Clear Cut Chances and the Premier League

Clear Cut chances are one of those underrated stats in football. The definition of a clear cut chance is ‘A situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score usually in a one-on-one scenario or from very close range.’ (EPL Index) So in other words, a clear cut chance is a chance where the attacker is odds on to score, it can range from a one on one finish, a unmarked headed chance or a tap in chance.

My theory is this, the more clear cut chances you create, the more goals you score, let’s see how many clear cut chances the Premier League sides have created this season.

Summary of Clear Cut Chances & Chances Created

Green =best, Red = worst

Home Clear Cut Chances

Stats via EPL Index

Away Clear Cut Chances

Clear Cut Chances and Goals Scored

My theory that the more clear cut chances you create, the more goals you score is not 100% true. The likes of Tottenham and Reading both break that line of thinking, but the stats do suggest a some connection between clear cut chances and goals scored.  

Key Points/ Observations

·         Man United creating clear cut chances in abundance: Man United have created an incredible amount of clear cut chances. This is one of the reasons why United are free scoring this season. United have created more than double the chances of around 6 Premier League sides. One must credit Sir Alex Ferguson’s ability to create sides and find players that have the understanding and tactical awareness to create good chances for their fellow team mates. It is quite clear looking at the stats, Man United create a stupendous amount of clear cut chances at home, no other Premier League side have created 20 clear cut chances at home, while United have created 26, which roughly equates to 3 clear cut chances created per home game. If Man United continue to create clear cut chances at this rate, I believe they will carry on scoring for fun this season.

·         Norwich creating an impressive amount of clear cut chances: Norwich have been on a monumental run of late, going unbeaten in their last 10 PL games. This run has been fuelled by the fact Norwich have the ability to create a decent amount of clear cut chances. A reasonable 15% of the chances Norwich have created have been clear cut. What impresses me about The Canaries, is although they do not create a whole deal of chances, the chances they do create are quality chances, which can be the difference between winning and losing games.

·         Everton have created the most chances in the Premier League: Everton being the top creators in the Premier League is no surprise to me. After all, the likes of Baines are have the fantastic ability to create chances not only in open play but from set pieces too. But Everton creating 27 clear cut chances is not bad at all, what will satisfy David Moyes the most is the a near equilibrium in the clear cut chances created home or away. 

·         Arsenal create the most clear cut chances away from home: Perhaps this comes as no surprise to some, after all, Arsenal are at their most effective when playing on the counter and away from home, they have a better chance to counter, as the opponent presses higher and plays a higher line.

·         Wigan’s poor 4 clear cut chances created away from home is an early concern: At the DW Wigan have no problem creating clear cut chances, however, on the road, it’s a different story. What surprised me was the fact, Wigan’s system is predominantly structured on counter attacking and you’d expect them to create more clear cut chances on the road, given it is more likely that there will be more space for them to exploit on the road. Furthermore, it is probable that a clear cut chance will be created when there is more space, as the marking is lax and players can be found out of position.

·         Liverpool creating chances, but not enough quality chances: Liverpool’s lack of finesse in front of goal has been widely talked about for the past 18 months. However, there have been many calls that, ‘Liverpool are one natural goal scorer away from being successful.’ I am unsure of this, although having a goal poacher would certainly see Liverpool score more goals, the quality of the chances Liverpool have created has not been great. Only 9% of Liverpool’s chances have been clear cut, there are 14 sides who have created more clear cut chances than The Reds, even though Liverpool have created the second highest amount of chances in the Premier League. If Liverpool are to improve their League standing, I feel they need to indeed their chances, but more pertinently the chances they create have to be better, therefore making it easier for the attackers to finish.

·         Aston Villa’s struggling to create at home: A few seasons ago, Villa park was something of a fortress , but a mere 4 clear cut chances being created at home is something which perhaps demonstrates this young Villa sides lack of experience and know how. Perhaps the pressure of playing in front of a big crowd is having an effect on Villa’s expressive side of their game, if you look at their away clear cut chances, its far far better, I think it is a mental aspect which is effecting this young Villa team at home.

