By Bulldog Drummond
The key issue we have been debating of late, of course, is the home / away difference, and it is particularly interesting in relation to this game. Here’s the home league table…
Home games only
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 15 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 11 | 39 | 42 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 7 | 33 | 38 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 12 | 23 | 38 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 31 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 27 |
Tottenham at Wembley have won nine and lost four. Not the worst in the league by any means, but a similar number of home defeats to, for example, Brighton and Hove Albion.
Away from home Tottenham are the best team in the league, but of course that is of no concern with this match. Arsenal however still have a poor away record…
Away games only
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 31 | 17 | 14 | 33 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 31 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 29 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 9 | 16 | 26 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 19 | 20 | -1 | 22 |
| 6 | Watford | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 20 |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 16 | -1 | 19 |
| 8 | Arsenal | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 26 | -1 | 18 |
Five wins, three draws, five defeats for Arsenal.
Tottenham’s home scoring record of 24 goals scored, 12 conceded, is bettered by Arsenal in terms of goals scored (25) but of course away from home Arsenal have a much poorer defensive record.
So based on statistics can Arsenal win?
Although it has been a bumpy ride since the 22 unbeaten game run, our league form has picked up of late…
| Date | Game | Res | Score |
| 19 Jan 2019 | Arsenal v Chelsea | W | 2-0 |
| 29 Jan 2019 | Arsenal v Cardiff City | W | 2-1 |
| 03 Feb 2019 | Manchester City v Arsenal | L | 3-1 |
| 09 Feb 2019 | Huddersfield Town v Arsenal | W | 1-2 |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-0 |
| 27 Feb 2019 | Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth | W | 5-1 |
Five wins in the last six league games have helped take us up to fourth. On the plus side we have scored 14 goals in those six, and conceded just six, but only two have been away – one loss to Manchester City and one victory over a team that can’t win a game.
Tottenham in the last six league matches have four wins and two defeats – perhaps encouragingly for us the last two games have been the defeats – and both were away from home where they have been stronger than other teams all season.
| Date | Game | Res | Score |
| 20 Jan 2019 | Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 1-2 |
| 30 Jan 2019 | Tottenham Hotspur v Watford | W | 2-1 |
| 02 Feb 2019 | Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United | W | 1-0 |
| 10 Feb 2019 | Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City | W | 3-1 |
| 23 Feb 2019 | Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur | L | 2-1 |
| 27 Feb 2019 | Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur | L | 2-0 |
In the head to head battle the results are very much in Arsenal’s favour with 82 Arsenal wins, 64 Tottenham wins and 51 draws.
The last ten league games however show us only three Arsenal wins – but then also only three Tottenham wins, the remaining four rather obvioiusly being draws…
| Date | Game | Res | Score |
| 16 Mar 2014 | Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | W | 0-1 |
| 27 Sep 2014 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | D | 1-1 |
| 07 Feb 2015 | Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | L | 2-1 |
| 08 Nov 2015 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | D | 1-1 |
| 05 Mar 2016 | Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | D | 2-2 |
| 06 Nov 2016 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | D | 1-1 |
| 30 Apr 2017 | Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | L | 2-0 |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 2-0 |
| 10 Feb 2018 | Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | L | 1-0 |
| 02 Dec 2018 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 4-2 |
One of our three wins was at WHL, but all three defeats were there. So we are going to have to overturn the recent trend to pick up a win – although the Wembley factor may well help us with that.
More on this in the morning.
I do hope that our away form starts to pick up with a win today, and that we start our climb up the table.
And at the same time , improve our recent away record at their ground. Or grounds, wherever that may be.
Looking forward towards St.Totteringham’s Day after a small break.
Up the Gunners !
I think Arsenal will further improve on their already improved away form this season in the PL to repose the confidence, the beliefs and the trusts us Gooners have in the Gunners with defeating Tottenham Hotspur today’s afternoon in the Premier League match week 21 encounter that will take place at Wembley Stadium.
With all the available to play Spurs and Gunners for Pochettino and Emery to select to play the match, I foresee in my insight Arsenal carrying the day with a victory in the match over Tottenham Hotspur. For, Arsenal will attack better, better and better in the game unrelenting to score and will score as against Tottenham Hotspur who will also attack to score but will attack poorly to not score a single goal in the match despite having the presence of King Harry Kane, Hugo Lioris with a long ball kick out to catch Arsenal napping, Son, Eriksen, Liorente, Walker Sanchez and Danny Rose and other Spurs in their lineup attacking Arsenal. But the result of the match could be 0-1 win to Arsenal for a massive 3 points collected in the match by the Gunners for Arsenal. Hmmm.
My Arsenal 4-5-1 match playing formation starting XI and the 7 Gunners I have on the bench for the match for Emery’s considerations are below.
Starters:
Leno;
Mustafi Koscielny Sokratis Monreal;
Mkhi’ Torreira Ozil Xhaka Kolas’;
Lacazette.
Bench:
Cech Jenkinson Mavropanous Elneny AMN Iwobi Aubameyang.