Morning all.
Arsenal gave their faltering Premiership campaign a much-needed shot in the arm by beating Tottenham in the North London derby, but the real test will come at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon. It is all well and good for the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez to turn it on in a big game while the Sky Sports cameras are rolling. But can they match that intensity on a grim winter’s day in the north of England? That familiar refrain has become something of a cliché in recent times, but with Arsenal it is grounded in a large body of evidence. In many recent seasons Arsenal fans have seen their team’s title challenge fall apart as they are outfought by hungrier opponents in the northwest of England, and the only way to show progress is to reverse that trend.
Burnley are in superb form and Sean Dyche has once again turned Turf Moor into a fortress. They are seventh in the table, level on points with Arsenal, and they have the sixth best home record in the league. Meanwhile, the Gunners have recorded just four points on the road all season: six played, one win, four draws and a defeat. Some might argue that a point from Sunday’s game would be a good result considering how high Burnley are flying. That is precisely the mentality we need to stamp out.
Drawing with Burnley should never be considered a positive result for Arsenal. It should always be viewed as two points dropped, and the side should show enough flair and ambition to ensure it does not happen. Burnley are well-drilled, organised, difficult to break down and playing with a great deal of confidence at present. But they cannot hold a torch to Arsenal when it comes to financial firepower, star quality and raw talent. Put together a combined 11 of the two sides and you would not see many Burnley players making an appearance. On paper Arsenal are by far the better side and they should win it comfortably.
However, Burnley have many qualities Arsenal supposedly lack: cohesiveness, battling spirit and a willingness to bleed for the cause. However, Arsenal showed all those long-hidden qualities against Spurs and blended them with the usual flair, dynamism, incision and grace. They now need to keep it up against Dyche’s men on Sunday. A Bookmaker review will find the best odds on the market and show you that the Gunners are 66/1 to win the title this season, while Man City are odds-on favourites and look like they cannot be caught. Winning the title is now a pipe dream for Arsenal, but breaking back into the top four is a realistic goal.
Check the odds and you will note that Arsenal are sixth favourites to finish in the top four, which does not make good reading. But their rivals all have weaknesses. Tottenham’s were laid bare on Saturday as their over-reliance on Harry Kane forced him to play when not fully fit, while the lack of depth in their squad was apparent when Eric Dier had to drop back to centre-back to cover for the injured Toby Alderweireld, leaving them without a holding midfield to bully Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey. Liverpool showed their weaknesses in midweek by squandering a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Sevilla. They are fantastic going forwards but horrendous at the back. Arsenal can realistically hope to finish above both of them, and also give Chelsea and Man Utd a run for their money, but to do so they need to beat teams like Burnley away from home.
Every game is the lull before the storm at the moment. Predicting this lot is impossible
Morning Rico and the House.
Its a bit chilly down south today but good for playing football.
But its not if you are a Spud.
Its H/T in the u18 game and we are winning 4-0
Certainly is Potter..
Morning Rick, 4-0, great stuff, let’s hope we get many more..
Messi has signed a new contract with Barca. Darn, I thought Wenger was going to get him next summer… ?
66/1……. Got to be worth a fiver.
Unfortunately this game has a draw written all over it, Burnley are a good side.
4-0 Rick, that’s not happened for awhile, they’ve had some good youth teams, so a couple more in the 2nd 45.
Test match in the balance Rico, England need to bat all day tomorrow, not sure that they can, Root needs to do a Steve Smith. Woakes owes us some runs.
I reckon a batting collapse looms Kev.
Stoneman is doing ok Rico, he’s seems to be finally feeling his feet in test cricket.
Not sure about Vince?
Just seen that we’ve gone 5-0 vs Spud U18’s
Just wish Stokes was in there Kev ..
What’s the situation with him Rico?
6-0 now…
He was due a decision this last week Kev on whether he’d be charged or not..
And it’s over 6 nil . nice score.
Ben Stokes apparently is still unable to play because of his fracas investigation . The police dragging their feet after the street brawl.
Rico, of all the teams I have watched this season, I have been most impressed with Burnley; not the least of it is all the qualities you mentioned in your post.
If we go there looking for a draw we will lose like 1-0 or 2-0. For almost entire half they held City until they got a penalty. City couldn’t score again until, I think, the 80th minute. City’s attack is better than Arsenal and our defense is porous. However if we attack aggressively we can win
2 -1 but, imho, is not going to be easy.
6-0 against who?
Dorturm hammer Schalke in 25 minutes 40…
WBA 1 up versus Totts .. 🙂
4-0
JM Arsenal under 18’s beast Spurs 6 nil.
Obi, agree there, if we turn up expecting to win then we’ll be beaten. Our boys will have to work for everything tomorrow
Tottenham draw , 2 points dropped.
Good
Evening all on what`s turning out to be a fine day !……………………..fine post, fine 6-0 drubbing of Tiny Tott Brats…..
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/934406438667071494
fine Baggies performance tanf fine two points dropped by the Deluded Deranged Bastards !………………………If Chavs and Bindippers draw tonight then I fully expect us to be 4th tomorrow and by a record EPL away score when the Holy Trinity pop down from heaven for a breather !.
It may be cold up north but I Arsenal have been acclimatising by shopping in Iceland…………….I`m confident that our resident Venomous Wenger Vipers will be quiet tomorrow as we destroy flat capped pigeon racing black sausage Hovis eating our kid northern bastards !..hahahaha
Good to the Ox has nailed down his centre midfield role
I take it you’re jesting Potter?
Night guys..
Stokes will be refused a visa. NZ crime figures have been moved on from Oz recently so Stokes will be told to ‘jog on’. We’ve stopped taking other country’s convicts nowadays?
As for The Arse. Don’t do it to yourselves, no substantial positive change can occur until Arsene the Survivor goes & for that matter, Stan sells up. Stan won’t invest any of his hard inherited Walmart dosh into The Arsenal until he owns the whole Club & all profits are his.
Every decision made by Stan appears to be for the benefit of him, not The Club. While other shareholders are in a position to reap from his possible fiscal outlay, he won’t invest till he owns the lot
Morning all.
The cricket is making rather enjoyable viewing 🙂
Spuds messed up-we must make the most of it.
Morning all…………………………….I`ll take a cricket hammering as long as we beat Burnley…..priorities people !
🙂
Last time Burnley beat us was in 1975 when the average age of an Arsenal supporter was…….19…………..I was 19…..na na na nineteen !.
More chance of Wenger and Kroenke resigning tonight than Burnley beating us, although unbelievably, they will go 4th if they somehow beat us !……………….I expect them to put in a shift to try and get the ball off of us as we will undoubtably have at least 65/70% possession !……………………..I shant even hide behind the sofa ! hahaha
Nice to see Kieran Gibbs pick up a yellow yesterday for hacking down Deli Alli ! hehehe
Hi LC,
I’d swap a test win for a win today, no dramas.
Well, as long as the cricket result was a draw-can’t have you lot winning 🙂
Go Gibbsy!!!!!
Morning all.
New post up now.