·         Tottenham scoring comfortably, yet not created many clear cut chances: This is an odd one, one which really surprised me, prior to looking up the stats, I expected Tottenham to be up there with the teams creating the most quality chances in the Premier League, I mean look at their creative players, the likes of Lennon, Bale, Dembele and Dempsey. These are all players who can create quality chances. I expect Spurs to create more clear cut chances as the squad grows into AVB’s team. 

And to finish off, here's a pie chart showing how much or how little clear cut chances the Premier League sides have created.

 

(Stats from EPL Index, Date stats taken: 18/12/12 ) 

The Wonder of Wigan’s New Tactic

Tom Moseley explains to The Football Front the beauty of Wigan's new system which has been reaping rewards instantly in the Premier League.  

Wigan’s new tactic has moved them away from the relegation zone, and 3 points clear from the bottom three, with a drastic turn in form, that’s put them 3rd in the Premier League form table, with four wins in their last seven. Their tactic can be ultra-defensive and be 5-4-1 with one striker left upfront, or it can be ultra-attacking and be 3-4-3, but the best part about it, is the fact it switches between the two in a matter of seconds.

In defence (especially against Arsenal) it very much looked like this…

Which, as you can see from the picture and presumably saw from the Arsenal game, it’s very hard to break down. Not only is there five at the back, the central midfielders also get back and defend deep, almost playing as holding midfielders. This results in almost a seven man defence and all practically on the edge of the box, meaning no space in behind for teams to exploit.

So Wigan can sit there and watch teams pass in front of them for however long before getting the ball and counter attacking. In a matter of seconds, and this is the main strength of this tactic. Wigan have the ability to turn a ‘backs against the wall’ situation to a ‘throw the kitchen sink at them’ situation and the most important people to do this are the full backs and winger, in my opinion. When they counter attacked against Arsenal, and got their two goals, the tactic went from the one above to something more like this…

I know it isn’t perfect or exact, but you can see what generally happens. The two wing-backs push forward down the line, providing the width, then the two ‘wingers’ from before, (if we’re talking about the Arsenal game,) Gomez and Moses, push inside and support the lone striker Di Santo. This works brilliantly as these two are inverted, so it’s similar to how Barcelona used to play, when their wingers were Henry and Messi or Ronaldinho and Messi and they used to be inverted, so they’d push inside and support Eto’o and then the full-backs, Alves and Abidal, would push up the line and provide the width.

But the only difference being Barcelona had one less defender and one more midfielder, but it's the overall same sort of mentality. Wigan's inverted wingers system works well because Moses and Gomez are two very creative players, which you can see from the game against Arsenal, with Gomez playing a lovely ball across the pitch for Wigan's first and Moses scoop turning then crossing for the second goal. It also leads to good passing as lots of channels would open up, if the opposing full-backs had to mark the attacking wing-backs because it means the inverted wingers could ‘float’ and get into the gaps between the full backs and centre backs, so that stretches defenders and also means there can be a nice bit of interplay between the wing-backs, wingers and forward in these kind of areas. However, the centre-midfielders are extremely important as well, as they provide the balance in the team, thus being able to control the tempo and help the team keep possession in attack. McCarthy and McCarthur had a passing accuracy of 94% and 88%, against Arsenal. Even though, they didn’t make lots and lots of passes, that is still tidy and crucial, especially when holding a lead, like they were. So, as you saw against Arsenal, the counter attacking ability of this tactic is amazing, with basically five attackers, which most defences, would struggle to deal against, as Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea all will tell you.

