Opta researchers hard at work. Photo by Umbro.com

Opta’s stat boffins have uncovered some gems from this season. Some of which will make you go hmm. For example, did you know that West Bromwich Albion set a new Premier League record of 34 consecutive matches without keeping a clean sheet? Or that Manchester United were the most clinical side from the 60th minute onwards in the Premier League this season; netting 36 goals in this period? Or how about Lucas Leiva, who made the most tackles (172) in the league? The list of fascinating statistics for each of the 20 clubs who played in the 2010-11 Premier League are listed below.

Let’s take a look at what they tell us about each Premier League club:

Arsenal

  • Keep Van Persie fit for a whole season and Arsenal may just have a chance… Robin van Persie equaled the Premier League record of 18 goals scored in a season from January 1 onwards held by Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo
  • Robin van Persie’s goal every minute ratio (goal every 98.2 minutes) – best in league
  • Arsenal are the Premier League keep ball kings… Arsenal were the only team who averaged over 60% possession this season
  • Arsenal made more touches (1104) in the opposition penalty area than any other side in 2010-11
  • Arsenal conceded the highest proportion (53%) of the goals from set-piece situations this season in the Premier League.

Aston Villa

  • Villa need to keep an eye on the opposition’s defenders… Villa conceded 11 goals from opposition defenders in the Premier League this term; more than any other side
  • Darren Bent is always offside… Darren Bent was caught offside 67 times, 20 more than any other top-flight player

Birmingham

  • McLeish’s side were dreadful… Birmingham played just 14 defence-splitting through balls all season, fewer than any other side
  • Birmingham only won 452 tackles – lowest in league
  • Birmingham hit a higher proportion of their passes long (18.9%) than anyone else. Except Stoke, obviously (19.9%)

Blackburn

  • With a bit of fitness work over last summer, Blackburn could have pushed for a Champion’s League place… Blackburn would have finished fourth if only first halves counted in 2010-11

Blackpool

  • Blackpool provided great entertainment but ultimately a poor defence was to be their downfall… The game with the most shots was Bolton v Blackpool, which saw a total of 49
  • No side have scored as many goals as Blackpool did this campaign in a Premier League season and still been relegated
  • Only one opposition side scored a first half goal at Old Trafford this season, that coming in Manchester United‘s final game, Charlie Adam for Blackpool

Bolton

  • Refs don’t like Kevin Davies… Kevin Davies committed 123 fouls in the Premier League this season; the most by a player since Opta began their analysis on the league back in 1996
  • Bolton committed the most fouls (513)

Chelsea

  • John Terry is brilliant… Chelsea conceded fewer headed goals than any other side in the Premier League team this season
  • Torres and co at the other end were not… Chelsea attempted the most shots (563) in the league but 9 sides had a better shot accuracy

Everton

  • Leighton Baines is a superb full-back… Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel and Everton full-back Leighton Baines were the only two outfield players to play every single minute of the 2010-11 Premier League season
  • Baines delivered more crosses from open play than anyone else (249, six more than Stewart Downing)

Fulham

  • Pantsil had a nightmare campaign… John Pantsil scored three own goals for Fulham in the Premier League this season, equalling the record for the most scored in a single season by a player (Andreas Jakobsson, Wigan, 2003-04)
  • Danny Murphy loves to zip a ball about… Danny Murphy completed the most passes (2329) in the league

Liverpool

  • King Kenny worked his magic…Liverpool scored in 18 successive matches between 1 January to 9 May 2011; the longest such run in the Premier League this season
  • Maxi Rodríquez’s goal versus Fulham on 9 May 2011 was the fastest recorded in the Premier League this season at 32 seconds – Rodriguez has been brilliant under Dalglish
  • The youngest player to play in the Premier League in 2010-11 was Liverpool’s Jack Robinson, born on 1 September 1993 – Dalglish gave youth a chance to flourish
  • Lucas improved a lot this season… Lucas Leiva made the most tackles (172) in the league

Man City

  • City fly out of the traps… Carlos Tevez scored the first goal of the game on nine occasions in the Premier League this season; more often than any other player
  • Manchester City scored the most goals (24) in the opening half an hour of matches in the Premier League this campaign
  • Tevez is a world class player… The top goalscorer award was shared by Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov (20), the first time it has been shared since 1998-99 (Owen/Hasselbaink/Yorke, 18)
  • Carlos Tevez has scored 43 goals in the Premier League since he joined Manchester City on the eve of 2009-10; more than any other player

Man United

  • Man United’s great home form is what won them the title… Manchester United equalled the highest points total at home (55) in Premier League history, level with Chelsea in 2005-06
  • Manchester United won the league title this season despite picking up only 25 points away from home; the lowest total by any Premier League title winner
  • United know how to get the job done… Manchester United were the most clinical side from the 60th minute onwards in the Premier League this season; netting 36 goals in this period
  • Manchester United substitutes scored the most goals (11) in 2010-11
  • Manchester United scored more headed goals (18) than any other team in the Premier League this season

Newcastle

  • Newcastle get stuck in… Promoted teams Newcastle and WBA collected the most yellow (78) and red cards (7) respectively
  • Newcastle’s Cheik Tioté received 14 yellow cards, two more than Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic
  • ‘Barton for England’… Joey Barton had the most goal assists (5) from open play

Stoke

  • Stoke are not the prettiest on the eye… Stoke’s average possession per game in 2010-11 (38%), the only team to average under 40%
  • Long throws by Stoke in 2010-11 (scored from 4 of the 570), the next highest was Bolton with 288
  • Percentage of Stoke City’s Premier League goals this season (22%) arrived from a defender; more than any other side

Sunderland

  • Steed Malbranque is terrible at shooting… Steed Malbranque shots without scoring (44) – miles ahead of Jack Rodwell (30) in second place

Tottenham

  • Spurs love to have a ping from range… Tottenham Hotspur netted 15 goals from outside the box this season in the league; four more than any other side (including set pieces)

West Brom

  • Scott Carson is a rubbish goalkeeper… West Bromwich Albion have kept only two clean sheets in the Premier League all season; a new record
  • West Bromwich Albion conceded 14 of their goals from outside the area this season, 11 of which came from open play; both Premier League highs
  • West Bromwich Albion set a new Premier League record of 34 consecutive matches without keeping a clean sheet, between 29 August 2010 and 8 May 2011

West Ham

  • The Hammers were poor at the back… Bottom of the league side West Ham let in the most goals from headers in the Premier League this season (15)
  • Blackpool and West Ham both allowed the opposition 239 shots on target over the season, more than any other side
  • And even worse up front… West Ham v Blackpool saw 48 shots but ended goalless
  • West Ham were caught offside (120) more than any other team

Wigan Athletic

  • N’Zogbia is a ball hogger…Wigan Athletic’s Charles N’Zogbia again tried more dribbles than anyone else this season (301, way ahead of Jonas Gutiérrez on 219). In the past two seasons he has attempted almost 300 more than anyone else (554. The next is Gareth Bale with 258, followed by Torres with 239).

Wolves

  • Stephen Hunt needs to practice his tricks over the summer… the Wolves winger beat his opponent just three times from 36 attempts all season.

Editor’s note: For more articles by Daryn MacRae, visit http:\/\/stayonyourfeetblog.wordpress.com/