Willian looked like a classy operator for Arsenal in the victory at Fulham, but has come out of the boil

It was a horror show for Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, as Mikel Arteta’s side was vastly outclassed by Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Gunners were upset 3-0 at home by a team that almost maintained their Premier League status last season, but of course it could have been a lot worse for the hosts.

Jack Grealish, Ross Barkley, John McGinn and company ran in circles around the Arsenal across North London, but it wasn’t just on defense that the Gunners seemed puzzled.

Once again, there was no fluidity in the attack, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang failed to land a single shot for the first time in a Premier League match in the Emirates.

While Ollie Watkins thrived on top with a double thanks to Villa’s fluid soccer, Arsenal’s attack was nowhere to be seen. Dean Smith’s men outperformed the Gunners on their own turf at what they supposedly do best.

And Willian’s woes, in particular, perfectly highlight Arsenal’s attacking woes so far this season.

The Brazilian, signed by Chelsea in the free summer from London, wore a classy operator on Arsenal’s front row when he emphatically edged Fulham 3-0 on the first day of the season.

Willian had two assists at Craven Cottage, linking superbly with Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang, who both scored the selection of goals with a fine shot from the left after being brilliantly chosen by the Brazilian.

Arsenal looked like the business, but it moved quickly almost two months and seven games later, and the situation could not be different.

Arsenal have scored just nine goals in eight Premier League games; only five teams have a worse record so far, including the last four.

Arsenal’s tally of just nine goals is the fewest they have scored at this stage of a league campaign since 1998-99 (9).

And in their last four Premier League games, they have only scored once, and that was from the penalty spot against Manchester United. These are very worrying statistics.

While the Gunners, until Sunday, seemed calm at the rear, up front they have struggled enormously to find the right balance and it’s hard to tell where the goals will come from.

Arteta has prioritized defense, but it has come at a cost. He has chosen structure over flow, and he relies on Willian to do a better defensive job than Nicolas Pepe when it comes to tracking and maintaining form.

But Willian is offering the Gunners next to nothing at the moment, and it’s hard to see why Arteta stands by the seasoned Brazilian when he has more spirited options watching from the bench.

The 32-year-old seems unable to bond with his teammates in attack, he is not providing the runs behind opposition defenses, as he struggles to drive to goal, one of his greatest attributes from his Chelsea days.

He’s getting too stationary on Arsenal’s front row, and right now he doesn’t offer Arsenal another dimension in attack from the wing.

In seven top flight appearances, Willian has no goals to his name, only two assists, he produced only five shots, while creating eight chances. It certainly takes more than a man who has won almost everything in England.

Pepe came in as a substitute in the second half against Villa and, although he struggled to make an impact, at least he showed enthusiasm and promise of attack.

The club’s record signing is not afraid to take a chance in the future, and that’s exactly what Arsenal need right now to try and unlock the attacking power we all know it has.

But it’s not just Willian who could use a spell on the sidelines. Lacazette has been in a bad mood all season leading the line, and once again on Sunday he missed a golden opportunity.

At 1-0 down, Kieran Tierney threw a delicious ball towards the back post with Lacazette running towards him. However, the Frenchman launched his header over the crossbar with only Emiliano Martínez to beat.

Lacazette has sported an injection of confidence throughout the season and again many Arsenal fans have been stumped as to why Arteta continues to show his faith in the striker.

Lacazette is not providing goals or holding the ball for his teammates, and it seems only a matter of time until Arteta looks away.

But perhaps what’s most damaging to Lacazette’s continued inclusion at the top is the effect he’s having on Aubameyang’s performances.

His talisman, the fastest player to score 50 Premier League goals for the club in just 79 appearances, is nowhere to be seen and he did not sniff on Sunday as he failed to unload a single shot into the goal of Town.

Aubameyang, who has only two Premier League goals this season, cannot find the serve he needs and his ineffectiveness on the wing is costing Arsenal in attack.

The Gabon star should be the one to make those late runs into the penalty area coming to the end of the invite crosses, but is instead playing a supporting role on the wing.

Since the opening day of the campaign, Arsenal’s most fluid attacking play came at home to Sheffield United on October 4 when Pepe entered and Aubameyang moved through the middle.

The Gunners scored two quick goals against Chris Wilder’s men thanks to their frankness and quick swapping on the wings, with Pepe scoring a wonderful solo goal for Arsenal’s second.

It was so simple. The Ivorian played a one-two with Hector Bellerin before running straight into the Sheffield United defense before huddling in the bottom corner.

Pepe showed ruthlessness and courage to get to the Blades defense, exactly what a winger should be doing.

The Gunners are too static right now, and Arsenal desperately needs a player willing to gamble and risk to unlock opponents’ defenses.

Pepe has put a score in the Europa League, while Reiss Nelson has also seemed like a direct threat when given the opportunity in Europe.

It’s surely only a matter of time until Arteta drops seasoned underperforming stars Willian and Lacazette in their bid to unlock the key to Arsenal’s attack.