Liverpool's record exposes creativity problem

Liverpool lost 1-0 to Arsenal at Anfield. The Reds failed to register a shot on target for the first time in 442 Premier League matches played at their home ground. Opta confirmed the statistic, which dates back to when records began being kept in 2003. Shots initially credited as on target by Ronald Araujo and Alexis Mac Allister were later reclassified as a blocked shot and an overhit pass.

Liverpool's finishing was poor, and a penalty they were entitled to was not awarded. But the real problem was creativity. The team took 17 shots, and these were worth only 1.05 expected goals. This was the latest example of the team's struggle to create high-quality chances.

Liverpool have taken 140 shots this season, ranking fifth in the Premier League. However, they are ninth for goals scored and eleventh for expected goals. Shot locations explain this gap. Shots from close range are more likely to become goals, but Liverpool take most of their shots from distance. 39 percent of the team's shots come from outside the penalty area, the fourth highest rate in the league behind Manchester United, Hull and Newcastle. The share of shots taken from inside the six-yard box is 8 percent, the sixth lowest in the league.

Dominik Szoboszlai's statistics also sum up the problem. 93 percent of the player's 14 shots came from outside the penalty area. His only shot from inside the box was the penalty he took against Newcastle on the first day of the season, and he has not scored in the league since then. It was also noted that Bournemouth took the most shots from outside the penalty area in the league last season.