The opening Premier League game in numbers! Arsenal’s new signing doesn’t stand up

London Arsenal did not please their fans as usual. In the opening game of the new Premier League season, Arsenal lost 0:2 to newcomer Brentford. The new signing, which was supposed to strengthen the defensive ranks of the Canaries, did not stand up, instead Ivan Toney shone! The first match of the top English competition offered interesting numbers.

The first interesting fact is the comparison between the best player of last season’s Championship, Ivan Toney, and the Canaries’ new signing, Ben White. While Toney won 12 personal duels, 6 header duels and was fouled 4 times, White had a success rate in duels below 50%.

The Brighton reinforcement specifically won only 5 out of 11 personal duels and 3 header duels out of 7. Toney simply gave Arsenal’s stoppers a lot of trouble and he will definitely not be lost in the Premier League.

This is a murky start to the new season for Arsenal. For the first time since 1976, they started the season with a defeat to a newcomer. In the aforementioned year, they last succumbed to newcomer Bristol.

For Brentford, on the other hand, it’s a sensational start! And, for a short while at least, they found themselves at the very top of the Premier League. First in the table of England’s top competition for the first time since 1 September 1946. An incredible 74 years and 346 days have passed since then. This temporary wait for top spot in the league table is the longest ever in the history of English football.

Sources: OptaJoe, Squawka Football, Football Daily