Arsenal ended another chunk of games on a positive, in the 9 matches between the international breaks Arsenal have won 7 and drawn against Bayern and Fleetwood. During this stretch they have been able to move to the top of the Premier League table and open up a lead, while also maintaining their position in the top 8 of the Champions League.
All in all, it has been a successful period that see the first quarter of the season complete.
The next period will be a nice run without an interruption for international play and will see Arsenal’s extended travel program cut back significantly. The next six weeks will see Arsenal leave London just once but it will be a test for Arsenal.
A nice little bonus here is that Arsenal will have a couple of midweek openings for the first time since August and that might be nice for the weary legs.
Before we totally turn the page, let’s run through the stats from this last win.
Arsenal vs Hull: The Graphics
Arsenal vs Hull: The Numbers
21 - Shots for Arsenal in this match, the most they have had in the Premier League this season
14 - Shots from open play in this match, that is the most that Arsenal have had in a Premier League match this season. That will help the KPI numbers look better next month.
1.4 - Expected goals for Arsenal in this match, that ranks as the 6th most out of the 10 Premier League matches played
0.07 - Arsenal’s xG per shot in this match, that is the lowest average for Arsenal this season. It is actually the lowest by a pretty significant margin where the previous lows were at 0.10 against Sunderland and Coventry.
2 - Big chances in this match. The Martin Ødegaard goal and the late Noni Madueke chance.
Arsenal did okay in this match to be able to get the ball into dangerous locations but it is far from a vintage attacking display. I think that the team never quite got the full control that they crave and weren’t able to put Hull under waves of pressure. To Hull’s credit they always seemed to do just enough to escape and find a release.
That led to a match that was all Arsenal on the stats but one where it took until the 72’ minute to finally get the ball in the back of the net.
If the attacking day was just so-so, the same could not be said about the defense.
7 - Shots allowed by Arsenal, this is tied for the second fewest allowed and the 4th time this season that Arsenal have allowed fewer than 10 shots in a Premier League match this season.
0.29 - Expected goals allowed, this is also tied for the second lowest tally this season.
0.04 - The average xG for the shot’s taken by Hull in this match. This helped lower the season average down to 0.06.
0 - Big chances for Hull, and just one shot that was rated at 10% in this match.
55’ - The minute for the final shot taken in the match by Hull, overall they managed just one shot in the second half.
It is becoming routine to see Arsenal put up some crazy defensive game and it doesn’t even register as special anymore.
I watch every other team in the Premier League and no one else does this, let alone does it week after week. Here are the xG and goals allowed by the other “big 6” teams this weekend:
Manchester City, 3 from 1.22
Tottenham, 1 from 2.09
Chelsea, 1 from 2.25
Liverpool, 1 from 2.40
Manchester United, 4 from 3.35
Noni Madueke
4 - Shots (tied 1st on Arsenal, tied 1st in the match)
0.39 - Expected goals (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
2 - Shots on target
4 - Key passes (passes that led directly to a shot) (2nd on Arsenal, 2nd in the match)
0.27 - Expected goals of the shots he assisted (2nd on Arsenal, 2nd in the match)
6 - Shot creating actions (the two actions leading up to a shot) (3rd on Arsenal, 3rd in the match)
0.40 - Expected goals of the shots his shot creating actions led to (2nd on Arsenal, 2nd in the match)
52 - Final third touches (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
14 - Penalty area touches (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
10 - Progressive carries (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
7 - Carries into the penalty area (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
4 - Carries into the final third (2nd on Arsenal, 2nd in the match)
6 - Dribbles completed (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
5 - Tackles rode (times he kept the ball through a tackle) (1st on Arsenal, 2nd in the match)
50 - Pass attempts, 42 passes completed for 84.0% pass completion percentage with a 103.9% pass efficiency compared to expected passing
6 - Progressive passes completed (3rd on Arsenal, 3rd in the match)
5 - Passes completed into the shot zone (the central area in front of goal) (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
8 - Deep completions (passes completed within 20 yards of goal) (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
9 - Buildup actions (touches in a shot move, not counting the shot or the pass that set it up)
1.02 - Expected goals buildup (the xG of shot moves he joined, excluding the shot and the assist) (1st on Arsenal, 1st in the match)
2 - Interception plus blocked passes
4 - Ball recoveries
It makes me feel a bit vindicated to see a player that many were not happy about signing but I was a backer of come good. This was another performance where he did everything and did so at a volume.
He has really blossomed in the absence of Bukayo Saka and has taken the opportunity to cement his spot in the squad. It will make the injury recovery for Saka not feel so existential and it will give Arteta the good type of headaches.
Kai Havertz looks out of form
0 - Shots
2 - Through balls received
21 - Touches
2 - Penalty area touches
1 - Shot zone touches (touches in the central area in front of goal)
16 - Pass attempts, 12 passes completed for 75.0% pass completion percentage with a 90.5% pass efficiency compared to expected passing
0 - Key passes (passes that led directly to a shot)
2 - Shot creating actions (the two actions leading up to a shot)
0.09 - Expected goals of the shots his shot creating actions led to
4 - Buildup actions (touches in a shot move, not counting the shot or the pass that set it up)
0.34 - Expected goals buildup (the xG of shot moves he joined, excluding the shot and the assist)
1 - Blocked pass
4 - Duels contested
2 - Duels won
2 - Aerial duels contested
1 - Aerial duels won
This was a bit of a nearly match from Havertz. He nearly got a deserved penalty, he nearly got a great chance one on one, he nearly was able to make a major impact on the match.
In this case, all that nearly ended up not meaning too much.
The number that kills me is the 0 shots. I know that he isn’t the highest volume shooter in the world, but he that doesn’t mean that he can’t get shots off. He only has 6 matches total in the Premier League for Arsenal (min 45 minutes as a striker) where he has failed to register a shot attempt, and that is what makes this extra frustrating.
Maybe some time away from Arsenal during the international break will help change his rhythm a bit and help to get him going.