Arsenal v Hull – the home/away analysis and the teams

by Bulldog Drummond.

Hull have a poor away record as this table shows: one win, one draw, and the rest defeats.

Overall Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD
24 5 5 14 22 47  −25 20 1 1 9 6 26  −20

This is reminiscent of Burnley, with their  backs against the wall approach, and some time wasting from the keeper in the sound and secure knowledge that the referee will flagrantly ignore the rules of the game and do nothing about it until the 88th minute.

Seeing that record above it is not surprising that they have lost seven of their last eight away games, and not won away for 11 games.  Indeed Hull’s history against Arsenal involves mostly Arsenal wins, 17 all told with five draws and three defeats.   In the last six games Arsenal have won four and drawn two. Indeed in the last 13 it is 11 wins, drawn two.   Here’s the most recent.

Date Game Res Score Competition
17 Jan 2009 Hull City v Arsenal W 1-3 Premier League
17 Mar 2009 Arsenal v Hull City W 2-1 FA Cup
19 Dec 2009 Arsenal v Hull City W 3-0 Premier League
13 Mar 2010 Hull City v Arsenal W 1-2 Premier League
04 Dec 2013 Arsenal v Hull City W 2-0 Premier League
20 Apr 2014 Hull City v Arsenal W 0-3 Premier League
17 May 2014 Arsenal v Hull City W 3-2 FA Cup Final
18 Oct 2014 Arsenal v Hull City D 2-2 Premier League
04 Jan 2015 Arsenal v Hull City W 2-0 FA Cup
04 May 2015 Hull City v Arsenal W 1-3 Premier League
20 Feb 2016 Arsenal v Hull City D 0-0 FA Cup
08 Mar 2016 Hull City v Arsenal W 0-4 FA Cup
17 Sep 2016 Hull City v Arsenal W 1-4 Premier League
However what we have to be aware of is Hull’s most recent form…
  • 14 January: beat Bournemouth 3-1 at home
  • 22 January: lost to Chelsea 2-0 away
  • 27 January: beat Man U 2-1 (league cup semi final)*
  • 1 February: drew with Man U 0-0 away
  • 4 February: beat Liverpool 2-0 at home
* This was the notorious match which the Man U manager claimed was a draw because one of the Hull goals should have been disallowed and thus their unbeaten run should be counted as continuing.  He has not been called to account by any of the official bodies that oversee such things.

Now all this talk of runs made me wonder about the “form table” – the league table based not on the whole season to date but just the last six games. Here it is…

Last 6 matches (total)

P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Everton 6 4 2 0 17 6 +11 14
2 Tottenham 6 4 2 0 13 3 +10 14
3 Chelsea 6 4 1 1 13 6 +7 13
4 West Bromwich 6 4 1 1 9 7 +2 13
5 Manchester Utd 6 3 3 0 9 3 +6 12
6 Arsenal 6 3 1 2 13 9 +4 10
7 Manchester City 6 3 1 2 10 9 +1 10
8 Burnley 6 3 0 3 9 7 +2 9
9 West Ham Utd 6 3 0 3 9 9 0 9
10 Swansea City 6 3 0 3 8 13 -5 9
11 Stoke City 6 2 2 2 9 8 +1 8
12 Hull City 6 2 2 2 8 8 0 8

Now the essence of creating arguments against a team that has lost a couple of recent games centres on the notion that all bad runs go on through the whole season, which in Arsenal’s case has only happened twice: the 1912/13 Relegation season, and the Unbeaten season.

As this table shows we have slipped down, although over the last six games we are still above Man City who of course have their manager of choice.

If we look at the most recent games at home we find Arsenal in sixth…

P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Chelsea 4 4 0 0 12 3 +9 12
2 Tottenham 4 4 0 0 9 1 +8 12
3 Burnley 4 4 0 0 7 1 +6 12
4 Manchester City 4 3 1 0 8 5 +3 10
5 Everton 4 3 0 1 13 4 +9 9
6 Arsenal 4 3 0 1 6 3 +3 9

From Hull’s point of view the recent away table is less exciting… here are the last four counting away games only…

  P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Manchester Utd 4 3 1 0 8 1 +7 10
2 West Ham Utd 4 3 0 1 10 4 +6 9
3 Tottenham 4 2 2 0 10 4 +6 8
4 Everton 4 2 2 0 6 3 +3 8
5 Chelsea 4 2 1 1 5 3 +2 7
6 Manchester City 4 2 0 2 7 5 +2 6
7 Swansea City 4 2 0 2 6 8 -2 6
8 Liverpool 4 1 2 1 4 5 -1 5
9 Arsenal 4 1 1 2 9 8 +1 4
10 Watford 4 1 1 2 4 6 -2 4
11 Crystal Palace 4 1 1 2 3 6 -3 4
12 West Bromwich 4 1 1 2 3 7 -4 4
13 Sunderland 4 1 0 3 6 9 -3 3
14 Southampton 4 1 0 3 4 7 -3 3
15 Stoke City 4 1 0 3 6 10 -4 3
16 Bournemouth 4 1 0 3 7 12 -5 3
17 Leicester City 4 0 2 2 2 6 -4 2
18 Middlesbrough 4 0 1 3 1 4 -3 1
19 Hull City 4 0 1 3 1 6 -5 1
20 Burnley 4 0 0 4 4 8 -4 0

