First-half touches in the opposition box against Arsenal (a Premier League record).
27% – Time spent building up against low blocks (highest in the Premier League).
22 – Chances created by Florian Wirtz (second in the league), but 0 big chances created.
1.08 – Wirtz's expected assists (37th in the Premier League).
5 – Games in which Liverpool have conceded the opening goal this season (only five sides have trailed for a higher percentage of time).

The shot location problem: Szoboszlai and long-range reliance

Liverpool's shot map tells a story of quantity over quality. Despite ranking fifth for total shots (140), they sit ninth for goals and 11th for expected goals. The reason is clear: they are taking too many shots from distance. A league-high 39% of their efforts come from outside the box – only Manchester United, Hull and Newcastle have a higher proportion, and all three sit in the bottom half of the table.

By contrast, just 8% of Liverpool's shots come from inside the six-yard box – the sixth-lowest in the division. The two teams with the highest proportion from that zone? Leaders Arsenal (17%) and second-placed Manchester City (13%). The correlation is obvious: closer shots equals better chances.

The poster boy for this issue is Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungarian has taken 93% of his shots from outside the box this season – the highest percentage of any Premier League player. Of his 14 attempts, the only one from inside the box was his converted penalty against Newcastle on the opening day. He has not scored in the league since.

Creativity lacking: Wirtz's struggles and Iraola's dilemma

Iraola is not against long-range shooting per se. His Bournemouth side had more shots from outside the box than any other Premier League team last season, and he encouraged Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier and Lewis Cook to try their luck. He likely believes he has similar players at Liverpool, Szoboszlai being a prime example.

But the shot location issue is also a creativity issue. Liverpool are struggling to get the ball to their forwards in dangerous positions. Their 250 touches in the opposition box this season put them eighth in the league – not terrible, but not elite. And their big chances created tell a damning story: just seven in nine games, second-bottom between newly-promoted Coventry and Hull. That is despite spending nearly £500m on their attack in the last two years.

The creative burden was supposed to fall on Florian Wirtz, signed at considerable expense last year to be the playmaker. Wirtz ranks second in the league for chances created (22), but he has yet to create a single Opta-defined big chance. For context, Pascal Gross, the only player ahead of him with 24 chances created, has seven big chances. Wirtz also ranks 37th for expected assists (1.08), highlighting the limited quality of the chances he has created.

Liverpool clearly need more from their £116.5m playmaker, but other factors contribute too. The Arsenal game was the fifth time this season they have conceded the opening goal. Only five sides – Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Ipswich, Newcastle and Coventry – have spent a higher percentage of time trailing. Game state matters: by conceding first, Liverpool allow opponents to sit deep in a compact shape and protect their lead. As a result, they have spent 27% of their time building up against low blocks – the highest in the Premier League. It is naturally harder to create high-quality chances when opponents put bodies behind the ball. Liverpool have won only one of the five games in which they conceded first, compared to all three when they scored first.

What was said

"Iraola is not opposed to long-range shooting. His Bournemouth side had more shots from outside the box than any other Premier League team last season. In conversation with Sky Sports two years ago, he explained that he encouraged Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier and Lewis Cook to try their luck because of their long-range shooting ability."
— Sky Sports analysis, on Iraola's tactical approach

This insight is telling: Iraola actively encourages long-range shooting when he trusts his players' ability from distance. At Liverpool, he likely feels Szoboszlai and others fit that mould. But the data suggests that approach is backfiring. The lack of creativity means speculative efforts are becoming the default, rather than a deliberate tactical choice. Unless Iraola can find a way to get his forwards into better positions, the reliance on long shots will continue to undermine Liverpool's attacking output.

Analysis: Why Liverpool's creativity problem runs deeper than finishing

The headline stat – no shot on target at home for the first time in 442 games – is shocking, but it is not an anomaly. It is the culmination of a systemic issue that has been building all season. Liverpool's attacking numbers look decent on the surface: 140 shots is fifth-most in the league. But the quality of those shots is poor. An average of 0.09 expected goals per shot is one of the lowest in the division, meaning the average Liverpool shot is worth less than a tenth of a goal. That is a recipe for underperformance.

The root cause is a combination of factors. First, the shot locations: too many from outside the box, too few from inside the six-yard box. Second, the creativity: Wirtz has created plenty of chances but none of them have been big ones. Third, the game state: conceding first has forced Liverpool to break down low blocks more than any other team, which is exactly the scenario in which they struggle. Alexander Isak has overperformed in front of goal, scoring six Premier League goals from shots worth 4.35 expected goals, thanks in part to his ability to convert more difficult chances. But relying on individual brilliance is not sustainable.

Iraola needs solutions, and he needs them soon. Starting stronger would help – forcing opponents to come out and leave gaps. But the deeper issue is tactical: Liverpool must find a way to create higher-quality chances, whether through better movement, more penetrative passing, or a change in approach. The £116.5m spent on Wirtz was supposed to solve this, but so far it has not. The clock is ticking.

Talking points

Is Dominik Szoboszlai's long-range shooting a weapon or a waste? With 93% of his shots from outside the box, he is not testing goalkeepers enough.
Florian Wirtz has created 22 chances but zero big ones – is he the right playmaker for Liverpool's system, or does he need more support?
Liverpool have spent nearly £500m on their attack but created only seven big chances in nine games – is the recruitment strategy flawed?
Should Iraola abandon his long-range shooting philosophy to focus on getting the ball into the box more often?

What happens next

Liverpool return to Premier League action next weekend, and Iraola must find a way to spark his team's creativity. With just one win from five games when conceding first, starting strongly is imperative. The upcoming fixture list offers a chance to build momentum, but unless the shot location and creativity issues are addressed, Liverpool will continue to drop points. The pressure is mounting on the manager and his players to deliver.

Frequently asked questions

Did Liverpool really fail to have a shot on target against Arsenal?

Yes, Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target for the first time in 442 Premier League home games, dating back to 2003.

How many big chances have Liverpool created this season?

Liverpool have created only seven big chances in nine Premier League games, the second-lowest in the division.

Why are Liverpool taking so many shots from outside the box?

Liverpool have the fourth-highest percentage of shots from outside the box (39%) in the Premier League, partly due to a lack of creativity in getting the ball to forwards in dangerous positions.