Anwar Ibrahim (Cairo)
English Arsenal spent a sad night in the rain, at their home stadium and among their fans, after they lost – against all expectations – to their guest, West Ham United, who were not the best, but rather the most effective, as the match was decided in their favor 2-0, with Soucek scoring the first goal in the 13th minute. Mavropanos added the second in the 55th minute.
Moreover, Saeed Bin Rahma missed a penalty kick in the final seconds, which could have been a third goal for his team in the match that was held within the “19th round” of the English Premier League, and in the compressed “Boxing Day” week.
Although the “Gunners” controlled the “Hammers”, in most periods, and possessed a large percentage of the ball, reaching an average of 74%, the control did not translate into goals, and the numbers confirm this, as Arsenal players shot 30 times against West Ham’s goal, In contrast, the visiting team only had 6 shots in the entire match.
What is strange is that only 8 of the 30 shots were in the “goal frame”, and what is even more strange is that the “battalion” of Spanish coach Mikel Arteta, whose players touched the ball inside the penalty area 77 times, a number that has not been achieved in the English Premier League since the 2008-2009 season. According to what was reported by the Opta Foundation, which specializes in statistics and records.
What this means for a team’s attackers to touch the ball 77 times inside the “box” without scoring a goal is that the “Gunner” players lack effectiveness and decisiveness inside the “dangerous zone.”
The Monte Carlo Sport Radio and Television Network commented on this, saying: Arteta must make a greater effort with his players, so that they learn how to be more decisive in the upcoming matches, while recognizing that they have encountered great misfortune.
Arsenal, which lost the top spot in the Premier League to Liverpool, will host Fulham on Sunday, a stubborn team, which will not be an easy catch, but is capable of deepening the Gunners’ sorrows.
It is worth noting that Liverpool is at the top of the Premier League with 42 points, while Arsenal stands at 40 points in second place, and Aston Villa comes third with 39 points. Friday's matches also witnessed, in the same round, a “heavy caliber” surprise with Tottenham's defeat by Brighton 2-4.
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