However, there is another transition, that’s different to these previous two mentioned above. This transition is in-between Wigan's ‘backs against the wall’ and ‘throwing the kitchen sink.’ The third system could be used when leading 1-0 and wanting to attack, but being balanced on not being caught on the break yourself and is basically a 4-2-3-1 and look like this…

This would happen when Beausejour pushed forward down the left, he would become the main left winger, then Figueroa would move over from centre-back and go left-back, creating a standard back four. Moses would then shift from the left to the right and Gomez would play just behind Di Santo, which is a good, relatively-attacking, formation, but also brilliant in my opinion, because Boyce wouldn’t push forward, he’d hold and play right-back, which means they can attack but still have a ‘normal’ back line so it would be hard to be broken against. As they aren’t throwing several bodies forward, then if they want to get back and go ‘backs against the wall’ again, it’s easy to do. All Wigan need is Beausejour to get back and Figueroa to move inside, then the two midfielders to track back as well.

I have to admit, I love this tactic.

I’ve always wanted a team to play with 3/5 at the back in the Premier League, as it’s what Cruijff did with Total Football. I've always been intrigued to see if it would work in the Premier League. And so far it has. Martinez has got it spot on.

I love the versatility of it, the way you can be defending for you lives, and then attacking at will in a matter of seconds. The middle transition, just makes the system that one bit better as you can be balanced as well and don’t have to go between the two ‘extremes’. The tactic has also been effective, with wins against Manchester United and Arsenal, I think, if they start better next year and continue to use this tactic and generally don’t do a ‘Wigan’ I think, they could have a comfortable finish. Well done Martinez, I think you’ve got it spot-on.

This article was written by Tom Moseley, you can follow him on Twitter: @PlayedOfThePark .Check out his website too: http://playedoffthepark.blogspot.co.uk/

More of Tom's work can be found here

The Rise of Victor Moses

When Roberto Martinez chose not to delve into the market to replace the outgoing Charles N’Zogbia, it raised a few eyebrows.

Of course, Charles N’Zogbia was Wigan’s most creative and dangerous player.

But Martinez has intelligently replaced Charles N’Zogbia without many of us even recognising.

Football is similar to any industry, if one leaves, it normally leaves a gap for someone to step up to and take the mantle.

Victor Moses has done exactly this.

The 21 year old has grabbed his chance with both hands and hasn’t let go.

Indeed, Victor Moses hasn’t exactly taken the Premier League by storm.

But he’s shown he’s capable and competent enough to fill the void left by Charles N’Zogbia.

Moses has given the Wigan fans plenty of excitement. His ingenuity, pace and tenacity makes him a joy to watch, but from the perspective of the opposition it makes him incredibly hard to contain.

Just like Charles N’Zogbia, Victor Moses is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and going past players is a key feature of his style. But what makes Moses such a potent threat is his technical ability. Moses has a fantastic first touch and great ball control, meaning when in full momentum it often takes a handful of players to silence the threat created by Moses.

Not only this, Moses’s sheer strength and blistering pace is a key reason as to why defenders struggle to contain him. On the flip side, these attributes along with his creativity give Wigan a player capable of changing the games.

Victor Moses creative influence on Wigan is clearly recognisable. This season, Moses has created the second highest amount of chances for Wigan. Moses has created 22 chances for Wigan. This is outstanding. After all, it just emphasises how beneficial Moses’ contribution has been for Wigan. At the young age of 21, Moses has proved he is good enough to make a telling difference to a Premier League side. Furthermore, Moses’s attacking nature is also highlighted by the fact he has made the most final third passes for the club (266 final third passes).

The statistical proof Moses, at just 21 can be trusted to create in the Premier League is great news not only for Wigan, but for Nigeria. It highlights Nigeria have a young attacking footballer who can consistently create chances in England’s highest division.

And the fact the player is still 21, shows the player has the significant potential to develop into a fantastic winger.

However, there is room for improvement in Victor Moses’ game.

As much as the young winger has shown great potential, he has also shown weaknesses and inconsistencies.

Moses’ wastefulness is a clear cause for concern.

