Midfield AND Defense!!
The longest curls belong to Matteo Guendouzi and he will anchor the midfield–alongside Granit Xhaka, although the latter may slip back to become a bit of a left center back alongside the shorter curls of David Luiz. To the horror of some Gooners, Shkodran Mustafi looks set to complete that central pairing (grouping?), despite having been stretchered off in the FA Cup match this past Monday at Bournemouth. Mesut Ozil comes in but Nicolas Pepe drops to the bench. Here are the line-ups:
Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, David Luiz, Saka; Guendouzi, Xhaka, Özil; Martinelli, Lacazette, Aubameyang. Subs: Martinez, Sokratis, Ceballos, Torreira, Pepe, Willock, Nketiah.
Burnley: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Hendrick, Westwood, Cork, McNeil; Wood, Rodriguez. Subs: Hart, Brady, Pieters, Lennon, Bardsley, Vydra, Long.
Both teams sit on 30 points and games up in the northeast are never easy. Are Arsenal ready to get back to winning ways? They haven’t won a game on the road (in the league) since the opener at Newcastle (!!) The following week, in the reverse fixture of today’s game, the team also notched a 2-nil victory.
Much has changed, most notably the manager, and, under Mikel Arteta, it feels like there is buy-in and progress, even if the results haven’t yet started flowing our way. I expect a tough match, but I’m hopeful. How do other Gooners feel?
I need a 2nd espresso, but I’ll be back to try and describe the action. Please help me out.
Go on then…
by 17highburyterrace
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Bergkampesque 
Go Gunners!
jw1
Good morning (here in the States) to you J-Dub…
Is the coyote supposed to be Mustafi?… 😀
Laca misses a bunny. Darn it.
We have kick-off… and we send it long into their half, before retreating and then working it in…then back to Leno before some passing it around, but eventually out of the back and forward…
Ooooh… Auba finds an open Lacazette from the left. His header flashes wide of the left post. A couple of feet more central and it would be 1-nil..
On both front feet so far.
Saka takes a kneecap to his kneecap.
Burnley have it down our end but we clear their cross and are off, Martinelli leading the charge… Auba sends in another cross but it’s behind for a corner…
Played short then around before Guendouzi sends in a diagonal…cleared for a throw which is returned to Saka who dances nicely before going down hard in winning a FK near the left corner. Strong start for the Arsenal…
Ozil takes it but there’s only some head tennis before Burnley get the whistle for a shove in the back…
Saka just missing Marti on a cross– should have had a chance from it.
Guendo and Laca win some balls in midfield and we eventually send in another good looking diagonal from the left. Again, however, it eludes the heads of our attackers and Burnley are OK… Still, very promising stuff early on…
I will take on board your advice GN5, take care…
Some possession taken then given back centrally and Burnley are able to get in our box. We clear without too much trouble and move it their way, Martinelli rebuffed inside their box. It’s a bit end to end, but Arsenal look the more dangerous team in the first 10 minutes…
Xhaka, indeed playing as a right center back, telegraphs a pass but Burnley are fairly harmless after advancing it towards our end…
Hit my forehead literally after that pass and now have a slight headache…
Hoping we have a lot of chances today. Looks we’ll need some.
Some decent play in several areas of the pitch…with Gunners like Bellerin and Lacazette and Guendouzi nipping balls ahead of defenders…
And then David Luiz sends one over the top to PEA who is one v one with the keeper but falls down and the ball goes out harmlessly. That looked like a real chance…
Leno in trouble, our box, but the Burnley forward, Wood, is off-side…
With Burney playing so narrowly Saka wlll get crosses. Would like to see him target Ozil near top of box– as Burnley’s aim is to smother the front 3.
Burnley are allowing us some possession but doing enough at the back. We’re making some good forays but no real chances since the very early balls into the box…
Wood takes down a long ball and lays it off for Rodriguez who tries a blast from 22 yards. Leno is up to it and turns it around his post for a Burnley corner…
They’ll have another as Leno touches the curled corner onto the top of his net…
The 2nd corner is also close to the bar but Leno does enough. Burnley come again but this time the ball in is just over the end line…
Now Arsenal have broken some Burnley pressing and moved the ball quickly down their end. Lacazette looked primed to score but they get an essential foot in and we only get a corner from the move…
Arsenal are peppering shots everywhere but on frame.
