Burnley 0-1 Arsenal: That'll do

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't hoped for something more stylish, but then again, a good, solid 1-0 win in an away Premier League is not the worst thing in the world. It means we stay ahead of pace of the two Manchester clubs and keep Chelsea on their toes. Or one toe, at least.

I won't sugarcoat it when I say the team sheet disappointed me. While I agree that the likes of Ospina, Ozil, Giroud or even the Mertescielny axis at a stretch needed to be there to keep the spine of the team (and most of them were in undroppable form), this really should have been a game where we rested our big guns.

As I said in the preview, while it's apparent that someone like Theo Walcott is not rated by the manager (and for valid reasons), I refuse to believe that he would have produced a substandard performance against a team like Burnley. Surely, going into the second half, his pace would have been an asset?

Strength in depth is not only to make the bench look pretty, it's also to act as backup while the main men are out getting massages. With all respect to Sean Dyche's men (who put up a good fight), it's against inferior oppositions like these where a manager can afford to play squad players. This is a problem Wenger has been guilty of for ages, and also a contributing factor in why our star players tend to get injured more frequently. If you make the same players play all the games, the probability of them getting crocked gets higher, that's basic mathematics.

I know it sounds petty, but it's an important issue nonetheless. The matter has been swept under the rug because we've gotten away unscathed, but imagine if one of our players had turned victim to one of oh-so-many Burnley fouls. The effects it would have had on an upcoming FA Cup semi final could perhaps have been decisive.

Right, anyway. The football.

As expected we dominated the hold of the ball and created a couple of early chances. Heaton made an elementary save to a Sanchez free kick, minutes after which the Chilean could have gotten an early goal but instead blazed it over. The two chances were sandwiched with a decent save from Ospina after a Vokes shot, where Mertesacker's lack of pace was apparent.

Aaron Ramsey got the opener after what seemed like a trillion of deflections. It started when Alexis decided to take matters in his own hands. His shot was deflected onto Ozil, Mesut forced a good save from Heaton, but Aaron pounced on the parry to strike a fine one in the roof of the net.

Amidst all the shower of praises over Ozil, Coquelin, Giroud and the lot, it's easy for Ramsey's resurrection to go under the radar. I reckon that'd suit him, though. He seems like a confidence player - I wouldn't want to burden him with expectations.

Having said that, though, I found Wenger's decision to play him on the right a bit curious. On that, the Welshman said:

"I’m doing a job out there. I like to be involved in the game a lot more in the middle but I’ve had to do a job there. I’ve had a couple of assists and a goal in the last couple of games, so I’m having an impact out there, but I’d like to be more involved in the game!"

Clearly the last few matches would suggest that it hasn't diminished his output, but it's still intriguing why Wenger has shunted him there. It's not as if there's a severe dearth of options  - Walcott and Danny Welbeck can both do "a job" there. Heck, to me, Tomas Rosicky seems a better fit to that role than Ramsey!

I always presumed in the last couple of games that Mesut Ozil would play on the left flank with Alexis on the right, but the manager's apparent alternative is odd. It appears that Coquelin and Cazorla are playing deeper with Ozil in the center and Ramsey on the right. I know that Wenger had played Ramsey on the right flank back in 2012 in an attempt to resurrect his form, but I feel it's unnecessary to stick him out there now. Is this just a mishmash of fitting the most in-form players in eleven slots, or are there bigger tactical balls at play here?

Ramsey's obviously doing a good job out there, but I can't help but feel that we could bring more out of him by playing him in a more favourable position.

Anyway, the rest of the first half trudged on through rare highlights involving an Ospina save from a Trippier free kick and a Cazorla free kick whizzing past the post. Was I the only one to feel that Mike Dean blowing his whistle on a load of fouls disrupted the momentum of the game? Perhaps the game would have been more eventful had he been more ruthless.

Ozil was probably the only highlight of the second half as he lit up Turf Moor with two brilliant pieces of play. The first - a backheel to Sanchez - forced a good save, while the second was a lob to Ramsey who couldn't get his shot away due to a truly brilliant block. If there's one microcosm of how hard Burnley toiled around the pitch, that was it.

Danny Ings tried to create trouble when he hit a cycle kick - again, terrific save from Ospina there - and Mee put in a delicious cross at the death to which no one got their heads to, but other than that I don't remember a moment where Burnley genuinely threatened to equalize.

