- The newspaper Tottenham v Arsenal preview that doesn’t have a word about Arsenal!
- How Arsenal moved from 15th in the league two years ago, to top of the league today
By Bulldog Drummond
Now the chances are that as you come to read this you are also watching the Arsenal women game on TV – and if not why not? But please do also continue to read. (This is a case of very split loyalties here). The preview of the Arsenal Women game, in case you missed it, is here:
Anyway back to the 4.30pm match, and to finish our range of previews here is the regular data on tackles, fouls and yellow cards…
| Team | Tackles pg | Fouls pg | YellowS PG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 14.9 | 10.2 | 1.76 |
| Tottenham | 15.9 | 10.1 | 1.83 |
| Chelsea | 19.1 | 10.6 | 2.05 |
Which shows us that in an average game Arsenal will tackle less than Tottenham, be called out for fouls slightly more than Tottenham, but still get fewer yellow cards than Tottenham.
Our comparison with Chelsea also shows that Chelsea has become a total basket case – something that the media has once again chosen to ignore (unless of course we believe that football journalists are total dodos who don’t even know that Chelsea are tackling so much more than Arsenal – but surely that could never be! I mean, football journalists are all well-informed. Aren’t they?)
Anyway leaving that aside, how do the figures relate to each other…
| Team | Tackles/foul | tackles/yellow | fouls/Yellow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1.37 | 8.47 | 5.80 |
| Tottenham | 1.57 | 8.68 | 5.52 |
| Chelsea | 1.80 | 9.27 | 5.17 |
Interestingly the referees are letting Chelsea get away with many more tackles (in fact almost a third more) before they call a foul, than is the case with Arsenal. Although once a foul has been called the foul is more likely to be a yellow for Chelsea.
This is a pattern we have seen before. The clubs that tackle a lot can get away with many more tackles before a foul is called, but once a foul is called it is more likely to be called as a yellow with these clubs, than with clubs that tackle less.
And this is how it is with Tottenham. They get away with more tackles before a foul is called, than Arsenal do. As a result, they get away with more tackles before a yellow cards is waved, than Arsenal do. But when we look at the number of fouls they can commit before they get a yellow, it is smaller than the number for Arsenal.
But let’s move on…
The Mirror is utterly certain that Arsenal’s deal to sign Mudrck is off, as shown through headlines such as “Mudryk deal hijacked by Blues in last-gasp drama” and “Arsenal told they’ve been ‘bullied’ by Chelsea after Mudryk transfer hijacked” – which perhaps would be a little embarrassing for them coming hot on the heels of “Mudryk Arsenal debut pencilled in as Arsenal on verge of completing transfer,” and “Transfer news live – Mudryk Arsenal debut hint,” if they were capable of understanding such an emotion.
What they want us to believe is that Arsenal cocked up – but it is equally possible that it was the Daily Mirror that totally misread what was going on. But to be fair on journalists in general, at least the BBC have got a greater grip on reality as they consider that a major point to think about re this afternoon’s game is that, “Arsenal are on an 11-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, while Spurs have lost five of their last 11,”
They don’t give a team but predict Arsenal will win 0-3.
But as for the team, the Standard predict
Ramsdale;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko;
Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka;
Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
And indeed 90Min go with exactly the same line up. Fourfourtwo however tell us that “Arsenal will have to make do without Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson for this north London derby.”
The Independent also give us the same line up – and as usual after four identical predictions it seems silly to go on.
So there we are, as ever we wait and see.
- How Tottenham are getting the best out of referees
- Why do Tottenham players get fouled so often (according to referees)?
Our Young Gunners are much more battle hardened then last year.
I believe they have become more streeewise, enven as you can see that tempers sometimes flare when fouls against them (Saka for example) are not called and they do seem to hit back at a later time.
That being said, Sp*rs definitely don’t look like they are more ‘protected’, so I’m hopefulthat on this front it will be an even game.
Add to that the fact that this is the ‘sunday evening’ game, the last of the week-end, the showcase the whole world will be watching.
So PGMOL can’t blame themselves either. The choice of referee could have been worse, even as I’m not going to be optimistic.
But all in all, the Gunners are a level higher then Sp*rs, have a few motivational factors like being able to widen the gap and getting payback for last year. They are physically and metally in a better place.
They have the capacity to signal loud and clear that they are on top and have no intention to be somewhere else then more on top.