With boots-on– could be 3-nil.
It’s cleared back to Ozil then eventually to Guendo at the top of the box, he blasts a shot but it’s deflected out for another corner. That one gets headed over by Mustafi… A good spell but nothing netted from it…
Burnley have some possession after Guendo is dispossessed… No danger and we’re OK…
Uh oh, Saka is down and needing a sub it appears…
Saka pops the ball out of play.
Intentionally due to injury he incurred almost at the start of the match.
Odd thing is- physios were supposedly looking at his noggin.
Playing with 10 for a bit…but Saka seems like he’ll try to continue, Burnley moving it our way during this spell, mostly down our right side.
Leno finally grabs a harmless lofted cross but can’t start a quick counter…
Instead, we try and play it out of the back, Burnley looking untroubled by our efforts…
Another long effort from Burnley, McNeil this time…sails over the corner of Leno’s goal…
Again, we slowly work it forward but Burnley stop our progress without much trouble. The possession stat will look good but it’s becoming more and more in our own half…
Martinelli gets a ball popped off his body but it falls into a spot where we’re offside…
This is starting to look like Emeryball. *cringe*
Now it’s Burnley’s turn (to be flagged for offside)…
Guendo does some spinning in the DM spot and eventually we control it and move into their half…PEA eventually dispossessed as he falls into the corner of their box…
Burnley come again with it…
The attackers aren’t tracking back to defend.
Burnley are getting most every contestable ball.
Agreed, J-Dub… We seem quite focused on our play out of the back and it gets us–after some time off the clock–into their territory for brief flashes… Burnley look increasingly comfortable both defending and pushing it our way, however…
All too slow if we hope to make something happen on the counter, I think…
OK, there’s a classic over the top to PEA…from Xhaka this time. The first touch is good but the Burnley keeper’s work is even better…
Oooh…That’s a let off as Burnley have some numbers across the top of our box. The shot however is up and wide of Leno’s right top corner…
McNeil tries again from distance and it’s deflected out. They’ll have a corner but first Xhaka has to decide if he’s injured or not…
Giving the ball away when trying a pass where two might avoid the defender.
If we continue to move up Saka’s side– Burnley is almost allowing it.
Yet, we try to force play through the right and middle.
They curl it close and Burnley will have another one…
Again it’s into a crowded box but eventually cleared by Bellerin before coming back in. This time it’s a Burnley player who puts it behind our goal giving Leno a chance to try some route one…
Close for Burnley on a FK following a foul by Ozil
Burnley are finishing the half looking (by far) the more likely team to score with Arsenal unable to get more than a touch or two strung together…
Now they have a FK from out on our right and it flashes just wide of Leno’s left post.
I fear we need the whistle and a chance to regroup if not a change or two in personnel…
Ozil whistled again for a high foot and eventually gets a yellow for complaining to the ref. Burnley will send in another…
Ozil booked for petulance.
Lord. Please get us to half even.
Eventually it’s headed goalwards but softly and Leno secures it…
We need that whistle…
Finally we have it in their half and Guendo flies one wide for Martinelli. He controls but we get no further, eventually giving it back on a(nother) whistle. Finally, the ref blows a few times and we have the break…
Not much to write home about except for the balls over the top to (always onside, at least) PEA but no real chances made. Other end, Burnley have found a way to stop our play through the middle and have created a lot of pressure on our goal, mostly through corners and FKs however, in addition to a few blasts from distance.
Overall, it looks like two mid-table teams hoping for something to happen more than being able to make something themselves…
Pissed. This is as if Emery never left.
Directionless. Playing it out of the back. Giving the ball away in our half.
Guendouzi running around with the ball. Give us Torriera. The front line need to defend.
Whole team needs a hot poker touched to their arses.
