Arsenal: 4 most bizarre and interesting stats of the season

Arsenal's Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga reacts to conceding the first goal during the English FA Cup third round football match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on January 9, 2022. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images) /

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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 26: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur in action with Kieran Tierney of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on September 26, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /

Arsenal Have Been Dribbled Past the Fewest Times – 184

Arteta’s side are way out in front on this, a stat that is actually a most welcome one to read, especially when compared to the previous one.

Across this season on only 184 occasions have Arsenal been dribbled past, with the second fewest on the list belonging to Manchester City, who have been dribbled past on 234 occasions.

Way out in front are Leeds United on 363, which comes as no surprise given their man-marking system getting them caught out higher up the pitch in almost every passage of play under Marcelo Bielsa.

As for reasons why Arsenal are doing well on this particular statistic, they’re not a low block team with full-backs sitting in, nor do they boast an unadventurous midfield who don’t carry the ball and leave spaces, so the link on this occasion must have its roots in shape and individual quality.

Neatness in possession means the ball isn’t turned over as often, while Tierney (99th) and Tomiyasu (97th) rank magnificently in the ‘dribbled past’ metric. They don’t get beaten often at all on their side.

There are a host of reasons that could explain this, but we’ll stick to it being Arsenal never giving the ball away, having 11 100m sprinters, and having world class talent across the pitch. Yeah, let’s go with that.

Continued on next page…

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