Arsenal continued their push for the League title with a brilliant win over Watford at Vicarage Road. The Gunners were held for the first 60 minutes as Watford put themselves about with some physical play but it was all undone in 12 minutes as a relentless Arsenal pounded in three goals from close range.
Despite Watford being the more physical of the two teams, Arsenal kept the Wasps at bay, allowing the home team to take just 8 shots, 5 from distance, and getting just 1 shot on target. Meanwhile Arsenal took 17 shots, 7 in prime, 3 big chances, and, but for some serious wastefulness by Aaron Ramsey, probably would have scored earlier in the match.
Ramsey did finally get a goal, his first goal of the season in 29 attempts. Now if we can just find a way to get Cazorla a goal. He’s 0/22 on the season so far.
As I’ve detailed here ad nauseum the Gunners are running neck-and-neck with Manchester City in terms of creating shots, creating big chances, and creating shots in prime areas. City got off to a better start than Arsenal, scoring 12 in their first 6 matches, where Arsenal scored just 3 in the same period (not including own goals). The gunners were creating the shots, good shots, but simply not converting.
But in the last three games Arsenal have all guns blazing and have scored 11 goals. That compares favorably to the 12 that City have scored in the same period.
What kept Arsenal afloat (treading water more like) is that Arsenal have the best defense in the League. The Gunners have conceded just 7 goals this season (which is tied with the other team from North London) but have allowed just 17 shots in prime and just 10 big chances. This is significantly better than Sp*rs who have allowed 11 big chances and 24 shots in prime and similar/better than Man City who have allowed 21 SiP and only 8 big chances.
City and Arsenal are truly neck and neck for the title so far this season and the clash between them in December could be a real treat if they keep their current form going.
Dribbles dribbles everywhere
Arsenal lead the League in successful dribbles with 14.2 per game. Any team with Cazorla and Alexis on it is going to have a high dribble success tally but what’s truly impressive is that the Gunners are dribbling at a 69% success rate.
Alexis leads the club (and is second in the League behind Mahrez) with 28/40 successful dribbles. Cazorla is second at Arsenal with 22/30. Both players are above 70% in terms of dribbles this season.
The surprise of the season, though, has to be Francis Coquelin. He was 12/12 going into the game today and was forced to attempt 6 dribbles against Watford’s defense. He completed 4/6, meaning he failed just 2 dribbles so far this season.
It was a strange game against Watford. The gunners only attempt on average 20 dribbles a game but with Watford clogging the passing lanes and closing space, Arsenal ended up going 19/32 on the day. It worked well enough and Arsenal broke the Watford wall.
Ozil Assists
Ozil was credited with 2 assists today and now has 181 career assists which takes him equal to Juan Riquelme. Maybe. I don’t know. I saw it on twitter, which means it must be true. But here’s the thing, he was credited with an assist for Alexis’ goal. Not a “fantasy assist” either, a “real” assist.
I guess it’s like any other stat, someone watches the action and makes a call as to whether it was a good pass, a tackle, a dribble, or an assist. I watched the goal a few times and I wouldn’t have credited him because it looks like the defender takes the ball but hey, Ozil needs all the stats he can get.
@7amkickoff
Sources: 442 StatsZone App, WhoScored.com, that guy on Twitter, and my personal database
If Matt Damon can live on Mars then we can definitely beat the shite out of Bayern!!
Any reliable source can confirm the ‘Ozil equals Riquelme’s record’ rumor? Because there are many players, even active with a high tally of assists in their careers.
7amkickoff just confirmed it. Is there a better source? NO! Keep up the good work 7am
Except he says ‘Maybe. I don’t know.’ and doesn’t really confirm it.
Anyway, Mesut Ozil’s own website kinda disagrees with the stat.
http://www.mesutoezil.com/ shows a total of 167 assists including both club and country games.
Not to mention that Messi supposedly has 187 as well. All detailed data too – http://messi.starplayerstats.com/en/assists
Guess my comment didn’t get posted cause of the links..