Thanks for live blog, 17HT. 🙂
Nice comments between the two of you, JW and HT.
A half of two halves: good start but we did not take our chances and then we sat back and back and did not get to our game again. Midfield balance not right and attackers too rusty. Hope Super Saka is okay.
well …
boredom on the menu so far
our intentions are good, but we lack power, pace, creativity
three golden opportunities, though, one for laca at the very start, then 2 for auba
laca’s header was the easiest one to put away, imo, but the poor lad seems lost, i feel like watching the ghost of his own self … just can’t get through my thick head what’s wrong with him, he’s so talented
feel very sorry for him, because he’s been abused lately, and now that the self-fulfilling prophecy of his abusers is coming true, i fear he might get the full mustafi treatment, from that particular brand of “arsenal fans”
i have a bitter taste in my mouth; burnley are boringly predictable (rodriguez/mcneil are very good players,though), and this game smells like a 1-0 home-side victory, out of a last-minute set piece
hope i’m wrong, of course
come on lads, wake up, wake us up
Agreed with the half-time assessments as I get myself a final espresso and toast up a bagel…
With Guendo’s extra touches (and some nice curled passes, to be fair…) Ozil is left very isolated and I think his petulant yellow card is as much due to frustrations with his teammates (and the system–the old one leftover from Emery’s time–that we seem to be playing)…
Here’s hoping for significant adjustments in the 2nd half. If we don’t see something better, I fear Arteta will be skewered for both the football and some of the player selections that have caused it…
LT11 having a deep discussion with Arteta as the team comes out of the dressing room…
And, indeed, he’s in (for Saka)… So, some sort of change of formation coming, I think…
Burnley kick it off and string together a bunch of possession, probably assessing our new formation. It looks like Xhaka will slip towards LB with LT11 and Guendo the next line of defense…
This seems like a balanced game indeed between equal forces.
But while Burnley plays way above their abilities, we play worse than we usually do.
Luiz and Xhaka plays better than the team average, Bellerin is unfortunately often a liability, and Auba is wasteful when chances are given. Martinelli had a better partnership with Saka, than today with Bellerin. Ozil and Laca rarely see the ball. I’m hoping for a Torreira substitution, but maybe Pepe and Ceballos could also provide fresh blood in the attack.
Oh my, Curly folks faltering as we try to play it out from the back. We do enough to avoid embarrassment but nothing in their half in the first four minutes of the half…
Make that the first 6 minutes of the half… All Burnley as we are defending rather desperately, as if the instructions aren’t being understood. Or worse, maybe they just aren’t very good ones…
Leno goes Route One and it feels like about the only relief we will have… Burnley coming again but Bellerin stops an attack and we actually have some touches in their half. PEA crossing into the box, however, doesn’t seem a good idea and ends our little spell…
It seems only a matter of time until Burnley bundle (or head home) a goal…
That said, we could always make something against the run of play. Guendo carries it into their half and Martinelli, eventurally is able to untangle his feet and try a shot. It gets blocked up at the point and into safe hands…
Ozil rounded on the left so Xhaka goes agricultural and gets a yellow… Another Burnley FK looks goal bound but they can’t quite get a stooping header by Tarkowski on target…
It’s all very kinetic with both teams hoping to strike quickly when they are gifted some possession…
Burnley have the better of a few back and forths with Torreira forced into a foul (and a yellow card) giving them another FK…
Eating some breakfast myself. Not so sure food is such a good idea watching this.
Again Burnley don’t score from it and Leno boots the goal kick into their half. We actually bring it down and Martinelli gets in their box before losing it. It heads our way with Burnley actually organizing some lines of attack, almost the way I recall Arsenal teams doing in the past. Another cross but the Burnley player heads wide to spare us…
What the hell?!
Have we made a conscious decision not to chase the ball– not to close on it?
From another dangerous Burnley move Arsenal are able to break…PEA leading it but his pass to Martinelli is pushed behind and we only have a corner…
Foosball defending.
