Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song will feature for West Ham United against Gunners youngster Francis Coquelin this weekend.
Arsenal’s visit to West Ham United this weekend is going to create a great contrast between a former Gunner and a current midfielder working hard to make himself first choice in the middle of Arsene Wenger’s team.
Alex Song missed West Ham’s recent trip to Dubai to ensure that he’s be fit and available for the game against the Gunners and he’ll have to try and be more dominant than the up and coming Francis Coquelin.
Song has the edge in terms of experience, but what do the stats suggest about the way this battle could unfold this weekend.
| Position | Team | Won Tackle | Duel Won | Interception Won | Fouls | Passing Accuracy | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandre Song | MF | West Ham | 53 | 144 | 29 | 36 | 77% | 20 | 1,622 |
| Francis Coquelin | MF | Arsenal | 36 | 115 | 41 | 16 | 83% | 13 | 911 |
The first point to make is that Song has played a much higher number of minutes so far this season, which explains why he is naturally ahead in some areas.
He’s in front in terms of the number of successful tackles he’s made and the number of duels he’s won, but Coquelin has clearly been the more disciplined of the two players, with Song having committed more fouls.
Coquelin also appears to be the smarter because of the number of interceptions he’s made this season.
He reads the game very well and steps in, cutting off the angles and making it difficult for opponents to play through Arsenal’s midfield.
He also has a better passing accuracy, which suggests he protects possession more effectively in all games.
Both midfielders sit in front of their back fours and whoever can dominate this weekend and make it difficult for the opposition to play should prevail.
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