Indeed, it was us who could have doubled our tally during a four minute spell. Ozil could have played a better pass to Welbeck on 85, four minutes after which a cross from Bellerin was too loopy for Sanchez to get much power on.

Wenger's late substitutions merely compounded the aforementioned lack-of-rotation problem, but apart from that we had enough stomach to see them through. Every point in the Premier League is important, so it's great to see us nabbing all of them. It also makes the Manchester derby a lot more relaxing to watch.

There was the usual post-match gaffle from Wenger and the players about the fighting spirit, but what caught my eye was a show of sense from Per, when he said:

"It [the title] is not in our hands anymore. They [Chelsea, who else?] have a decent lead so it’s very difficult for us. At the moment, we’re just focusing on ourselves and that has made us very strong in recent weeks."

He, and every other rational person, is spot on. I agree that second wasn't the objective at the start of the season, but it's still a goal that deserves merit. It could have been much worse back in January, so while I'm not at all suggesting that second should remain the be-all and end-all of our ambitions, it's nice to see an Arsenal trying for something higher than the absolute minimum i.e. fourth.

What's realistic and gains greater credence than 2nd starts next week. The FA Cup may not be a major trophy in itself, but coupling that with a runners-up finish in the Premier League amounts to progress most clubs would kill for. It shouldn't be where our aspirations halt (although I fear it is) but it's a good starting point.

Saturday would go a long way into satiating that.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Burnley vs Arsenal: Match Preview

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

It's important to keep the momentum going, not only because of how the table stacks, but also because there's an FA Cup semi final on the way. Burnley are one of the weakest teams in the league, yes, but any away game in the Premier League has the potential to be quite tricky, as Manchester City found out at Selhurst Park.

And look, this game could be a perfect tune-up on how to approach next week. Both teams - Burnley and Reading - are of a similar ilk, which makes it rather probable that a similar mentality may be required to dispatch away both of them.

Sure, Burnley could be like how Granada were for Real Madrid - earmarking the games they need for survival and entirely giving up on the rest. However, I wouldn't put it past Heisenberg Sean Dyche to look to snatch something away from this game. They've been rather good against the top sides - especially City - and they burst a lung for the smallest half-chance.

This is just one of those games that we need to get through to get to the matches carrying greater credence like against United, Chelsea and next week. However, we shouldn't look to underestimate this opposition. We had a tough time at St. James' and Selhurst Park. There's every chance that today could be akin to those struggles.

Having said that, I'd prefer some rotation. The likes of Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud are in monstrous form, but are due a breather despite having a week of rest. I understand why players like Theo Walcott are not trusted by Wenger, but surely he's Premier League standard enough to get a game today?

While Ospina is a nailed-on certainty in goal, the right back position could offer the manager some food for thought. Mathieu Debuchy is fully fit and raring to go, while the lad from Barcelona is in fine form. Personally, despite progressing as fast as he runs, I still have minor positional doubts about him. That, coupled with the need to rotate a 20 year old fullback who's played almost every match in the past 3 months means that I hope Debuchy gets the nod today.

Gabriel should act as an ice pack for either Mertesacker or Koscielny today, and I hope Kieran Gibbs gets a chance too. There are doubts about his defensive contribution, but again, he should be more than capable of holding out Burnley. Lest we forget this is the same Gibbs who made acres of strides last season and was the undisputed starting left back for a while.

Francis Coquelin should start in midfield along with Ramsey, but it's the rest of the front four that intrigue me. While I think Arsene will choose the safer option of overplaying Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez and Giroud, I hope at least two of them are rested. We have players like Rosicky, the returning Wilshere, Walcott and Welbeck to provide much needed backup. There's really no point in having these players if they don't get the nod in matches like today.

My gut says that today could be a close match, simply because there doesn't seem to be enough seriousness coming into the game. Wenger was right when he said that we need to stay focused because the two Manchester clubs are breathing down our necks, and I hope we approach this game with the requisite rubber gloves. Certainly not by showing Burnley too much respect and taking them on the counter, but instead by cautiously imposing our style of play and consolidating once we get the lead.

Right, time to catch the second half of the Everton game. See you on the other side.