This season, Victor Moses has had 60 shots for Wigan. The highest amount of shots any Wigan player has had. However, this would not be a major issue if it meant he was scoring and Wigan were winning. But with 60 shots, Moses has managed just two Premier League goals. Thus giving Moses a woeful chance conversion rate of just 5%.

Moses needs to be more intelligent, he needs to improve not only on his finishing, but his decision making too. The talented winger needs to consider if passing instead of shooting could create a better chance for his side to score.

Furthermore, Wigan are in a perilous position whereby points have been hard to come by. This wastefulness by Moses could prove to be costly for the struggling side.

But on the other hand, from the perspective of the player, Moses’ willingness to shoot shows the confidence embedded within the youngster. Moses is willing to take risks and has enough belief in himself to attempt to the change the game.

Victor Moses bright first half of the season has left many touting if he has the potential to play for one of the bigger clubs.

Indeed, he has the raw skills and potential not only to play for a bigger Premier League side, but to possibly be a full Nigerian international.

However, Moses needs to be more consistent, more intelligent and less wasteful.

The Wigan winger has the potential to go a long, long way. But its vital he learns, develops and crucially shows a willingness to become a good player.

Victor Moses has proven at a young age he can compete in the Premier League, but this is just the start.

Victor Moses is by no means a finished article.

Statistics from EPL Index. (Stats taken on 10/01/12)

Can Wigan save themselves from the drop again?

Wigan have started the season off poorly. Its simple as that. Three wins from 16 games is hardly inspiring form. Not only this, the team have a winning ratio of 20% which is frankly quite frightening if you’re a Wigan fan. But this woeful start to the season and a reflection on last season’s results, spell one question, Is this the season when Wigan fall through the relegation trap door?

Possibly. But the side have shown some fight. Recently Wigan picked up two away wins at Sunderland and West Brom. Furthermore, the team managed to hold Chelsea at home last weekend. These results are utterly vital, especially the away results. It shows Wigan have the ability to take points from the teams in and around them. Not only this, very few of Wigan’s relegation rivals can boast two away wins on the bounce.

Many pundits argue Wigan’s ability to keep possession of the ball has been the difference between them and their relegation rivals. Perhaps they have a point. After all, Wigan have a impressive passing accuracy of 81% this season. Wigan have also made more accurate passes (5268 passes), than Wolves (4938 accurate passes), Aston Villa (3876), Blackburn (3738), and Bolton (4470).

So, Wigan keep the ball better than the teams in and around them. That’s all well, and good but is it really working for the side? Some may comment that it does work for them. After all, under Martinez’ Wigan have never been relegated. However, against certain sides, Wigan’s passing strategy seems like its suffocating some of the Wigan players.

For example, when Arsenal and Spurs visited Wigan at the DW, the London sides high pressure system continuously caught Wigan out. Wigan would look to slowly build from the back and progressively go forward. However, Arsenal and especially Spurs did not allow Wigan’s defence to settle on the ball. Thus causing the players to misplace passes or worse, pass the ball straight to the opposition.

These missed place passes have proved to be fatal. As Wigan have often found themselves trailing games because of defensive mishaps.

But another problem Wigan are encountering is the team are not scoring enough goals.

This season, Wigan have scored 15 goals in 16 games. It is the worst goal scoring record in the Premier League. Indeed, Wigan are craving the return to form of Hugo Rodallega. Last season the Columbian scored 9 goals. While in 8 games this season, he failed to net.

Wigan’s struggle to score goals is a significant issue. Especially if one follows the trends of the last few seasons.

Last season, Wigan had the second worst goal scoring record in the Premier League. They scored 40 goals last season. While the team who had the worst goal scoring record, Birmingham City scored 37 goals and were relegated on the final day. Furthermore, in the 2009/10 season, Hull and Portsmouth scored the least amount of goals (34 goals) and both were relegated. Finally, three seasons ago, in the 2008/09 season, Middlesbrough scored (28 goals) and found themselves going through the relegation trap door.

