By Tony Attwood
Here are three interesting questions: First, which three teams have the best defences in the Premier League? Second which three teams have the best attacks in the Premier League? Third, which three teams have the best goal differences in the Premier League?
Of course the answers to these questions don’t actually mean that much since the key point is which three teams have the most points in the league, and we all know the answer to that because it is there every minute of every day in the media and in football conversations.
But I did try out all three questions after Saturday’s results (in which no one scored more than two goals) and there was a fair bit of dispute.
Here are the actual figures, and in fact for the first one I am going beyond three because that is where our discussion went…
Best attack
.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 30 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 70 | 27 | 43 | 73 |
| 5 | Manchester City* | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 57 | 40 | 17 | 51 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 56 | 26 | 30 | 62 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 30 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 55 | 44 | 11 | 34 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 37 | 17 | 52 |
And yes no one put Tottenham in the top three for best attack, nor knew that they were just one goal behind Arsenal.
The best defence also gives an interesting set of answers not least because Arsenal yesterday were playing one of the teams with the best defence in the league.
Best defence
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 56 | 26 | 30 | 62 |
| 1 | Liverpool | 30 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 70 | 27 | 43 | 73 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 39 | 35 | 4 | 43 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 31 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 51 | 37 | 14 | 57 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 37 | 17 | 52 |
| 14 | Everton | 31 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 33 | 38 | -5 | 35 |
And then finally combining the two, the best goal difference
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 30 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 70 | 27 | 43 | 73 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 56 | 26 | 30 | 62 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 37 | 17 | 52 |
| 5 | Manchester City* | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 57 | 40 | 17 | 51 |
Clearly none of this affects the top of the league where it is now pretty obvious who is going to win, but it says a lot about what makes up a successful team. Liverpool don’t have the best defence – Arsenal do – but while Liverpool are only one goal below Arsenal in defensive terms they are a long way above Arsenal in goal-scoring terms.
But here is the point. Although Arsenal are a long way behind Liverpool in attacking terms, there is also a huge gap between Arsenal and third-placed Chelsea and Manchester City*.
Now to my mind this achievement, even if one insists on not mentioning the phenomenal level of long-term injuries to key players this season, really bodes rather well for the future and is why I am rather dubious about the mainstream discussion about shaking up the whole team by insisting on a new style of play through introducing a 20+ goal scorer.
A substantial part of Arsenal’s success in the past seasons has been because defences play against find they don’t have one player to mark in terms of stopping goals. There is none of this “Stop X and you stop the whole team” about Arsenal because no one knows where the goals are coming from.
Indeed that is what Untold was celebrating last season when we had Saka, Havertz and Trossard all scoring in double figures in the Premier League last season and Martinelli, Odegaard, Saka and Jesus all scoring in double figures the season before that. It is the injuries that have stopped this happening for a third season.
“Ah but,” goes the reply, “if Arsenal had bought enough players then the injuries would not have mattered.”
Which is fine as an argument, but let’s suppose Arsenal did have three top quality back up goal scorers in the team – what would they be doing when Arsenal’s three first-choice goal scorers were all fit? Sitting on the bench is the obvious answer, which raises the question, would they each, as top scorers in their own rights, be happy sitting on the bench and getting just occasional last 15 mintute runouts? Maybe so, but I doubt it.
All one would be doing on a season like the last few, would be sewing dissent in the club.
Indeed one cannot compare English clubs with those in other countries. When we saw Arsenal play PSG in the Champions League, PSG were frankly very poor. And yet today we have the news that Paris Saint-Germain have just won the French league for the fourth season running.
|
p
|
|
|
|
|
a
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
28
|
23
|
5
|
0
|
80
|
26
|
54
|
74
|
|
|
28
|
15
|
5
|
8
|
54
|
35
|
19
|
50
|
|
|
27
|
15
|
4
|
8
|
54
|
36
|
18
|
49
|
|
|
28
|
14
|
6
|
8
|
54
|
38
|
16
|
48
|
This is thankfully not how things are in England – despite ManC’s attempt to make our league look like that year after year. And we might throw in at this point it is nearly a month since the results of the ever-running story of their financial cheating were said to be forthcoming within a day or so.