Up The Arse!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal 3-0 Burnley: Sanchez is masterclass

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

Gooners, in particular, have been guilty of overrating players. We tend to accentuate the positives and conveniently filter out their negative traits aplenty. Perhaps it's because most of the fanbase - loyal to Arsene Wenger - want to justify the Frenchman's persistence to his puzzling decisions. They'd hail every Mesut Ozil tap-in, touting him to be worth every £42m penny. They'd figure the reason for Giroud's constant inclusion lies in his "remarkable" hold-up play and pinball passing.

Now, I'm not suggesting for a moment that our claims lay completely unfounded, but sometimes we do tend to hyperbole a player's strengths. Theo Walcott, in his absence, has turned into Arsenal's most important player. Mesut Ozil, in his absence, has become the reason why we struggle to open up defences nowadays. Our tendency to put players on an unnecessary pedestal in a vainly attempt to find an answer to our current hardships has, in turn, put undue pressure on the player to perform once he returns.

The same, however, simply cannot be said of Alexis Sanchez. He is a player who I find nigh on impossible to criticize. The guy has firmly planted his stocky feet into the ground after a precarious start. Once he rocketed that volley against Manchester City, the guy has been flying. Sure, his passing and ability to strike the ball is immense, but his perseverance, out of all, has caught the eye. He could start as a full-back and not look one jot out of place.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott could learn a thing or two (or ten) from him. I'd argue that the former has already been inspired. Chamberlain had one of his best games since that run in February of this year. I really thought 2014/15 would have been the year he stepped his game and became a preferable headache for the manager. Until yesterday, he had disappointed. Against Burnley, though, he did well. He used his physique well, created pockets of space for himself and caused trouble through crosses and cutbacks.

Chamberlain has plenty of the attributes to strike oil in the league. He's quick, hefty and versatile. His early days at Arsenal also suggested a very potent right foot and an eye for goal. What he lacks is consistency, something which may or may not come in time. I hope that Wenger looks at him and carefully manages him throughout this season. He's a valuable asset who could, and would be a massive player. Whether it's for Arsenal or elsewhere remains to be seen.

The pairing of Sanchez and Chamberlain, added with a touch of Welbeck and Santi were all over Burnley. It must be noted, though, that the latter pair were wasteful. For obvious reasons it was Cazorla's misses that were highlighted for they were more noticeable (and the fact that he has been wayward for a long time), but Welbeck was equally frustrating as well. He couldn't really complain about a lack of service or the team underperforming "as a whole". When the team was in full flow, he was still anonymous. Perhaps it's fatigue.

Our first goal typified what Alexis is all about. His constant pressing and tenacity cuts him a leading, talismanic figure. Chambers only had to cross it in and Sanchez did the rest - hurtling like a motorbike and guiding home a header after rising highest to the ball. Even height isn't an issue for this guy!

The second goal came before I had a chance to feel its imminence. Welbeck shot a corner straight at an impressive Heaton and Chambers slid home the rebound. The fact that it was such a likeable and hardworking guy like Calum who had scored simply added to the feelgood factor surrounding the stadium.

And if that had the fans buoyant, Theo Walcott's entry sent them ballistic. Now, I still don't believe that he'll create any season-defining moments until December, but having a player who - until doing his ACL - has consistently produced the goods had to be a huge psychological boost.

Me? I was just pleased that he hadn't lost much of his pace!

Meanwhile, Podolski said "Hey look, I came on too" by almost scoring a brace. Should we manage to find a position that works for him and the team, words can't fathom how instrumental he could be. There are aspects of him which understandably frustrate many - his unwillingness to track back, his declining workrate, or his general anonymity when things aren't going right - but his positioning and left foot makes up for it. For obvious reasons he's a very likeable guy, and I'd be very sad the day he leaves.

In the post-match presser, what I found particularly intriguing was Wenger's quotes on Alexis, saying:

"It looks to me that he’s really dangerous through the centre of the pitch because he’s in full confidence, he’s physically strong, he likes to take people on as well and he makes perfect runs."

Add that to his previous quotes of "Alexis can play as striker all his life" and it's reasonable to believe Wenger will play Sanchez as a center forward once Walcott has found his feet. Assuming everyone is fit, perhaps a front three of Walcott - Cazorla - Sanchez is what the manager would prefer, because I reckon the manager would be averse to playing Sanchez and Walcott on both flanks. It'll be interesting to see what Wenger makes of our various options.

