Arsenal: 4 most bizarre and interesting stats of the season

We’re entering into crunch time. A whole host of Arsenal players are off on international duty and when they return they will have ten matches standing between themselves and Champions League football.

Beating Aston Villa last time out kept the Gunners in a strong position to do so, with three and four points separating them from Tottenham and Manchester United respectively, two sides they boast a game in hand over.

Mikel Arteta is pleading patience and refusing to get sucked into the idea of Arsenal achieving their last remaining goal this season, in what will be a seriously nervy final stretch of the campaign.

But what about the less serious?

Arsenal: The 4 most bizarre and interesting stats of the Premier League season so far for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners team

Some interesting stats have emerged across the past 28 games, some flattering for Arsenal and some less favourable. For instance, they remain the only side not to have conceded from a corner this season, but they embarked on their worst start to a top-flight season in 67 years. Swings and roundabouts.

Here we’re going to take a look at the more peculiar stats to emerge from the season so far, some which are interesting, and one in particular which is downright crazy.

all statistics courtesy of FBref

Arsenal Have Made the Most Errors Leading to a Shot – 12

This Arsenal team is earning widespread praise in all quarters, some of which centres around its defensive solidity. Recording 13 clean sheets from 28 matches this season sees them sit third in that particular table, while the improvements in shape without the ball have also been highlighted.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they’re squeaky clean on the ball, with Mikel Arteta’s side recording the most mistakes leading to an opponent shot.

Their tally of 12 is in stark contrast to team at right end of this list, with Tottenham making just two errors leading to shots all season.

Looking at the Gunners’ defeats, you can pick out a few moments from the Anfield and Etihad drubbings alone that will make up the bulk of their 12, because with the impressive run of form they’re in of late they’ve been really tidy in that department.

The stats do get better, though. Much better, in fact.

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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.

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Arsenal Are One of Only Three Teams Without An Own Goal – 0

Last season no team in the Premier League scored more own goals than Arsenal’s four. Fast forward to 28 games into this term and no team has conceded fewer than their zero….obviously.

They were all scored by different players – Saka, Leno, Auba and Holding – with only one of those players now a regular fixture in the team this term.

The Gunners’ company this time around is Manchester City and Brighton, who both boast a squad of players yet to end up with egg on their faces. With ten games left to go, however, there is still plenty of time for change.

But you know what is really frustrating? The fact that Tottenham have had a big chunk of luck this season. The likes of Villa and Burnley have benefited from two own goals being scored in their favour, while leading the pack by a considerable difference is Spurs with their most welcome total of six(!).

Being on the receiving of six own goals, they are the first side since Swansea in 2013/14 (8) to have been handed such an advantage in single campaign. Lucky them.

Anyway, saving the best for last is an absolute corker of a stat. One that is as brilliant as it is bizarre. Buckle in.

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Arsenal Have Been Nutmegged the Fewest Times – 4

Nutmegs? Are they all that important? Well, just listen to this.

Arsenal being nutmegged the fewest times doesn’t mean anything without the context. Their total of four times in 28 on its own does seem like an incredibly low number, but it gets better.

Second to them on the charts is Manchester United. Their tally?

EIGHTEEN!

If four sounded like a low number, to be a full 14 off of the team second from bottom of the table is plain bizarre. It’s not even close!

Once again Leeds lead the charge at the top of the list with 37, yet while the gap between 37 at the top and 18 second from bottom may seem about right, to have Arsenal all the way down with four makes it appear as if they’re missing data. It’s just so odd.

As far as handing out nutmegs, Arsenal have completed the fourth fewest with 17, while Watford are way out in front with 48 – Emmanuel Dennis is leading the whole division.

It looks like all those rondos in training are paying of, eh?