Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s claim about Tottenham Hotspur does not stack up

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Arsenal conceded twice in the second half to lose the North London derby 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Following the North London derby on Saturday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made a comment that sounded strange.

The Frenchman claimed that rivals Tottenham Hotspur had not created much and lamented his side’s defensive mistakes for the two goals that his team conceded.

“They were cheap goals,” Wenger told Arsenal’s website when about the goals his team shipped in the Premier League clash at White Hart Lane. “Tottenham didn’t create so much, but I think we didn’t produce enough.”

Wenger’s claim that Tottenham did not create much simply does not stack up. If anything, Mauricio Pochettino’s side created more than a team would on an average.

As the Opta stats table below shows, Spurs created no fewer than 19 chances in the 2-1 win, while Arsenal could carve out just five – less than average.

In fact, in pretty much every area Tottenham were better than their North London rivals on Saturday, including total shots, shots on target and passes.

Wenger’s claim that Spurs “didn’t create so much” is also ripped apart by the following Opta stats table, which compares Tottenham’s stats to those of an average team.

One wonders what made Wenger think that Tottenham did not create much on Saturday…