Taken short then cleared into touch before we go back to Leno. Bellerin and LT try and push it into their half down our right but it’s all very chancy…
Ozil yanked for Willock after 62 minutes… That’s our 2nd sub…
As in the 2nd half at Bournemouth, Arsenal just don’t seem to have the quickness in our passing to beat any sort of defensive pressure. This leads to Burnley on the ball but we’ve been blessed that they’ve conspired to not put it into our net (yet)…
So, we cling to the nil-nil and hope for something magical down their end, it appears…
LT tries a blast from 30 yards… Easy for the keeper and an ugly show of our lack of ideas…
Then Willock does same with options to either side.
68 minutes played and Mustafi sends a nice pass into their half. It only results in some possession but that seems a nice break in the pattern.
Martinelli tries running at the defense but nothing happening there…
Arsenal’s play have managed to make marginally-talented Burnley– believe they do, in fact, possess talent.
Indeed, the trust in teammates (that passing might be better than dribbling or shooting) seems gone. At least we’ve seen a bit more of the ball in recent minutes and Burnley have to put a Xhaka to Laca pass behind for a corner…
It’s cleared but sent back in by Willock…and we get another corner when Guendo shoot wildly but it’s deflected out…
From that next corner we have an injured player, David Luiz. Replays show he was hit by the Burnley keeper’s elbow (then his buttocks). Luckily the curls softened the blow(s)…
75 played now and we have it in their half for a bit… It’s all static until Bellerin tries for another chocolate footed shot… This time, however, with the heat on, it melts… high and wide for a Burnley goalkick…
Bells with a chance to replicate his left-footed wonder against Chelsea– offers chocolate.
Ooooh… from the goal kick we move it wide, Laca crossing for PEA. His header is just wide. That looked promising!!
Auba heading just wide on a shot cross in from Laca.
We’ve had so many half-chances…
We are sniffing at it, at least a bit…and limiting their pushes our way… So that seems better, I would have to say…
Still, we can’t bring down a Leno goal kick and Burnley come at us. AND they appear to score but it’s off the underside of the bar when Rodriguez really should have buried it…
Big let off!!!
OK. That’s as close to a goal that Burley’s Jay Rodriguez will ever take.
From short range– slammed the ball into the bar and billiarded off the line and out.
Stringing passes together seems a burden, Guendo playing into touch…
The goal line technology shows the ball half in, half on the line…
Burnley look re-inspired by the chance however and we’re fortunate they play it too forcefully and over our end line…
Can we still win this?!
Trying to play out of the back, PEA is fouled and the Burnley guy gets a yellow.
82 minutes have been played…
We are able to make a few passes, but Laca’s, back to goal is to no one… Still we have it and push it deeper into their box this time, Laca trying to turn and shoot but it’s popped up and into safe hands…
Thought Laca had pulled a rabbit from the hat– but no, a deflection pops into Popes hands.
Down our end, Burnley almost fashion another chance with a pulled back cross, McNeil not quite able to send it goalwards…
86th minute now, and we try to push it into their half but it’s all very difficult…
Need something special at this point.
Eddie’s warmups coming off.
Bellerin, using his better foot, puts a flat cross just over PEA. Burnley turn it out and we have a corner…
There’s a whistle in the box at the set piece and Burnley will have a GK…
Eddy getting ready…
Some more possession for the Arsenal as the clock ticks into the 89th minute…
Eddy in for Lacazette… He worked hard (again) but will rue that early chance and draws the bagel (again)…
Burnley look dangerous with soooo much time on the ball. Their latest cross is foot cleared by Mustafi…
Into extra time we go, Burnley pressing now… Only 3 mins…
Guendo pushed down as we try to break…
1 of the 3 played…PEA and Bells conspire on the right but the latter’s cross is easily stopped and Burnley comes our way…
The nil-nil is almost complete…
Final minute and we’re on the ball…but Martinelli decides to go alone and shoots weakly into the keeper’s arms from the corner of the box…
0-0
What you get when you acquiesce to playing football with Neanderthals.
