Morning all.

Just one silly transfer story this morning.

Arsenal ready to splash Β£40 million on Benfica forward Goncalo Guedes (O Jogo)

He’s 18 years old! Arsene doesn’t sign kids for Β£40 million!

No jetting around the world for the players this summers pre-season. Arsene clearly wants to look after the players and give them chance to prepare well for the next campaign. Arsenal willΒ now play just two Barclays Asia Trophy games in Singapore in July outside of Europe – having also considered visiting India and Malaysia – before returning for the Emirates Cup.

If weΒ are not in the Community Shield, the boys will play a friendly in Europe on the weekend before the start of the season.

ArseneΒ Wenger said:

No, we won’t do it. A post-season tour is a nightmare.

In pre-season you have the players under pressure with the focus of starting the season well.

A post-season tour? I always feel people come along to watch, but the players are half on their holidays. From a purely football point of view, there is not much meaning – let’s be honest.

Good.

Burnley today, a side who are doing well at home of late. They haveΒ lost just one of their last four home games, including a victory over Manchester City and a draw with the Toots. I’m sure they held Chelsea to a draw at Stamford Bridge not long ago too. It’ll be a tough one, a physical one and the manager knows it.

You have to be at their level of physical performance, because they will be there.

Burnley is a tough test for everybody.Β You shouldn’t look at the table because they started slowly but recently they have played very well against all the big teams in the league.

We started slowly too and like Burnley, it cost us dear but we are in a good place right now and as long as the boys roll up their sleeves and put a shift in, we should be ok..

This will shock you:

There is more to Arsenal’s good run than just momentum and confidence – the likes of Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal and Francis Coquelin have emerged to play a key role, the whole team has improved and they have injured players coming back all the time too.

That’s from Mark Lawrenson – who’d have thought eh….

But he’s said nothing that Arsenal fans haven’t been saying – well most and today, not only the three above mentioned players need to continue their good form, they all do.

Barring Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, we have a full squad. Even Abou Diaby is back fit, healthy and ready to play. Just who Arsene Wenger will playΒ remains to be seen but I doubt he’ll make too many changes..

Mike Dean is in charge of the whistle!

Burnley:

  • They have only won once in 10 league games (W1, D3, L6) and scored one goal in the last five.
  • However, the Clarets have earned four points from their last two home games and kept clean sheets in both of them.
  • Half of Burnley’s 26 points have come against clubs currently in the top 10. Crystal Palace and West Brom are the only sides in the bottom half to have a better record.

That last point is one to be aware of, they clearly don’t stutter whenΒ playing top ten sides, they rise to the occasion so Arsenal can’t afford to be complacent. Burnley are fighting for PL survival and that often brings out the fighting spirit. A bit like us chasing the top four spot as the season comes to a close.

But this time, it’s slightly different, we aren’t chasing a pack above us, we are chasing just one club and if by chance they slip up, we have to be there, ready to pounce and take advantage and of course, we can’t let any of the teams below us, get a sniff of second spot.

We are on a good run, we are playing good, solidΒ football and the confidence should be high.

Burnley will be a tough nut to crack but Arsene Wenger and the players need to make sure they do….

Three points needed today and I personally don’t care how they arrive…..

COYRRG’S!!