Arsenal travel to the Turf Moor Stadium this weekend to play Burnley at 4-30pm tomorrow and you can get the best gambling odds which show where most bookmakers will be placing their money based on the current form of both sides.
Arsenal will be without a few players as the like of Francis Coquelin, Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Per Mertesacker and now Akpom are all injured. Ramsey should be back after the next international break which follows tomorrow’s game. However, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger finally has a strong squad to cover and it’s hoped that the North London club will return to the Emirates Stadium with three points in the bag.
Over the recent week, Arsenal have been in good form. A brilliant display at the Emirates Stadium against Chelsea last weekend which ended with a 3-0 victory was followed by a 2-0 thumping of Basel in midweek.
Arsenal have dropped down a place in the PL table to fourth after Everton picked up a point at home last night but another three points tomorrow would see us go higher in the table if other clubs around us drop points over the next couple of days.
Nigeria ace Alex Iwobi, is flying this season and has shown glimpses of having the potential to become a top class player, as his football and work rate has drawn high praise from both the fans and the media.
Burnley sit 13th in the Premier League table which at this stage of the season, means little really and after their 2-0 victory over Watford on Monday night, they’ll be confident of getting something from the game.
Arsenal are on a good run and are playing some very good football but perhaps tomorrow we’ll be up against a side which will concentrate more on defending than attacking.
Defence:
Wenger now has Gabriel back but there’s little chance of the Brazilian defender ousting one of Koscielny or Mustafi, who are perhaps our best central pairing for many a year. Both Gabriel and Holding are good players to have in reserve though and no doubt they’ll be watching and learning a lot from the two defenders they hope to push all the way for a place in the starting line up. I doubt we’ll see either until Reading turn up at The Emirates later this month.
Midfield:
As said, with Coquelin injured, either Granit Xhaka or Mohammed Elneny could partner Cazorla. Maybe the Spaniard will get a rest and we see both recent new signings alongside each other. Interestingly, Santi has been quoted as saying he wants a new Arsenal contract but hasn’t been offered one as yet. Apparently he’s out of contract at the end of the season and with his little legs not getting any younger, perhaps he’ll be allowed to leave. Hopefully not, as he’s a great player, and seems a really good guy. Certainly one who still has a lot to give the club.
Attack:
Arsenal completed the signing of Lucas Perez in the in the summer but he’s only started two matches so far this season yet already, he’s nabbed two goals. Whether Arsene Wenger starts him tomorrow or continues with Alexis Sanchez remains to be seen but it must be hard for the Frenchman to consider changing a winning formula.
Have a good day guys, it’s raining cats and dogs here in Berkshire but at least it’s sunny in Minnesota!
Go Europe!!
http://arseblog.com/2016/10/arsene-wenger-20/
Sums it up for me….
Good post Rico, I reckon a 2 year contract for Santiago with maybe an extra year depending on performances…
We don’t have anyone else in the squad who fulfills the job/jobs he can cover…
I wouldn’t want to see Arsene repeat the mistake he made with Bobby Pires…
Me neither Kev, and we need to keep a few of the older heads in the squad…
Good post there on Arseblog….
Morning guys.
Santi is vital to us, and losing him cost us the title last season, imo.
Well, because we had nobody to cover him, it did 🙂
We are on a roll and that must continue by dominating Burnley.
Him and Coquelin Scott, both at the same time was awful….
True, Rico.
Morning Fellas:
This AW as England next manager would not go away. Two feature stories on BBC today.
Am just saying, could it be that the favorable decisions were are getting is to persuade AW?
Can’t see AW taking the England job, he’ll be staying put for another two years at least imo, so having said he’d consider England if he was out of a job, he won’t be… 😉
Obi, nothing would surprise me, so I hope he drags them along lol
How do you think he’d go managing England, if it did happen?
Poch says he’d take the job too. Hope he does and the Totts fade away, back to where they belong…
Good manager, that one, Rico.
Too good for that mob.
Scott, I have always believed that AW will be a better National team manager than Club. Give him any of the top national teams and he wins big. Most of AW distractions to me is because he has taken on too much at Arsenal rather than just concentrating on managing. The correlation between his titles/ lack of and gaining power at Arsenal is no accident.
I think England might be more entertaining under Wenger, just.. 😉
He is Scott…
And seriously AW even at his worst is better than anyone they had had in the last 15 years.
It’s a good call, Obi.
Rico, how long ago was it Arsene stated something about helping to build an England national team???
According to Martin keown Wenger should be given another 10 years at Arsenal. AW will be 67 this mont so that makes him about 77 when he gets the job.I think he would do wellas he would only needto turn up about 12 times a year and have nothing to do with buying or selling players,agents, contracts and by then the job will most probably pay what he is earning now.A nice extra pension fund.
The thing I have always found to be peculiar is that whenever you look at National Teams of the 22 or so players they may be playing in about 1o different leagues around the world. Not so with England, all are from EPL. Imho that really hurts England.
Scott you know Wenger is pants. ?
Burnley remind me of Leicester 2 seasons ago…
Obi what do you think of clasie of Southampton?
Aw should get him in to compliment Santi imo…
Is our game on TV i can’t find it anywhere.
I had the misfortune to go to Burnley once.They look at you in a very strange way , jump up and down with their elongated arm and hands allover the place,quite eerie.Famous part of the country for witches.
It’s a sunny day here.
What’s happen to Akpon?
Giroud still injury? he already shaved?
Ts I like him a lot I was surprised when Southhampton signed him, I thought he would’ve been signed by a by Liverpool or Everton.