Final whistle and it finishes nil-nil…
I’m wondering about TA trying to find 8 positives from this one…a Herculian task if ever there was one…
Four straight draws, they’re saying as they go to the studio guys…
I’m with 17HT on this one.
In fact, despite some headed balls we might’ve buried, BY FAR the best chance was Burnley’s and we are amazingly fortunate to come away with a point.
Off to Dubai, where–maybe, somehow–Arteta can get the boys trusting each other to play it quickly to spots where their teammates might be.
I agree with J-Dub that we look happy to revert to one-man football and shots and crosses which are low percentage by their very nature. That’s the football that teams like Burnley play, so, in the end, this match makes us appear like a rich man’s Burnley…
And that team are headed to the pub (not the desert)… 😦
Shots: ARS 13/2 – BUR 15/2.
A third-to-half of Arsenal’s shots might have scored had they just been on-frame.
The team’s 13th draw. Just 6 Ws at the latest stage of a PL season. Only 6 Ls too.
Gotta go guys. Have many errands to run with my sweetie today.
Rockets play at 1pm CST. Then the Super Groundhog Day Bowl later on.
jw1
I guess we take a positive from the clean sheet, but does that make our man of the match the underside of the bar?…
I think we just have to hope that the trip to warmer climes (and maybe a couple of new faces in the squad) serves to rejuvenate…
I’m digging here… Anybody else?…
I gotta get onto my day too…what with the hometown team in the American football match later today…
Good luck to the positivity squeezer(s)…
Actually, one point I’d like to make before I head out– where I felt Arteta erred in his lineup.
No– not Guendouzi, nor the today-infallible #20. Felt this from the opening whistle.
It was lining up Martinelli on the right wing. Playing seniority by putting Auba on the left to start. Gabriel has been so dynamic on that side. Where Auba? Can poach from any location. Did note that Mikel had switched their sides late in the match.
This was a facet of Emery’s mindset. Outthinking one’s self by changing the very things we’ve had success with. Sometimes clever– isn’t. Today was evidence.
jw1
Today felt like a step back, but let’s not forget it was our third away game in a row and this was bound to happen. Yes I am a bit disappointed in our play but I reckon Arteta will have learned a lot from this game and now he has two weeks to work with the boys, so expect us to come back firing on all cylinders then.
Probably our poorest 90 minutes under Arteta, especially given the prep many of our senior players have had prior…
Mustafi did ok and Xhaka again put in a shift for the team.
Yeah TA, it’s a learning curve for Mikel and maybe he needs to see these kinds of scenarios before next summer and the decisions that need to made regarding changes in squad personnel…
17ht, we were bang on average. MoTM is not the underside of the bar, but it could have been. My MoTM is Xhaka. Did everything he could but overall our passing is absolutely bonkers. See how good Burnley was in passing. Too bad the goalpost was in top shape yesterday to deny them a goal.
Agreed with most of the analysis, but I have to comment as this is #100. 🙂
It did cross my mind that Arteta was partly to blame for the underwhelming performance.
There are games – seen recently – where the youngsters outperform the veterans, and there are some – including but not limited to yesterday’s visit to Burnley – where the youngsters are our main liability.
However I think it has little to do with age, maturity and experience. We were struggling yesterday – in my humble opinion – because we lost 90% of every body-to-body duels. Playing out from the back didn’t work out due to Burnley’s surprisingly effective front pressing, and when Leno kicked a long ball to the field it was the start of a Burnely (counter)attack most of the time.
So it was probably a coincidence that our players that couldn’t deal with the physicality of the big, brute bastards (BBB) were the technical, yet thin/small (and at the same time young) players like Bellerin, Martinelli, Guendouzi and Saka. I think if we could have started the game with AMN, Pepe, Torreira and Kolasinac in their position respectively, the outcome would have been much favorable. (Captain hindsight reporting for duty.)
So I’m only a bit uncertain if Arteta could have foreseen of the physicality of the game, and could have opted a different side and tactics.
Thanks PB, and agreed. In fact, I agree so much I have incorporated your comment in the new post…
N E W P O S T ! ! ! 🙂 🙂