This is a cause for concern for Wigan. Under Martinez, the team have a history of not being able to score goals. In Martinez’ first season, Wigan managed 37 goals, the third worst in the division. While as stated before, last season, the team had the second worst goal scoring record in the division. And so far this season, the team have the worst goal scoring record. Perhaps this is symbol of the yearly decline of Wigan.

The statistics also paint a vivid picture. If you cant score, you cant win and if you cant win, you cant survive.

Wigan’s goal scoring statistics foreshadow a worrying end to their Premier League dream. Of course there is a long way to go. But if Wigan’s statistics continue to follow the same trend, there really is one inevitable route which Wigan will be taking. Relegation.

But scoring goals are not Wigan’s only problems. The club are also conceding a hell of a lot of goals too.

Wigan have the third worst defence in the league. They have conceded 30 goals already this season. Wigan are far more exploitable than some of the teams around them. After all, the teams who often survive in the Premier League are often the most efficient. They can either consistently score, or they are very strong defensively. Wigan have been neither under Martinez. If the team could score far more goals, perhaps their goals conceded statistic would not be a big issue, as their total points tally would do the talking for them.

The problem Martinez is facing is a reoccurring problem. Relegation. In Steve Bruce’s final season at Wigan, he left the club 11^th. The team were 13 points away from relegation. While under Martinez, the team have always finished 16^th. In his first season, 2009/10 season, they finished 6 points away from the relegation spots. While last season, The Lactics finished an alarming three points away from the relegation zone.

This is clearly a worrying trend. With every season, the club are getting closer and closer to the relegation trap door. Only three years ago, the club were safe in mid-table. But now, under Martinez, the team have not had any progressive improvement. The team have been in a freefall of decline.

Wigan Athletic are aesthetically pleasing with their tidy keep ball philosophy. But the stringent issue is the team cant do anything productive with it. The club have won their last two away games, but that does not hide away the fact the team have severe underlying inadequacies such as not being able to finish or concede which have been crippling the club for years.

This may well be Wigan’s final dance in the Premier League.

