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Arsenal in Europe's top four

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  • Arsenal in Europe's top four

    Statistics show that Arsenal enjoy more of the ball than any other Premier League team, and among the top four teams in Europe.

    There are no surprises for guessing which team keeps the ball better than any in Europe's top leagues - It is Barcelona who are the continent's most 'possessive' team.

    But as their 7-0 aggregate embarrassment in the Champions League semi-finals at the hands of Bayern Munich showed, that alone has not got them to where they want to be.

    Even earlier in the season, in their 2-1 loss to Celtic, the Spaniards enjoyed more than 80 per cent possession but could not turn the tie in their favour.

    From an English perspective, the very best team at keeping possession this season is Arsenal, whose matches have seen them enjoy the ball 58.7 per cent of the time.

    This is substantially less than Barcelona, 69.2 per cent, but it is still high enough of a figure to see the Gunners ranked fourth best in the whole of Europe.

    The two teams between Arsenal and Barcelona are German Champions League finalists Bayern Munich in second, 63 per cent, and French side Lille, ever so slightly above Arsenal in third with 58.8 per cent.

    Now the comparisons, with data from Opta's Who Scored website, are not perfect - because each team plays in a different league and against different opponents, but they offer an indication in their respective leagues, at who is the best at keeping the ball.

    In the Premier League then, Arsenal obviously are the highest team in the field - followed closely by four teams.

    Manchester City are on 57.9 per cent, Liverpool 57.2 per cent, Manchester United 56.3 per cent and Swansea 56 per cent. Rivals Tottenham are down in ninth with 52 per cent.

    Responsible largely to Arsenal's passing success is Mikel Arteta, who has made more successful passes than any other player in the Premier League, with 2,347 - at a completion rate of 92.2 per cent.

    Of course this all begs the question as to whether the Gunners are doing enough with the ball. Intriguingly Arsenal have scored the same number of goals as Tottenham from open play, 41, despite having more possession in their matches.

    Clearly the Gunners could be more clinical, and if they can be in their remaining matches starting with QPR away at the weekend, a top four place in the Premier League should be firmly within their grasp.

    Do you think Arsenal use their possession intelligently enough? Is their strikeforce letting them down?

    http://hereisthecity.com/2013/05/02/...-which-field/?

  • #2
    Not only that, but they continue to punch above their weight with Europe's elite!

    Bayern, Juventus and Ajax! Man City's Euro failure means Mancini's side could face another Champions League group of death


    By Andy James
    PUBLISHED:11:13, 30 April 2013| UPDATED:11:50, 30 April 2013
    Manchester City are already facing an uphill battle to progress in next season's Champions League after the club's failure in this year's competition sent them sliding down the UEFA rankings.


    Euro woes: Mancini faces another tough Champions League draw next season with a Pot Three seeding likely


    Latest UEFA club coefficients


    1. FC Barcelona (ESP)
    2. Bayern Munchen (GER)
    3. Real Madrid (ESP)
    4. Chelsea (ENG)
    5. Manchester United (ENG)
    6. Arsenal (ENG)
    7. Inter Milan (ITA)
    8. FC Porto (POR)
    9. Valencia (ESP)
    10. Benfica (POR)
    11. Atletico Madrid (ESP)
    12. Olympique Lyon (FRA)
    13. Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
    14. AC Milan (ITA)
    15. Schalke 04 (GER)
    16. Olympique Marseille (FRA)
    17. Liverpool (ENG)
    18. CSKA Moscow (RUS)
    19. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
    20. Juventus (ITA)
    21. Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)
    22. Manchester City (ENG)
    23. Sporting Lisbon (POR)
    24. Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
    25. Dynamo Kiev (UKR)



    After failing to pick up a win and finishing bottom of Group D below Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax, City have dropped to 22nd in UEFA's coefficient ranking table and look set to be seeded in the third pot in the draw for the group stages on August 29.
    Although it is difficult to say at this point what the exact make-up of the pots will be, City could potentially land in the same group as Bayern Munich, Juventus and Ajax.
    However, City still has a chance of gaining a place in Pot Two if Tottenham can finish in the Premier League top four and deny Chelsea or Arsenal a place in the competition.
    But even that is in limbo as Borussia Dortmund's success in Europe this season could see the German club, who are currently 31st in the rankings, move above City in the seedings.
    If Dortmund were to progress to and win next month's Champions League final, they would automatically attain the No 1 seeding in next season's competition as defending champions.
    But if Dortmund do not win at Wembley, they will likely be one of the teams to avoid in Pot Three

    It is an improvement for Dortmund from last August's draw, however, when they were in Pot Four after only being ranked four places ahead of Bolton Wanderers at No 66 at the start of the season.
    City's failure to finish third in their group this season and gain a place in the Europa League has proved costly as the coefficient points gained would have given them a better chance of being seeded in Pot Two.
    The Champions League quarter-final runs of both Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain has seen them overtake City in the coefficient table.
    Premier League champions Manchester United will be seeded in Pot One, as will Chelsea and Arsenal if they manage to qualify.

    UEFA's club coefficient rankings are based on the results of clubs competing in the past five seasons in the Champions League and Europa League.


    Winless: Manchester City failed to pick up a win this year in a group containing Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax



    Top of the list: Dortmund will be seeded No 1 for next season's Champions League if they can win this year's competition at Wembley next month

    Tough task: City could face Bayern Munich, who beat Barcelona 4-0 last week




    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2SAxisz6l
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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    • #3
      Strike force letting them down.
      "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

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