Tottenham vs Arsenal: Instant Reaction

Thoughts at full time

And exhale, straight into it

Headline: Points > Performance

This is not my normal line on which way that carrot should pointed but at the end of April, in a title race, against a rival… That is pointed the correct way.

Let’s be frank as well. This was not a particularly good performance from Arsenal but what matters is the win, putting pressure on City (who are playing while I am typing this) and opening a bigger gap over Liverpool.

The stats in this game will be skewed by the game state and Arsenal getting an own goal but I think it was still probably the worst Arsenal have played this calendar year.

The xG story shows Tottenham as the dominate force here and one where they might feel a bit unlucky here. I think there is some of that, Arsenal didn’t do the greatest job keeping them from generating good looks but they ended up with an own goal (0xG) and a well executed fast break that was a good but not massive chance (12%), and then a good look on a header (25%). That was 3 goals from 4 shots and that is enough to skew things.

I think that this was also Arsenal doing well to exploit a Vicaro weakness on corners. He did not look comfortable with Ben White in his space and that made it so he could not do much of anything on the own goal, or the Havertz goal.

When you look at this compared to everything else Arsenal have done this season, it is not a good looking performance. This is one of the weaker attacking days Arsenal have put together this season.

The defensive metrics look similarly out of line from normal.

Again it doesn’t matter and Arseanl don’t have to give back these points.

The penalty shouts