Five Observations from Week 10 in the Premier League

1. Manchester City prove they get can away wins against tough mid-table teams- This was a real test for Manchester City. It was a test which City just about passed. QPR threw a load of punches at Man City. The first critical punch came when QPR took the lead. It was the first time in the league an opposition has taken the lead against Manchester City. Indeed, Manchester City stood up and got the equaliser through Edin Dzeko, who has now scored 10 Premier League goals, 7 of those coming away from home. City then grabbed the initiative again by taking the lead, but against determined opposition, who have a very solid attacking unit and with their passionate fans behind them, QPR reacted and managed to bring the game level to 2-2. But again, this didn’t effect severely effect Man City. Within a few minutes City took the lead again – which ended up being the crucial winning goal. This result proves City have strong belief and togetherness to come out of tough tests with all the three points. A number of teams would have fallen apart and lost their way after being pegged back away from home. It also proves, even if City don’t play at their very best, the team have enough quality and cohesion to get the win away from home.
2. Liverpool are not good enough for a top four finish – Liverpool let themselves down again. For the third home game in a row, they have drawn. For the second time in a row, they have drawn at home games against two newly promoted sides. Utterly woeful. Liverpool’s attack has improved from last season, but The Reds have lacked a clinical cutting edge this season. Indeed, Liverpool have created the chances but the finishing simply hasn’t been there. That was the case against Swansea. It’s clear if a team have aspirations to be in the top four they must win their encounters at home against the teams below them in the league. With every game, Liverpool’s finishing has been a growing concern. It’s vital Dalglish and his players rectify this because as it stands, Liverpool feel and look extremely brittle at Anfield.
3. Chelsea finally get their first clean sheet since August but one must not get carried away with this stat – Chelsea grabbed their first win in three with an away win at Blackburn. Perhaps this result was expected. After all, prior to this game, Blackburn had gone 5 games without a win. But Chelsea, got the three points thanks to yet another Frank Lampard goal, and they said his best days were over? Look at him now! But more crucially, Chelsea got themselves a clean sheet. Their first clean sheet since the opening day draw at Stoke. But Chelsea know they can’t get carried away. They were playing one of the Premier League’s out of form sides, they were playing a team who had only managed a woeful 1 win in 5 games at home this season. Furthermore, Blackburn haven’t kept a clean sheet this season, so it was inevitable Chelsea would come out on top. But this is a morale boosting win, as bigger challenges lay ahead for Chelsea.
4. Wolves get three points in their biggest game of the season..so far, while Wigan lose yet again- Wolves finally end their run of 8 games without a win. It was a win which was utterly deserved. Wolves didn’t play Wigan off the park, but they did play a far better game than Wigan. Wolves defended better, used the ball more wisely and attacked in a more clinical fashion. This was a vital game for both Wigan and Wolves. Prior to this game, both teams had lost more than 6 games in a row. Both teams saw this as a 6 pointer fixture for themselves. But Wolves showed their strength and determination to end this run. While Wigan, yet again, showed no substance. The team were not clinical and arguably their goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi kept Wigan within reach of Wolves. But Wigan looked out of sorts. The team seem struggle to score and struggled to defend. It will certainly be a long season for Wigan. While for Wolves, what a difference a win makes. Wolves go into the international break in 13^th position, a point behind Stoke and QPR.
5. Bolton finally win at home – Prior to this game, Bolton were the only team in the Premier League who have failed to pick up a single point at home. But that changed this weekend. Bolton hammered Stoke. Perhaps it was a reverse of the hammering Stoke gave to Bolton in the FA Cup Semi-Final last season. Bolton fully deserved the points against Stoke. Bolton seemed more fresher and more hungry for the win. The Wanderers imposed themselves on Stoke and put Pulis’ men under a great deal of pressure throughout the game. Kevin Davies, a man whose form has been under scruinity this season played a crucial part in Bolton’s win. He was an imposing figure, who caused Stoke a handful of problems with his physicality and great holding up of the ball. However, for Stoke, the team looked tired and its evident the effects of playing in the Europa League are having an effect on the team’s domestic performances. Pulis must find a formula to get his side to perform in the games after tough Europa League encounters.

Five Statistics from this Weekend

1. Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored against 26 of the 30 different teams he has faced in the Premier League.
2. 48% of Arsenal’s goals have come from Robin Van Persie this season.
3. Liverpool have drawn the most games at home this season (4 draws)
4. Brad Friedel made his 276 consecutive start in the PL versus Fulham. Last time he missed a match was May 2004.
5. QPR have only won 1 home game in 6 attempts this season.