That case could be settled just at the end of the season when a discount in points might well hardly affect them at all, and they will be left free to carry on as before next season. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
“This is thankfully not how things are in England – despite ManC’s attempt to make our league look like that year after year. And we might throw in at this point it is nearly a month since the results of the ever-running story of their financial cheating were said to be forthcoming within a day or so.
That case could be settled just at the end of the season when a discount in points might well hardly affect them at all, and they will be left free to carry on as before next season. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
A re-occurring theme, on Untold Arsenal and throughout the media, in general, over the last few years, has been Manchester City’s ruining of the Premier League. Whatever the merits of this claim, one thing is certain in the Pep years: if one wants a close title race, one’s almost guaranteed it if Manchester City are challenging, otherwise the title run in is over well before Easter. Maybe, just maybe, there is something about Manchester City that is good for the Premier League.
Tim
All Man City and Chelsea proved is that you don’t have to run your club well to win trophies. Man City went through 30 years of embarrassment, going through about a manager every 2 years. Chelsea were so bad they were sold for ONE POUND. But no, all you have to do is get either a Russian Billionaire or an oil rich Nation State to sponsor you beyond the capabilities of every other club, and bobs your uncle. The trophies flood in.
If that’s what you think is good for the premier league then fine. But honestly, my grandad could do that and he’s been dead for 50 years.
Personally, and this is just a thought, I think running your club well, getting a genius of a manger in to put together a fantastic team and earning the money (earning being the key word) to be successful, is the way to go.
But hey, if you think running your club into the ground, then getting a Billionaire to bail you out is the way to go, that’s up to you Tim. I mean every Man Cand Chelsea fan probably agrees with you.
Way to go Tim.
Personally, I think you should of ran your club a little better to be honest, but maybe that’s just me.
Hi Nitram,
Did you have a bad weekend?
I’m pretty sure my comment was about how boring this title run-in has been, and the most competitive seasons, in recent years, have involved Manchester City. I thought the Premier League wanted excitement to keep eyeballs on it. I can’t imagine anyone is on the edge of their seat wondering whose going to be the new Premier League Champions!
Would it be unfair to suggest you seem to take quite a bit of pride in how well Arsenal’s owners have run the club? I’m not just referencing your latest comment – it seems to be one of your themes, especially when comparing Arsenal to other clubs.
Are you a season ticket holder? If you are, how do you feel about club owners trying to maximise matchday revenue? Will you continue to pay more and more for your season ticket or will you give it up and just watch Arsenal on Sky? I mean it would be criminal, in the short term at least, for club owners not to maximise matchday revenue by filling the stadium with tourists.
Maybe clubs should be something other than a business.
Tim
I had a very good weekend thank you. Yourself?
“I thought the Premier League wanted excitement to keep eyeballs on it. I can’t imagine anyone is on the edge of their seat wondering whose going to be the new Premier League Champions!”
Not really sure what you’re rambling on about, but it sounds to me as if you are trying to suggest that Man City buying the Premier league 8 times out of the last 13 is somehow more exciting than the current season that doesn’t include Man City. Well it isn’t. And for you to suggest such a thing is actually laughable.
Yes, Liverpool have it sewn up, but Man during Man City’s purchased years one was one by 12 points and one by 19. Was that more exciting Tim???
To be honest Tim, anyone other than the ‘Lets bankrupt everyone else who doesn’t want us to keep buying the title’ Club, is okay by me.
And no, I’m not a season ticket holder. Been on the waiting list for 15 years though. It’s tough getting a ticket for our, ‘paid for by the club’ stadium .Might be a tad easier getting in to one you didn’t have to pay for.
Still, see it as a gift from the clubs that earn their money.
“….how do you feel about club owners trying to maximise matchday revenue”?
I don’t have a problem it’s called business, as opposed to ‘doping’. Or cheating as some may see it.
Wenger went 10 years with a net zero spend on transfers.
How do you think pep would get on with that?
And yes, I had a great weekend thanks.I hope you did.
Nitram,
Thanks for a mention of Mr. Wenger. Ten years with zero net spend and top four every year. Look at the race for 4th recently, especially this season. Forest is fighting for 3rd or 4th and the media are beside themselves with joy and admiration. Arsenal are 2nd with half the starting 10 missing for significant periods or out for the season. A little grudging media respect? No. They bottled the title. Shoulda bought a striker. We told you so.
