Arsenal: The shocking statistics of their troubles on the road

Arsenal dropped more points on the road on Wednesday night against West Ham United. Their away form has been dire, and here are some rather shocking statistics to prove it.

Arsenal toiled to yet another away draw on Wednesday night. West Ham United, instructed astutely by David Moyes, were disciplined and structured. They did not open up, they were positionally connected to one another, and they life hard on their visitors, who, somewhat vainly, tried to unpick the swarm of legs that congested the central area of the pitch.

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The Gunners did not score, and, in all honesty, they did not look like scoring. Other than a Jack Wilshere sliced shot after Olivier Giroud’s cushioned knock-down and a stretched but comfortable save for Adrian from an Alexis Sanchez freekick, chances were very limited. West Ham, for the most part, looked relatively at ease, even if they surrendered possession.

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Arsene Wenger’s side have now slipped to seventh in the table, behind Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, and although they sit just a point behind both, as well as Liverpool, who could also only muster a 0-0 draw against West Brom, they can attribute their struggles in the league, especially in recent weeks, to their troubles on the road. Their away form has been extremely concerning, and some of the statistics borne out of it are quite remarkable.

Arsenal have now played nine games away from home. They have conceded 13 goals, scored just nine, of which five came in a glut against a hapless Everton, and have amassed just nine points. In terms of points per game, they rank ninth in the Premier League. Contrast their figures to Manchester City, and there is an alarming disparity. Guardiola’s side have also played nine games away from home. They have recorded 18 more points, scored 15 more goals, conceded eight fewer goals, have a better goal difference by 23 goals, and have a points per game of three, triple that of the Gunners.

Moreover, Arsenal’s away from in comparison to their home form is equally as troubling. They have averaged a point per game away from home. At home, that figure jumps to 2.625, meaning that, per game, they are gaining 1.625 more points at home than they are away from home.

They are also scoring 1.625 more goals per game at the Emirates than away from the Emirates; they are conceding 0.569 fewer goals per game at home than away from home; they have a superior goal difference per game at home, compared to away from home, of 2.19 goals. That is astounding.

Arsenal actually have an excellent home record. They have failed to win just one game, which was the loss to Manchester United, a game in which they dismantled their opponents and were unfortunate not to win. Their 2.625 points per game, at home, is bettered by only the two Manchester clubs. None of Spurs, Liverpool or Chelsea, for example, average more than two points per game at home.

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But such are their troubles away from home, that their prosperity at home is completely negated. If Wenger has hopes of finishing in the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League, then he must find a way to better his team away from home. Because, at this rate, they are more likely to slip into utter mediocrity than challenge at the top of the Premier League.