Five Observations from Week 7 in the Premier League

1. An under strength Manchester United side is still a very good Man United side – Almost everyone was left in shock when it was revealed Sir Alex Ferguson had left out Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Nani on the bench for the Liverpool game. Arguably they are Man United’s best players. However, even without their three key players, United played reasonably well. The Champions kept Liverpool at bay for most of the game and challenged a full strength Liverpool throughout 90 minutes. But it cannot be denied, Liverpool were marginally better. They created more chances, saw far more of the ball and looked more likely to make something happen. But Man United even with a team lacking in key assets were incredibly tough and potent. Indeed, United’s point gained at Liverpool just proves what a powerful side they are. The fact an under strength Man United side, who didn’t play that well could keep a strong Liverpool side at bay is a very impressive feat.
2. Mario Balotelli is becoming Mr Consistent – For the third Premier League week in a row, Mario Balotelli comes with good news, rather than traditionally bringing bad news for Man City. Balotelli has consecutively found the net for the past three Premier League games. The controversial striker has now scored three goals in his last three games. Furthermore, because of the Carlos Tevez saga which virtually leaves the Agrentine unplayable. City and their fans know that Balotelli can be depended on to get goals in the Premier League. Not only this, the fact Balotelli, Dzeko and Aguero have all rather easily found their goal scoring boots this season, it shows Man City have three extremely potent centre forwards who could change the game instantly for them. This of course is vital for a league challenger, as every game must be won.
3. QPR still can’t get a result at home – QPR have yet again failed to win at home this season. This season they have had 4 Premier League games at home, and have managed to draw three and lose one. Perhaps the fact they are unbeaten in their last three home games should be an impressive feat. But upon closer inspection is not an impressive feat at all. Firstly, QPR have only scored two goals at home this season. Which is the worst goals tally for a home side this season. Secondly, QPR hosted Blackburn this weekend. One must remember, this Blackburn side are rock bottom of the Premier League and haven’t won a single away game yet. This weekend was supposed to be a golden opportunity for QPR to get their first three points at home and score a few goals in the process. QPR should be very worried about their home form. Winning at home is a basic imperative in the Premier league, and the team could find themselves progressively declining towards the foot of the table if their home form doesn’t pick up anytime soon.
4. Wolves and Wigan’s form depicts the same picture from last season – Both Wigan and Wolves lost crucial games this weekend. Wolves would have seen their away game at West Brom as a very winnable fixture, while Wigan would have thought the three points were there for the taking at home against an out of form Bolton. But both sides lost. Wigan and Wolves have now lost their last five games in a row. Which of course, reeks of relegation form. This weekend, Wigan were poor at home to Bolton. They gave Bolton the impetuous to get the three points, which they well and truly did. While Wolves who created many good chances against West Brom but Wolves just couldn’t finish them off. That was the difference between Wolves and West Brom was that the Albion’s could finish their chances, while Wolves were left bemoaning the ifs and buts after the game. Last season, Wigan and Wolves found themselves in the bottom three for most of the season. But on the last day of the season, both teams just about survived. This season, both teams may not be so lucky. Wigan and Wolves recent form has been utterly woeful. It’s crucial they end their winless run as soon as they can. Or they may find themselves going through the trap door on the last day of this season.
5. Arsenal become ever more dependent on captain fantastic Robin Van Persie – Van Persie was the difference between Arsenal and Sunderland this weekend. The Dutchman was in majestical form. His intelligence, clinical finishing and wonderful technique gave Arsenal an edge over their opponents this weekend. When Sunderland equalised, Arsenal became nervous. The team’s passing had no real substance or direction and the Gunners were not really threatening as much as they possibly could have. As the last 10 minutes loomed, Arsenal were growing in agitation and so were their fans. When Robin Van Persie stepped up for the free kick in the 82^nd minute, it would take a man who could handle the pressure and the expectation to lift Arsenal out of another miserable Premier League disappointment. And Van Persie didn’t fail. Mr . Arsenal scored a sensational free kick which was enough to consign an out of form Sunderland to defeat. But there are two causes for concern for Arsenal which can be learnt from this weekend. Firstly, the team struggled to beat a poor Sunderland side who haven’t won their last three games. The worry about this is that, better sides in better form will face Arsenal and if Arsenal struggle against the in-form sides, the Gunners will lose. Secondly, Arsenal are becoming ever more dependent on Van Persie. The fact Van Persie has scored 41% of all of Arsenal’s Premier League goals this season proves his contribution to Arsenal has been substantial. However, if Van Persie gets injured, do Arsenal have the players who can pick the team up and score goals consistently? I fear they do not, Arsenal hinge on Van Persie, its vital for the Gunners progression that he stays fit and injury free.

Five Statistics from this weekend

1.) 90% of Arsenal’s points this season have come at home.

2.) 5/7 of Jermain Defoe’s last Premier League goals have from outside the box.

3.) Liverpool’s last three direct free kick goals in Premier League have come against Man United.

4.) 11/15 of Chris Samba’s Premier League goals have been from headers.

5.) Wolves have failed to score in the first half in their last six Premier League games.