With our luck, though, I doubt a day will come when we have all of our forward options available at the same time.

All in all a good performance, but one I won't get carried away with, simply because it was only Burnley. It's understandable to still feel worried about our attacking potency (despite having so many quality choices) after we struggled to break the worst team in the league for 70 minutes. Of course, most of it could be put down to luck, but we've been playing that card for too long to know that there have to be other factors at hand.

Hopefully they're sorted before we meet Anderlecht, because that's a game we could use three points out of.

Right, that's that. Time to troll a Liverpool fan. Enjoy the Manchester derby!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal vs Burnley: Match Preview

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

These set of easy fixtures were meant for us to gain some confidence and fluency in our performances, not scrape past them and dread the Dortmunds and Uniteds.

Anderlecht away and Sunderland was the first time we won two consecutive games this season, if you consider Manchester City to be an extension of pre-season. Pretty much everyone knows how we had to struggle and were lent a kind hand by fortune to seal those six points, but in the end they're six points all the same. Hopefully they're enough for us to find some belief and set a good run in the next three games, after which two home games to United and Dortmund loom.

Against Sunderland, even though we had an unfamiliar defence (to say the least), the team managed to keep a clean sheet. However, even a layman could notice that despite the depth and the technical quality, our attack was as rudderless as they come. Perhaps the return of Theo Walcott could instigate something, but as I had said in my previous post, I remain dubious.

Wenger has lost almost all of his traits that made him an Arsenal beloved in the first place. Our team has lost its attacking sheen since Fabregas and Nasri left. And even though the replacements for them (namely Ozil and Cazorla) are arguably better, the manager has lost the ability to make them click.

I don't think Wenger is ever going to make this team a freeflowing attacking cohesive unit again. If he's too afraid or ignorant to bring Rosicky or Podolski in the starting XI in an attempt to change our attacking dimension, then there's no way he's adapting to wing play counter-attacking football over possession football. That's just not the kind of manager he is.

I doubt Wenger even knows he's the problem. Jacqui Oatley of all people showed how the manager reacts to being questioned. Even Sir Chips Keswick said that the board keep their heads down when the manager doesn't have a plan. There's no one in a position of authority to demand more than 4th of Wenger, or to recognize the reasons why the team are tanking and hold the manager answerable.

Which is why I'd be surprised if today was the day Wenger solved our attacking woes. Knowing him, he would stick with 4-1-4-1 and Ramsey and Cazorla and Sanchez and Welbeck, even though the latter pair are mentally and possibly, physically exhausted. Even though Cazorla and Ramsey are my favourite player, I know that Santi needs to be given a time out and Ramsey should be played in his proper position, yet Aaron will occupy one of those attacking midfield spots and Wenger will choose Santi over Rosicky in the pecking order.

(To be fair, I appreciated Wenger easing Walcott into the pitch and not throwing him on against Sunderland. Asking him to be patient is completely justified.)

The logic behind overplaying certain starters and religiously benching close substitutes is - well, there is no logic. The players who keep playing every game get jaded and their mathematical probability towards getting injured increases dramatically. Conversely, the players almost always benched lose interest and feel like they've fallen out of favour with the manager. They enter the Vermaelen stage where they angle for a transfer and leave the club short on depth. Once again I ask, what's the point in having able players on the sidelines if they aren't going to be rotated into the foray?

From the manager, it's negligence of the highest order. It's the reason why Fabianski and Vermaelen left this summer window, and the reason why Podolski and Rosicky may be the future casualties.

Even though the manager sends them match-after-match tired and unfocused - not to mention tactically unaware - once again we have to hope they somehow find the stomach to find a win. It's unfair, yes, but that's the Arsene way, apparently.

Burnley is most definitely the worst team in the league at the moment. Should we struggle to beat them (AT HOME), it would speak volumes of where the team currently stands. We need to trash them instead of nick it by a goal or two.

Hopefully Sanchez doesn't overdo his body and find himself with a torn hamstring. Oh, and we win.

P.S. Apologies for not having a post in midweek, but Vib_H had other commitments to attend to.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]