Anyway he 7amkickoff doesn’t confirm it, he literally says ‘Maybe. I don’t know.’ and follows it with what I assume is a joke.
Ozil’s own site, which you can find on his twitter page says he has 167 assists for both club and country.
Messi on the other hand, has 187 well documented assists.
So it appears to be a made up stat just got thrown around.
Well even if Ozil didn’t break an all-time assist record (is there even such a record though, because assists were not recorded until recently if I recall correctly?), he is joint-top for this season’s EPL, with 6 (tied with Silva)!
6 in 8 EPL games – if he plays at least 30 games, then he’s well on his way to break 20 assists for this season!
Really hope that he does reach that milestone, given how much the man values assists over goals, and it would certainly be a great personal achievement for him 🙂
Coquelin has been hugely impressive. Ozil is delivering on a consistent basis. Sanchez and bellerin appear to have improved from last season. Our defence looks very solid, and the addition of cech has added more steel. This season looks to have a lot of promise but only time will tell if it will really be our year. I’m slightly concerned about a major injury and our performances against the other big clubs at home and away from home. If we do crash out of the champions league it may just turn out to be an added boost. Although I would… Read more »
….”The surprise of the season, though, has to be Francis Coquelin. He was 12/12 going into the game today and was forced to attempt 6 dribbles against Watford’s defense. He completed 4/6………”
…..And the critics were saying he wasn’t good enough because he wasn’t “a ball playing DM”……..boy!….is he making them eat their words!
Michael Cox’s piece on the effect of Coquelin on our attacking game has become almost mythical in its reinvention by Gooners wanting to tell Mr Cox he’s wrong. He never claimed that the Coq wasn’t good, wasn’t good enough or anything else. Cox made the point that with the Coq in the side you needed Cazorla or Arteta along side to provide the necessary quality of distribution. Arsene can’t play Coq and Rambo together as ball security in the middle of the park is jeopardised. Nothing has changed. The Coq looks very sound technically and I believe will grow into… Read more »
why they call em wasps?! some(wiki) says hornets and their logo is a moose. i dont get it.
Because of the color of the shirts, I’d wager.
Tom, they say that we tire the opposition out – is it mentally or physically or both?
We are not Barcelona like – relentless attack, so it’s not mental?
If it’s physical, is there are stats that would show that? Like the distance run by the opposition as compared to us? Or is that our players are fitter?
Distance ran only tells half the story I think. It depends on how you use the energy. Sprints take more energy that a jog for the same distance. So I guy like Ozil who covers a lot of ground in an efficient manner will be less tired than a box to box type who sprints the whole length of the pitch at times. Someone like Giroud who likes to harass the keeper by chasing down every ball that goes anywhere near the keeper also sprints a lot and covers a lot of ground but does it in short bursts. I… Read more »
I think the key things Arsenal train for is their first touch, their pace and their stamina.
Every Arsenal player is comfortable on the ball at their feet; including Mertesacker. Undoubtably the most talented team in the epl.
Mertesacker may not be a dribbler but he’s one of the best passers you will find for a CB. Hardly ever does he just hoof it up into trouble.
I do agree with Mertesacker being a top passer. He did give some unusually strong passes which weren’t good toady though.. Maybe he’s still finding his rhythm
*today
No offense but how can you say a guy is a best passer if you have never seen him do an aerial long ball from inside our half? I think it was min 25 or so.. Per tries to play a long pass to his left and it is so poor it is intercepted and a counter set up..
All Per does are three passes 99% of the time – to Kos, to Hector and then to Keeper if oppn. closes in.. And then talk about him dribbling.. I mean, seriously? LOL
I presume your name is ironic?