To paraphrase David Byrne …’same as it never was’.
I’m really proud of this squad. The professionalism, determination, perseverance, attitude are top class. Even the media haven’t tried to accuse them of whinging because they don’t. Not the players, not the manager.
Be well, fellow Untolder.
Gooner72
Thanks
“I’m really proud of this squad. The professionalism, determination, perseverance, attitude are top class. Even the media haven’t tried to accuse them of whinging because they don’t. Not the players, not the manager.”
Spot on. Our manager and players have dealt with the adversity with class. They had every right to feel a little sorry for themselves, but none of it. In fact it’s been to the contrary. Arteta has constantly embraced the challenges the injuries have brought, and the players have done us proud.
Okay, some of the replacements are not as good as the first choice players. Of course not. But they have never wanted for attitude or commitment, and that is all we can ask.
“Shoulda bought a striker. We told you so.”
In fact no they didn’t.
Out of 30 pundits predictions published on the BBC website on the 14th of August 11 had us down as champions, 17 had us down as runners up. Only ONE had Liverpool to finish above Arsenal.
Not a mention that we needed a striker to achieve that. In fact, 29 out of 30 pundits thought that Arsenal, without this absolutely essential, you’ll win nothing without one striker, would finish above Liverpool and Mo Salah.
11 thought that even without a striker we would finish above Man City and Haarland.
WE DID NOT NEED A STRIKER TO WIN THE TITLE.
We scored more goals in the previous 2 seasons without a ‘proper number 9’ than we EVER HAD WITH ONE.
So no, they didn’t all tell us we needed a striker because we didn’t.
Predicting almost our entire front line getting injured was something nobody could, or did predict. That is what done for us.
All these ‘hind sight’ mangers make me sick.
And not only that we have had to deal with the odious PGMOL and their bent officials.
Lets have a look at those penalties again shall we and see how they are going this season.
TOP 6 teams and their penalties for and against with the +/- ratio.
LIVERPOOL 9 for 1 against +8 Wow, just wow.
ARSENAL 2 for 3 against -1
N FOREST 3 for 2 against +1
CHELSEA 4 for 6 against – 2
MAN CITY 3 for 3 against —
ASTON VIL 3 for 2 against + 1
So, as usual Arsenal have their obligatory negative ratio. Chelsea are even worse with -2, meaning that out of the top 6 the only 2 clubs with a negative for/against ration are the 2 London Clubs. As Vincent Hanna once famously said, ‘well, there’s a shock’.
Honestly, I say this so often, but you couldn’t make this shit up.
Hi Nitram,
All things considered, it was a pretty good weekend; thanks for asking.
“Not really sure what you’re rambling on about, …” I can see that from your comment below, never mind.
” … but it sounds to me as if you are trying to suggest that Man City buying the Premier league 8 times out of the last 13 is somehow more exciting than the current season that doesn’t include Man City. Well it isn’t.”
No I wasn’t but I’m glad to know you’ve been more excited about what looks like being a distant second place finish to Liverpool, rather than the genuine battle for the league the previous two years. It seems odd to me, but …
“Yes, Liverpool have it sewn up, but Man during Man City’s purchased years one was one by 12 points and one by 19. Was that more exciting Tim???”
As far as I’m concerned, any team winning by a massive margin is boring, because there is no competition.
“Wenger went 10 years with a net zero spend on transfers. How do you think pep would get on with that?”
Well, the easiest, and possibly the most accurate, answer is to say, “probably not as well as Wenger”. I think you’ll agree Pep’s been fortunate enough not to have had to endure that problem.
“I don’t have a problem it’s called business, as opposed to ‘doping’. Or cheating as some may see it.”
Well a lot of season ticket holders at some clubs seem to disagree with you. We both know football has been a business for a very, very long time, but before the advent of shirt sponsorship etc. it was lurking in the background, rather than being, in some respects, more important than the football. How many football fans were forensic accountants and sports lawyers with a vested interest in human rights in the days before shirt sponsorship?
Anyway, Nitram, best of luck for the week ahead.