This Week in Stats: Tottenham sacrifice another lead in cup competition

Manchester United overcame Tottenham, before Chelsea brushed Southampton aside to make the FA Cup final. What else did we learn in the semifinals?

Tottenham have had a very good season in the league. They’re one of only four teams in the Premier League who have yet to lose after scoring the opening goal of the game. That fact will only make it harder for their fans to accept that they’ve given up leads in each of their three exits from cup competition in 2017-18.

As Manchester United have conceded first but won four times, the joint-highest mark in the division, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised the first FA Cup semifinal unfolded as it did.

We also shouldn’t be surprised both teams scored via a cross. Manchester City and Chelsea are the only sides to register more assists this way in the 2017-18 Premier League. However, neither United nor Spurs will have conceded many softer goals either.

First a simple long ball from Davinson Sanchez found Christian Eriksen with the freedom of Spurs’ left flank. His cross, which was his only accurate one in the match, created Tottenham’s only clear-cut chance, and Dele Alli gave them the lead.

Within 13 minutes, United were level. Mousa Dembele is a fine player, and one not accustomed to making errors; the Belgian midfielder hasn’t made any leading to opposition shots in the league or Europe this season.

He certainly made one on Saturday, though. He turned into trouble in the shape of Paul Pogba, who dispossessed him easily and crossed for Alexis Sanchez to equalize.

Hugo Lloris has been the most error-prone player in the Premier League this season. However, his deputy Michel Vorm has played in Spurs’ FA Cup matches, and he was “credited” with an error for Ander Herrera’s winner. That seems harsh, but the shot was close to him and from distance, so perhaps he could’ve done better.

After that, Jose Mourinho’s team did exactly what he loves to see: They closed the game down. United only had 36 percent possession, but have also recently beaten Manchester City with 35 percent and Liverpool with 32. Who needs the ball when you can dominate the key moments?

Tottenham had six shots over the closing half hour of the match, but only one was in the box, and only one (from around 30 yards out) was on target. None of them were by Harry Kane, and the England international didn’t have a good match.

His two shots were from outside the penalty area, and easily blocked. Kane had as many touches in the Tottenham box as the United one. Not what Spurs would’ve wanted.

It seems reasonable to ask if Kane returned from his last injury too soon. Tottenham’s talisman has averaged 5.6 shots per 90 minutes in the league this season, but only 2.2 in his last five appearances. Three of those five were against top six rivals, but he had eight shots against United at Wembley in January.

Perhaps his rabid quest for the Golden Boot will end up costing him more than some grief on Twitter. Regardless of that, it’s United who reached the final.

Next: Wenger (finally) out

Chelsea were comfortable winners against the Saints

The second semifinal looked far easier to predict in advance of the match. Southampton are in the relegation zone, and threw away a two goal lead to lose to Chelsea one week ago. The result went as expected, but there was certainly something unexpected about the opening goal.

Olivier Giroud is a target man, a focal point, a battering ram center-forward. He’s not renowned for being fleet of foot, or for taking opponents out of the game with sleek dribbling.

Yet he opened the scoring on Sunday after dancing past most of the Southampton defense. He completed three take-ons in a matter of seconds, a tally most players would be happy with in a whole match.

For context, Giroud normally completes one take-on every five matches in the Premier League. The Frenchman certainly loves the FA Cup, and his goal put Chelsea on the road to their sixth final at the new Wembley.

The other remarkable statistical performance was registered by Alvaro Morata, the game’s other goalscorer. Very few teams average three clear-cut chances per match, yet the Spaniard had that many despite only playing the last 10 minutes.

Remember how Chelsea are one of the Premier League’s top teams for converting crosses into goals? The joint-top combination of assist provider and scorer in the top flight this season is Cesar Azpilicueta and Morata, and they combined again for the Blues’ second goal.

Charlie Austin was always going to be Southampton’s main goal threat, and he hit the woodwork shortly after Morata’s goal. But the result never looked in doubt once Giroud had enjoyed the most twinkle-toed moment of his career.

The final will see Antonio Conte, in what will surely be his last match in charge of Chelsea, take on Mourinho’s Manchester United. Sit back, and watch the sparks fly.