! agree 100%….i use to hate the now familiar word “automatism”, especially after the disappointing results in the earlier part of the season, but that is what we are seeing now…….when the team jells,like now, and arsenal’s attack clicks, and is in full flow with their deft flicks and one touch mesmerising football, it is then that one understands the true meaning of the word……which i can only describe as instinctive quick passing of the ball to what appears to be empty spaces to your opponent, trusting your team mate to run into that space to receive the pass and… Read more »
I saw that when Arteta came on, Per kept the armband. I guess that is a recent change.
Whatever it is, credits to Watford because they kept clean sheet for 60 minutes and manure couldn’t. Fact. The chavs should be very grateful to Mike (the twat)dean.
“11 goals… compares favorably to the 12 that City have scored”
Strictly speaking, it compares unfavourably, but only just. It compares well, I think is what you mean.
Nit-picking. Sorry. Nice analysis, thanks.
True nit-picking would be pointing out that 28/40 is not ‘above’ 70%, but exactly 70%.
But who would do that?
Bell end mike
Coq was a massive presence!
Why Does ramseys miss not count as a big chance?
Oohhhhh Santi Caaarzzolaaa!
Love love love that man
Regarding Ozil’s first assist. I think the authorities credited him for the assist as he was the last person who ‘touched’ the ball before Alexis score. I vaguely remembered Gervinho being credited an assist after he deflected the ball (unknowingly) on to the path of a certain Dutch Skunk, I think it’s the same principle.
By the way, Ozil’s 2nd assist to Giroud was with his weaker foot, made it 2 right-footed assists in the last two game. Bet that Ozil had been working extra hard on his weaker foot!
Gird scoring from his weaker foot like that was even more comforting. No negativity here, but I am starting to love Giroud as a substitute. Always makes something happen or scores when he comes on with 30mins to go.
Logic should be used to decide on assists/goals. Ozil’s movement and Santi’s pass created the goal so the last Arsenal player, which is Ozil, to touch the ball before Alexis scored has to be credited with the goal.
Correct and it’s also the correct way to interpret assists.
Goals count even if the scorer didn’t mean it, so do assists.
Is bellerin cheekishly grabbing pregnent ramseys tities 😛
Sh*t… We killing em. I love the composure of LeCoq when under pressure. And this guy Giroud…he just scores when we want
actually, it feels like when we need giroud to score he doesn’t, and when the game is already won he does.
Gradually starting to love Coquelin more and more with every game. His impressive dribble stats are clearly evidence of high levels of confidence in his ability. His decision-making is getting better and better but I feel that his most impressive trait on a football pitch is his attitude. Hates losing, loves winning.
7amkickoff…How many touches did we take leading to the first goal? ….i love the fact that we can keep our calm, it was almost list one of those ‘old’ days when the opponent just grabs a late goal from a set piece..but Maturity has taken the place of naivety..consistency, commitment and calm now characterise. Our team… #COYG bring on the German bullies let’s make them a special beer and serve it to them soar!!!
Yep, maturity and Big Petr Chech!
its a good weekend. not worried bout buyern tho’
Great couple of victories vs United and Watford. BUT, haven’t we all seen this already in the past few years? Will there be another meltdown coming? Hope not and for once we play like this for more than 5 or 6 months like every season.
Hi 7am, would you be kind enough to someday analyse the level of Arseblog news readers engagements following a win or a loss. Seems there are far fewer comments on match reports after a win. If true, does this reveal an entitled mentality? Can it be extrapolated to explain the inconsistency of the noise levels and home stadium support?
Yes, I’m idle. But really curious. I have a mate who yesterday said we made beating Watford look unnecessarily difficult, an opinion I strongly disagree with.
Watford are not the “Wasps” they are the “Hornets”
And onxe again 7am denigrating Mesut’s action… This is ruly tiring, guy… And what about hiq drible to enter the enalty are
And once again 7am denigrating Mesut’s action… This is truly tiring, guy… And what about his dribble to enter the penalty area? You deal with stats? Ok, then why not mentioning the second assist that maybe you put in duestion and the 6 shots assists? Is it too much for you?
Alex – I’m trying to decide whether your first comment or second one is more gibberish?