The damning statistics: Comparing Arteta’s Arsenal to Emery’s…

Ian Watson

Mikel Arteta “knows he will be sacked sometime” but that might come sooner than he expected if Arsenal’s form continues in this vein. The manager has tightened the Gunners up at the back but it appears to have come at the cost of stifled creativity. 

When you compare where they are now to where Arsenal were when they sacked Emery a year and a day ago, the numbers make for pretty grim reading…

 

– Emery was sacked with Arsenal 8th in the table having won four, lost three and drawn six of their 13 Premier League games at the start of last season. That was equivalent to 1.38 points per game and a win rate of 23.5%.
– Under Arteta, Arsenal are 14th after 10 games having won four, lost five and drawn one. They have earned an average of 1.3 points per game so far and have a win rate of 40%. 

– For Emery last season, Arsenal scored 18 Premier League goals in 13 matches at a rate of 1.38 per game.
– Arteta’s Arsenal have scored 10 goals in 10 matches at a rate of one per game.

 

– They attempted 162 shots in total under Emery – 12.5 per game.
– This season, Arsenal attempted 95 shots – 9.5 per game.

 

– Of those shots for Emery, 58 were on target at a rate of 4.5 per game.
– Arteta’s Arsenal have managed 32 shots on target at a rate of 3.2 per game.

 

– After 13 Premier League games last season before Emery was fired, Arsenal had conceded 19 goals at a rate of 1.46 per game.
– This season, they have conceded 12 goals at a rate of 1.2 goals per game.

 

– Emery’s opponents had a total of 218 shots in 13 matches – 16.7 per game.
– This season, Arsenal have allowed 124 shots on their goal – 12.4 per game. 

 

– Of the 218 attempts against Emery’s side, 75 were on target at a rate of 5.6 per game.
– Under Arteta, Bernd Leno has faced 40 shots on target at a rate of four per game. 

 

– Under Emery, Arsenal had 56.2% possession through the opening 13 Premier League matches.
– Arteta’s Arsenal have averaged 50.6% possession this season. Ten Premier League clubs have seen more of the ball. 

 


READ MORE: Premier League winners and losers has questions for Arteta


 

Other damning statistics

– Only Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Burnley have averaged fewer shots per game than Arsenal’s 9.5.

– Only one club (Liverpool) have won fewer aerial duels than Arsenal’s average of 12.5 per game.

– Despite tightening up under Arteta, Arsenal are still 10th for shots conceded per game.

– No team has made fewer tackles than Arsenal’s 11.7 per game.

– For interceptions, Arsenal’s 10.4 per game ranks 12th in the Premier League.

– Only three clubs – Villa, Sheffield United and Burnley – have attempted fewer dribbles than Arsenal this season.

– Only Liverpool have blocked fewer crosses than the six Arsenal have stopped.

– Only Burnley and Leicester have made fewer key passes than Arsenal’s 65 this season.

– Arsenal have spent more time in their own defensive third (29%) than their opposition’s (25%).

– There are 19 other players who have scored more goals than Arsenal’s top scorer, Alexandre Lacazette (three).

– Arsenal have created fewer big chances than any other big six club.

– Arteta’s Arsenal are currently creating one big chance per game – only eight teams are creating fewer.

– Only two clubs have attempted fewer shots from outside the box and Arsenal are one of four clubs yet to score from outside the box.