It does not get better then this for the young gunners : the biggest stage to prove their worth, to prove you don’t need a 100 million euros player to have a chance to win.
And I am sure the whole forward line will want to score a goal at WHL : those are the best goals.
It’s great fun watching Newcastle play with 12 men again. What A joke this is becoming.
PIF haven’t paid their monthly results management subscription
The team to play the Tiny Totts
Ramsdale;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko;
Partey; Odegaard, Xhaka;
Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
Substitutes: Turner, Tierney, Tomiyasu, Holding, Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Smith, Marquinhos.
Dont often get to watch Sky’s coverage of a live Arsenal match, and extraordinary to hear them going on and on and on and on about the fact that Tottenham have finished above Arsenal for the last six seasons, but (thus far at least) utterly refusing to mention that Arsenal finished above Tottenham for 21 successive league campaign, from the 1995-96 season. Isn’t that strange talking up a pro-Tottenham stat and utterly ignoring the fact that Arsenal’s run was over three times more prolonged. Still I suppose this is what Sky is normally like
Well, visibly Sp*rs players are allowed to surrond the referee with no problem for them….
Shameful attempt to draw a foul by Holgberg (sp?) . Should get a yellow for acting out.
0-2…going GREAT!
Well, tell you what…a year or 2 ago that would have been a penalty against Arsenal…
Fascinating to see that Sp*rs had pretty much laf the possesion but except for the last minute, just on touch of the ball in the Arsenal box.
Could’nt believe the possission stat….as far as I’m concerned, the ball was pretty much in Sp*rs territory all the time.
The Guardian feed just cannot accept reality and just gives an alternate reality :
“Hugo Lloris’s peculiar own goal put Spurs ahead,”…
Oh happy days…. the kids are showing the old men how to play football.
Great first half performance, kuup it up in the second half.
Could the parents of the kids playing at WHL come take them back home. They are beating the Sp*rs…..
Just read that other piece of crap from the Guardian feed :
“The biggest asterisk on Arsenal’s position is that because of the scheduling this year, they have only played two of the six possible games against the other top four teams, and have failed to register a win in them,” says Vibhanshu Bisht. “Add to that their tendency to throw away title chances as late as March, City’s ability to string together winning streaks of 983 matches, and the ever-improving form of Man United, and I would not dare to make a prophecy till at least April.”
Hey you idiot, as it happens, it seems to me that Arsenal have on the other hand not lost any game against all sorts of non top 6 teams and have not lost one.
As for 2 out of 6 possible games, could you please go back to school and learn counting again you idiot !
Sp*rs, Manure, Newcastle, Chelsea does this make 4 or are these teams so poor you are counting the as half-teams ?!?!?
This is so typical ! Yet, we are having fun, you are not. So go sulk in our corner and tell your teacher to do the job.
Well, a Sp*rs fan kicking Ramsdale… how stupid can they get…. don’t expect any problem for Sp*rs however.
The trailer for the City-Sp*rs game that followed the end of the NLD here on Canal+ in France is just…. I mean…. just read :
Sp*rs playing City….the game that will resuffle the cards of the PL.
Yeah…. right…
Which does not change some facts :
North London is Red
Mind the gap
8 points clear of City
9 points clear of manure
14 points clear and a game in hand from Sp*rs
19 points and a game in hand from Chelsea
Oh Happy Days
And don’t anybody tell us Arsenal don’t know how to defend…
Well deserved win. We gave the refereeno opportunity to influence the outcome. Chelsea must face an FA charge for the punch by a Chelsea fan on Ramsdale at the end. Richarlisson. Should also face retrospective action for his assault on Ramsdale after the final whistle.
The FA has just charged Arsenal with failure to lose a game.
@seismic,
wonderful !
Ramsdale should be charged for being present on the field and provoking a Sp*rs fan to kick him by making big saves.
Wanna bet nothing happens and Sp*rs won’t be sanctionned ?
That being said, the worst part is this idiot Merson stating Arsenal had just one and a half chances. This guy should be erased from Arsenal historical records. I’m copy-pasting what is online
“They’ve been really bad, Arsenal have been great and they’ve had two good chances, or one and a half good chances,” Merson bemoaned to Sky Sports at half-time.
Why dont you just shut the f*ck up !
Merson is still salty because Wenger sold him instead of caving to his contract demands.
I thought Merson today was more positive than I have ever seen him on TV