Alexis Sanchez has either scored or assisted in six goals in three league games against Hull (five goals, one assist) and Alexis remains one of just three Arsenal players to average 2+ goal involvements per game in the Premier League against a particular opponent (excluding players with fewer than three games against a team).  Ian Wright against Ipswich (eight goals and three assists in five games) and Lukas Podolski against West Ham (four goals and four assists in four games) are the others.

But Hull are on the up, they have two games without conceding in February, as many as they’d kept in all their previous 26 Premier League games – they haven’t kept three in a row in the PL since October 2008.

Olivier Giroud has a goal substitute goal tally of four in the Premier League this season. No Arsenal player has ever scored more than four substitute goals in a Premier League season (Kanu and Adebayor are the only other two to do it).

Here’s another one: Arsenal have won 15 of their last 17 Premier League games at the Emirates against newly promoted clubs since losing 1-0 to Newcastle in November 2010.

All of which leads me to think that our most likely line up will be

Cech

Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal

The Ox    Coquelin

Iwobi Ozil Welbeck

Alexis

Beached: Bellerin, Giroud, Elneny, Ospina, Gibbs, Holding, Lucas

Arsenal Kindle News

The novel “Making the Arsenal” by Tony Attwood which describes the events of 1910, which created the modern Arsenal FC, is now available for the first time on Kindle.  Full details are here.

Also available on Kindle, “Woolwich Arsenal: the club that changed football” the only comprehensive history of the rise of Arsenal as a league club, and the attempts to destroy the club, from within and without.   For full details please see here.

54 Replies to “Arsenal v Hull – the home/away analysis and the teams”

  1. We need to wrap this one up early so some can be taken off early and rested for Wed, but Hull will not be easy even though they are at the wrong end of table.

    Lets hope that it’s a great day today for Arsenal.

  2. It’s a couple of hours or more to go before kick off and I am in Australia having had a great night out, now looking at the full moon.

    Chances of my staying away for this one, probably around minus 10% on the Richter Scale.

  3. My Team to start:
    Ospina
    Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny,Gibbs
    The Ox Coquelin
    Iwobi Alexis Welbeck
    Lucas

    Benched: Bellerin, Giroud, Elneny, Cech, Monreal, Holding, Lucas, Ozil

    If at half time Arsenal are struggling or behind, then changes.

  4. Mr Drummond, I can see that you don’t buy into my thoughts that Cech’s current goalkeeping form for Arsenal is dipped as you have him starting in you starts today for our home game against Hull.

    I don’t want Le Prof to be starting any Gunner on his past form glory for Arsenal games but on his current form glory if Arsenal are to get up from where they’ve fallen down in recent games and start moving forward from there. Cech who almost conceded a howler in the first half of our PL match against Chelsea but for the ball luckily skipping past very closely to the near post, it would had gone in as Cech mistimed the ball. And for his in ability to block Hazard’s masquerading run goal for Chelsea which an inform goalkeeper would have blocked, and also for his inswinger howler pass to Fabegras which led to Arsenal conceding a third goal in that match period to which Arsenal had not lost a PL game this season by more than a goal margin but for the Chelsea game las week which they lost by two goals margin showed that Cech’s form is dipped. Thus, I’ll not risk starting him in Arsenal’s PL games again until he has rediscovered his top form. It’s nothing personal against Cech but for the progress of our beloved Arsenal FC I’ve said all these my sayings.

    My starts and bench again:
    Ospina
    Paulista Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
    Chamberlain Coquelin
    Walcott Ozil Welbeck
    Giroud
    Bench:
    Cech Debuchy Holding Gibbs Elneny Iwobi Sanchez.

    I’ve decided not to start Sanchez for this Hull game to give him a rest on the bench ahead of our Bayern game because he showed he was game playing fatigued in our last Chelsea game as he had an underwhelming performance for Arsenal in that game last weekend. And I’ve left out Perez in my 18 man match day squad but I’ll have him and the concussed Bellerin in my plans for our Bayern Munich UCL match next week. I am not Arsene Wenger the Arsenal manager, but my comments are always intended by me to influence his starts and bench making to win any Arsenal game.

  5. So easy to select a team that should win but so difficult to work out the slope……. The snow will give Clattenburg a reason to selectively see things.

    To me victory is only measured after the final whistle.

    COYG show no mercy.

  6. No penalty when Theos shot stopped by a hand but more important no one sees it. Alexis witha special hand of God & a goal but suddenly every pundit becomes God.

  7. Go menace..ill take the goal ev3n if it was put in the net with his hand.can you stop blaming the ref for everything now and watch the match.