Kelsey- I didn’t know that about Burnley…
As bad as Swansea is, they are making overated Liverpool look very average. Llalana off with injury. Swan 1 – Lpool 0
Obi-If he was an inch taller he would be playing for a top 4 team imho…
Ts he’s about 5’7″ though, right? Ts right JW or JC who would you take?
I meant right now, not right
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Pleased to see the back of Sept it has been a shocker (for me)
Goals by Pileas Willock(2) and Coyle have given the U18.s a 4-2 away win against the Spuds. They were not very happy with 2 goals in the last 5 mins.
More later.
Speaking with a retrospective eye I would say that Wenger has been remarkable over his tenure. Even when Ferguson had the refs in his pocket he did great. Yes, he has been frustrating over the past few years and we may never know why. But he has never compromised his principles and always calls for humility from his players. Nobody else does that. He remains a gentleman, despite all the silliness that is constantly written and spoken about him by the usual idiots. I congratulate him.
The idea of him managing England seems daft to me.
Rick. I hope things look up for you from now on mate.
Rick pleased to hear you have pulled through
No panic, we are on Sky Sports tomorrow.Will be the Away kit again.We hardly ever wear our Home kit these days.
Tsgh, plenty of inbreds there,I kid you not.
Ts, Jack Wilshire or Jody Clasie who would you take rigjt now?
Definitely clasie
Lol Kelsey.
I thought Stoke took the prize for inbreds…
I thought clasie was shorter…
Blind and Jody are my fave players Dutch players now.
Blind as a def mid in eredivisie was a joy to watch…
Blind is wasting his talents at MU he needs a move. I would take Clasie too.
Ditto your above post Adam.
Obi I agree.Jose is the final nail….
What a miss?Swansea should have equalised!
Watching Wat vs Bou, 20 + minutes and Wilshire has touched the ball only 3x. I think they are freezing him out. When we beat Watford some Arsenal fan weren’t impressed here, I have watched them 2x since and now today, its amazing how physical they are – not Stokes break your legs type but within the game. But we easily handled them. The combination of physicality and finess on this Arsenal team is really underestimated. Even Theo and Ozil looks like they have on an extra 5 pounds of muscles. Unlike previous years they are not gonna be bullied.
Jw struggled today. Obi
I’m hearing that Francis Coquelin is in the squad for Burnley….
Also see that Danny Welbecks return from injury has been brought forward a month from February to January…
Seriously Kev? That’s a darn quick recovery….
Afternoon guys.
It’s all getting tight between the top 7.Chelsea aren’t playingwel but are now getting closer,They always manage to get a Drogba mark 2 in de Costa.
Adam, your earlier comment is spot on. He still annoys me though.. Lol
Thanks Rico.
Inbreds in Burnley !!!……………………………………living in Cornwall I cant really give an opinion on that plus I haven`t the time as I have to go and get my brother a birthday card with ” you`re the best Dad in the world ” on it !.
Lots of praise for Arsene and a good few weeks of possitive results and some great football, but we all know we are a shit result away from meltdown !…………………….Burnley need to be given the same respect as Chavs and get at them from the off !
I expect another 1st half slaughter and 2nd half defending a 7-0 lead !……….could be stressfull second 45 mins !.
7-0 LC, chance would be a fine thing. Burnley are quite organised at the back aren’t they, and they did beat the Dippers…. Lol
I still think we have the momentum at the moment to beat anyone.Pity we have another international break coming up.
Always remember Bedtner missing about 4 goals when we played them at Turf Moor.in 2008 and lost 2-0
Obi 12.36.
It’s because the salaries in the prem are far and away above those abroad . Our players won’t go and it’s why we are inundated with average imports .
Tomorrow will be a good test Kelsey. Two really good wins at home and now we play away… See how we deal with a brick wall in defence…
Night guys, catch up tomorrow…
Go Europe…….!
Potter @7:03, that’s true with the wages, by even the kids don’t want to go on loans in other leagues when it won’t affect their wages.
Btw when Welbeck comes back, rotation will be scarily say what you want about the kid, one thing for sure is he works his butt off.
Kelsey 7.00, who can forget 2008, Bendtners best season for us, 50 games,15 goals and 13 assists, he’s never been replaced since the day Arsene sold him, an abomination if you ask me.
7-0 would be nice, but tbh, I’d take a 1-0 win for the Gunners at Burnley…
Seems that Coquelin won’t be ready for Burnley, but he’ll be fine after the Interlull.
Both a Giroud and Ramsey should be back in a couple of weeks…
BFG and Welbeck are due back in January, the 2nd Jan I understand.
Still don’t know the extent of Akpom injury…
Buongiorno Lovelies and Hunkies
I would gladly take 7-0….. but I would prefer the next 7 games we win them all 1-0. would still have scored 7, conceded 0 and get 21 points to boot.
I am very concerned about Ollie’s toe or is there a plot brewing 😉
Morning all.
A win, clean sheet and a strong performance would do me… 🙂
It’ll be interesting to see if he goes away with France Kelsey.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/01/arsenal-shkodran-mustafi-burnley-arsene-wenger
Morning All
Morning Rico
I wonder if, baring in mind Burnleys propensity to fire high crosses into the box, if picking Gibbs instead of Monreal might be an idea..?
Morning Kev.
Don’t let the wingers get the ball, that’ll stop them crossing….. 🙂
Corners and free-kicks as well, have to keep them to a minimum Rico.
New post up now..
We’ll be too busy attacking their goal Kev.. 😉