Key Battles...can Toure topple the King?
Saturday's key battles: Arsenal v Hull City
The Gunners welcome newly-promoted Hull City to Emirates Stadium on Saturday with Wenger hoping his men can maintain their 100% home record. This season Arsenal.com will be identifying the key battles for the game. We will bring you all the statistics and information a fan could need so swot up now and come Saturday you'll be impressing anyone who'll listen with your new-found knowledge.
Kolo Toure v Marlon King
Kolo Toure is a vital component of the Arsenal back five that is yet to concede from open play this season but he faces a man with a point to prove on Saturday. Marlon King has endured a turbulent Premier League experience so far. He started well at Watford, scoring twice in his first three Premier League games, but missed six months of that season with a knee injury. After signing for Wigan Athletic for £3 million in January, King only appeared 15 times for them before being sent on loan to Hull. But the Jamaican has started well for the Tigers with two goals in the opening four games as Hull sit seventh in the Premier League. As well as some towering performances defensively, Toure has posed a threat offensively too. He is yet to score this season but has managed seven shots on goal, one more than King.
| Kolo Toure | Marlon King | |
| Appearances | 5 | 4 |
| Minutes played | 365 | 324 |
| Clearances | 9 | 2 |
| Fouls committed | 1 | 7 |
| Passes completed | 19 | 17 |
| Passes not completed | 6 | 6 |
| Total passes | 25 | 23 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 4 |
| Shots off target | 4 | 2 |
| Tackles made | 3 | 3 |
| Tackles won | 2 | 1 |
| Tackles lost | 1 | 2 |
Cesc Fabregas v Ian Ashbee
The array of contrasts between Cesc Fabregas and Ian Ashbee should make for a fascinating central midfield battle on Saturday. Ashbee, born in Birmingham, is a 32 year-old tough tackling workhorse and has played nearly 200 games across all four divisions for Hull. Fabregas, born in Barcelona, is a 21-year-old European Championship winner and has played his whole career in England’s top division. On the pitch, the contrast is just as obvious. Ashbee has not missed a kick for the Tigers and has provided a solid shield for their back four, winning eight of his nine tackles so far and making nine clearances. Cesc has only played three times so far but already has hit the target twice more than Ashbee and the Spaniard will be hoping to make one of them count at Emirates Stadium.
| Cesc Fabregas | Ian Ashbee | |
| Appearances | 3 | 5 |
| Minutes Played | 270 | 450 |
| Bookings | 2 | 2 |
| Clearances | 0 | 8 |
| Fouls committed | 6 | 5 |
| Passes completed | 17 | 23 |
| Passes not completed | 12 | 14 |
| Passes made | 29 | 37 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 1 |
| Tackles made | 1 | 9 |
| Tackles won | 0 | 8 |
| Tackles lost | 1 | 1 |
Emmanuel Adebayor v Michael Turner
Michael Turner has emerged as one of the brightest defensive prospects in the Premier League but his credentials will be firmly tested when he comes up against Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togolese striker has terrorised centre-backs up and down the country and on Saturday evening he’ll hope to add the Charlton-born youngster to his list. The fine treble at Blackburn are the only goals that Adebayor has scored in the League this year but that stat doesn’t quite tell the whole story. The 24-year-old has already registered three assists and has hit the woodwork twice in his five appearances. Turner opened his Premier League account against Everton on Sunday, but unsurprisingly it is his defensive stats that have turned heads. He has won six of his eight tackles as well as completing 10 clearances for the Tigers. Adebayor will certainly have his work cut-out.
| Emmanuel Adebayor | Michael Turner | |
| Appearances | 5 | 5 |
| Minutes | 450 | 450 |
| Assists | 3 | 0 |
| Clearances | 3 | 10 |
| Goals | 3 | 1 |
| Passes completed | 20 | 17 |
| Passes made | 26 | 24 |
| Shot off | 9 | 4 |
| Shot on | 6 | 2 |
| Hit woodwork | 2 | 0 |
| Tackles made | 5 | 8 |
| Tackles won | 0 | 6 |
[Friday, September 26, 2008]
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