  8. And if you dont kow the difference between the 2 handballs it shows you havent got a clue about football.most of us knew that anyway.

  9. Possession

    _5 84
    10 62
    15 53
    20 50
    25 54
    30 52
    35 56
    40 53
    45 50
    45+2 49

    4 shots on target and 4 off, compare to Hull with 1 on/0 off
    Ars 2 corners to Hull 3
    Ars offside twice (maybe?)
    even on fouls at 4 a piece?

    COYG!

  10. Lads are fighting, especially as Hull looked to panic us and indeed still can, what with some lax awareness of some of our players immediate surroundings, therefore losing the ball to a quick(er opposing) player.

    Keep up the hard work and we should see it through.

  11. Theo’s shot was stopped by the defenders hand, which was tight into his side. Not really a penalty. Alexis goal was very much like the Kos one earlier this season. Kicked it against his hand & in

  12. Alexis didn’t kick it against his hand, it rebounded of Goalkeeper’s hand on to Alexis hand

  13. Go on then Mac, please give us your expert opinion on the difference between the two handballs. And please bare in mind, that contrary to what every ignorant pundit/commentator would have you believe; whether it is deliberate or not is a moot point, as is not actually written in the official laws of the game.

  14. Jammy if you dont know the difference in the 2 handballs you are as biassed and clueless as menace.Good to see you sticking up for one of your cult faithfull.

  15. That pass from Ozil…

    Worried clatternburg is being seated by crowd here. He’ll look for any excuse to do us. Stay calm, lads.

  16. Yes .what did you think of the kos booking and the rules on being the last man.funny you havent mentioned a bad reff decision.

  17. It was not a foul by Kos yet hev was booked!!! last man bollocks. The whistleblower is a cheat!!

  18. No thwnks menace.dont want to discuss your senile referee interpretations.if you 2ant to talk tactics and the important parts of the game like formations substitutions and tactics go ahead but i hardly think you know anything about things like that.

  19. Will wonders never cease! Clattenburg sees a deliberate handball in the penalty area, gives a penalty and an ejection.

    Panenka?

    COYG!

  20. bloody commentators…apparently there is general sympathy for Clukas(sp?)for being sent off for handball…imagine an Arsenal defender sticking out his arm…

  21. GGG

    Livescore shows name as Clucas.

    Some commentary above talked about Alexis being involved in 2 goals per game with Hull. The trend continues.

    COYG!

  22. Not watching the match but Mac getting a hard on for the ref? Same shit different day Menace and GGG Gord for the shitty ref wanting the chicken and Poo to make a bigger distance between us?

  23. Mac, can you tell me the differences between the two handballs or not? It’s a simple question. As the difference is apparently so blatant, then I’m sure you won’t have a problem explaining it.

  24. Jammy J -its tactical!! Thoeo shot at goal was stopped by a hand neatly used while turning away. Wasn’t deliberate according to PGMOL Arsenal laws. Not much different from the one that we got a penalty from. Surprising that the assistant gave it.

  25. A dive and a handball, end of. Now what’s important: 3 points and a clean sheet. On to Bayern. COYG

  26. Are you seriously comparing the two Clucas handballs? The first one hit him from very close range with no movement from the arm towards the ball (similar situation than Alexis goal).
    The second one came from longer range, he had time to see the ball coming and he spread his arm away from his body…

  27. 3 “handballs” in the match. Alexis hit the ball against his hand and scored. Good goal. Theo’s shot hit the defender’s hand tight in against his side. No penalty and right decision. The one we got was blatant hand sticking out and deliberate. Correct decision to send him off.

  28. Can’t really argue with the handball calls. Clucas’ first…he did turn backwards to the ball (though, if I was trying to get my hand out of the way, I probably would have bent my elbow…) and he was pretty close to Theo. As for Alexis…the commentator said that his arm was not at a natural angle. However, his hand came up when he dived to take a poke at the ball…therefore it was at a contextually natural angle. As for the third…Clucas moved his arm away from his body to block the ball.

  29. Possession and more stats (2nd half)

    50 50
    55 51
    60 50
    65 51
    70 51
    75 53
    80 52
    85 50
    90 49
    90+6 48

    7 shots on, 8 off (4 and 4 for Hull)
    3 corners (8 for Hull)
    4 offsides
    12 fouls (9 for Hull)
    3 yellows (1 for Hull)
    And even though we were committing most of the serious fouls (as we got the bulk of the cards), we had 3 players require treatment while Hull had none.

    On spelling. Livescore isn’t perfect on spelling. They seem to think the name of the referee is some long string which starts with a ‘C’. Actually, it is a short string starting with a ‘D’. In particular, ‘D’, ‘o’, ‘r’, ‘k’.

    Congratulations Gunners!

  30. BBC 5 live are reporting that Clatts apologised to the HUll manager for his mistake in allowing our first goal and made no comment about Gibbs not being sent off.

  31. If referees apologised to our manager for all their costly mistaken decisions against us, most half-time intervals would have to be extended.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *