By Far The Greatest Team

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In-depth player stats: Arsenal vs Newcastle

Arsenal v Newcastle, Saturday 17:30

 

Arsenal’s last Premier League outing was against Wigan on December 22nd, when a Mikel Arteta penalty was enough to give Arsenal all three points

 

Arteta’s goal was his fourth of the season, and having got his four goals from just twelve efforts at goal he has one of the best chance conversion rates in the Premier League this season

 

Cazorla and Arteta have been dominating possession for Arsenal in midfield this sseason, and are ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for passes completed in the opposition half with 737 and 699

 

Cazorla has been more effective at turning that possession into goals, however, having got 7 goals and 6 assists this season compared to Arteta’s 4 goals and 2 assists

 

Add to that midfield the return of Jack Wilshere, who has averaged a pass completed in the opposition half ever 2 minutes 24 seconds since returning from injury (on a par with Cazorla’s 2 minutes 18 seconds and Arteta’s 2 minutes 28 seconds) and Newcastle will find it hard to win the ball from this Arsenal midfield

 

Newcastle came close to causing a huge upset when they lead Manchester United for most of the game before conceding a last minute goal to Chicarito Hernandez and losing 4-3.

 

Goals from James Perch, Papiss Cisse, and an own goal forced from a Danny Simpson cross seemed to be enough to secure back to back victories after Shola Ameobi had scored a spectacular winner in their previous outing against QPR

 

Cisse’s finish for his third goal of the season belied the form of a striker who has struggled to recapture the goal scoring touch that saw him make such an impact last season. Cisse has three goals from 31 efforts at goal this season, with an accuracy rate of 41.9% on target and a conversion rate of 10.3 shots per goal demonstrating his struggles in front of goal this season

 

James Perch wasn’t the most likely goalscorer for Newcastle in their last game, having impressed more in his defensive duties. Perch has made 45 interceptions and won 54.8% of the tackles he has attempted.

 

Simpson’s cross was one of 33 he has made this season, making him the 7th most prolific crosser of the ball from a full back position this season

 

Ameobi’s goal was his first of the season, despite getting a healthy two thirds of his 12 shots this season on target, and also contributing two assists

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