Club News

STAT PACK: Albion v Arsenal

Facts and figures ahead of Saturday's clash with the Gunners (ko 12.45pm)

ALBION face a stern examination in this weekend's early kick-off as Arsenal are the visitors to The Hawthorns, and once again football statistics website WhoScored.com are here to preview the clash.

Little could be done to halt the Chelsea juggernaut last weekend, although the unbeaten Premier League leaders put in what was widely regarded as their best performance of the season to date to down a resolute Albion rearguard. 

The Baggies have little time to dwell on that defeat, though, and will have to be on point this weekend as a strong Arsenal side arrive in town. 

The Gunners come to the midlands on the back of an impressive 2-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund, but Albion could take advantage of Arsenal having had a midweek distraction, just as they did when they last faced a north London side (winning 1-0 at White Hart Lane).

Three of the last five meetings in all competitions between the two teams at The Hawthorns have ended in score draws. And after a strenuous week, the Gunners could be on course for a difficult time again this weekend, with Alan Irvine's men looking to extend a run which has seen them suffer only one defeat in their last five home games.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have been on a mixed run of results of late and prior to victory over Dortmund had lost back-to-back games against Swansea and Manchester United, following on from their capitulation after holding a three-goal lead against Anderlecht.

As WhoScored.com denotes, Arsenal are weak when it comes to 'avoiding individual errors' and very weak at 'defending counter-attacks'. 

The pace of the likes of Stephane Sessegnon could be key, leading breaks upfield for the Baggies and looking to hit their opponents when they are caught out of position.

Sessegnon possesses a statistically calculated strength of 'dribbling' and that could be vital as he looks to find pockets of space between the lines against a team who have been much criticised for their lack of a solid defensive 
midfielder. 

That could well leave Albion's Benin international with opportunities to exploit.

He has already scored once this season - a stunning goal against United when they were out of position - and he could well be key when Arsenal come to play in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.

*WhoScored.com is a unique website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Provided with unique stats, they compile and create comprehensive analysis on the major European divisions, including live match stats and player ratings. Follow @WhoScored and their editor-in-chief @alitweedale on Twitter.

Interesting facts

Albion’s record attendance came against the Gunners in a sixth-round FA Cup tie on 6 March 1937, with 64,815 spectators watching on as the Baggies won 1-0 at The Hawthorns.

The first-ever meeting between the two sides came in the 1900/01 season in the FA Cup. Albion ran out 1-0 winners on their visit to the capital.

Albion have only beaten Arsenal once at home in the Premier League. Darren Carter and Nwankwo Kanu scored as the Baggies defeated the Gunners 2-1 in 2005.

Arsenal are enduring their worst start to a domestic campaign for 30 years.

We said, they said

We said - Chris Brunt: “Arsenal will probably be coming to us as favourites but we will be prepared for them.”

They said – Per Mertesacker: “Saturday is a good chance to show everyone that we are still alive. We have secured Champions League (last-16) football and that gives us a life, but that has nothing to do with the Premier League.”

Most recent encounters at The Hawthorns

Albion 1-1 Arsenal (6/10/13) Premier League

Albion 1-1 Arsenal (25/9/13) Capital One Cup

Albion 1-2 Arsenal (6/4/13) Premier League

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At The Hawthorns tomorrow and want to listen to the commentary? Tune into 106.9FM from anywhere inside the stadium. 

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Copyright 2014 WEST BROMWICH ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB LTD. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.wba.co.uk as the source.

West Bromwich Albion, WBA and Baggies are registered trademarks of West Bromwich Albion Football Club Ltd. The club is also known as West Brom.