by Bulldog Drummond
Carrying on from our thoughts yesterday afternoon, with our very positive home form, this should be a home banker. But although Burnley were poor last season there was an excuse for Burnley last year – they started in the Europa League very early as the team placed 7th in the league the season before and thus qualifying for European football. It is notable that they did not win any of their first five PL games.
Here’s how it went last time around….
| Date | Match | Res | Score | Comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul | Aberdeen v Burnley | D | 1-1 | Europa League |
| 02 Aug | Burnley v Aberdeen | W | 3-1 | Europa League |
| 09 Aug | İstanbul Başakşehir v Burnley | D | 0-0 | Europa League |
| 12 Aug | Southampton v Burnley | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
| 16 Aug | Burnley v İstanbul Başakşehir | W | 1-0 | Europa League |
| 19 Aug | Burnley v Watford | L | 1-3 | Premier League |
| 23 Aug | Olympiakos v Burnley | L | 3-1 | Europa League |
| 26 Aug | Fulham v Burnley | L | 4-2 | Premier League |
| 30 Aug | Burnley v Olympiakos | D | 1-1 | Europa League |
| 02 Sep | Burnley v Manchester United | L | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 16 Sep | Wolverhampton W v Burnley | L | 1-0 | Premier League |
| 22 Sep | Burnley v AFC Bournemouth | W | 4-0 | Premier League |
But this season they have no Europa games, and they have started brightly with a 3-0 home win over Southampton, who you may recall ended our long unbeaten run at the end of last year. However even with this in mind, once again judging by last season’s home form for Arsenal and Burnley’s away form last year, we should be ok.
As to our injuries here is the latest, adapted from Physioroom’s data.
| Player | What’s wrong | Date back? | Chance of playing |
| Hector Bellerin | ACL Knee Injury | 02/11/2019 | None |
| Konstantinos Mavropanos | Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury | 20/10/2019 | None |
| Mohamed Elneny | Late return from internationals | 17/08/2019 | Unlikely |
| Mesut Ozil | Terrorism threat | OK to play | |
| Sead Kolasinac | Terrorism threat | OK to play | |
| Rob Holding | Lacking match fitness | Being assessed |
We also have news that Xhaka has just picked up an injury. I’m not too sure if that means he won’t play… And there is the ongoing rumour that Ozil is going to DC United, with the rumour that his agent is in New York. We suspect he just fancied a change of scene.
Burnley have Brady and Defour out, and Taylor a 50/50 chance.
All of which might leave us with a team looking something like this… according to SoccerSouls
Leno
Maitland-Niles Sokratis Luiz Monreal
Guendouzi, Xhaka
Pepe Aubameyang Ceballos
Lacazette
That means putting the youngsters back on the bench, along with Ozil and Kolasinac, and unlikely to get much of a run out. Meanwhile it certainly is one hell of a forward line.
Sports Mole goes with
Leno
Maitland-Niles Sokratis Luiz Monreal
Guendouzi, Xhaka
Pepe Ceballos Mkhitaryan
Aubameyang
I News goes with
Leno;
Maitland-Niles, David Luiz, Sokratis, Monreal;
Torreira, Guendouzi, Dani Ceballos;
Lacazette, Aubameyang, Pepe.
Finally the Express
Leno
Maitland Niles, Socratis, Luiz, Kolasinac
Guendouzi Xhaka
Pepe Ozil Nelson
Aubameyang
And to add a little more spice the Guardian has this thought…
“… if David Luiz makes his debut, he would probably prefer if it were not against Ashley Barnes. The forward riled the Brazilian to distraction when Burnley drew 2-2 at Chelsea in April. Barnes is one of the slyest pests in the Premier League and he continually lures David Luiz into fouling him.”
The Daily Telegraph has this not very exciting comment:
What’s our prediction?
Arsenal to grind out a 2-1 victory.
They also tell us the odds are
- Arsenal win – 3/10
- Burnley win – 9/1
- Draw – 9/2
EverArsenal go for 3-1 while the Daily Cannon tells us that a Spanish journalist claims Real Sociedad could close the signing of Nacho Monreal this month. You will notice that once again the site reporting the transfer blame the rumour on another source. Maybe one day we will find that there is a computer sitting in the Republic of Southern Nomans Land generating all these rumours, while selling subscriptions to its service at 40p a day.
Finally, as noted yesterday, Untold is off to a big birthday bash which is being held in a remote location with no broadband so we might be slow in updating the site on occasion across the weekend. We’ll do our best, but apologies in advance if there is any disruption.
I cannot believe you totally disregarded Callum Chambers and Emery’s proclivity to keep and continue the development of confidence for in-form players in the starting line-up.
Let’s not forget that we have our old nemesis Mike Dean as referee – never good news!
Will UE pick a team with a thought that we have Liverpool then Sp#rs and he maybe wants to give playing time to the new players , would you want debuts against such good opposition
Confirmed line up….
Leno, Maitland-Niles, Luiz, Sokratis, Monreal, Ceballos, Guendouzi, Willock, Aubameyang, Nelson, Lacazette.
Mike Dean is horrible…as per. He is giving all kinds of phantom calls against us. Willock was beside diving Barnes…foul. Aubemayang given a yellow for lifting his leg.
not a good goal to concede…it is just soul sapping, though, to watch Dean tilt the pitch against us.
With Burnley tying the game 1-1 at 43 minutes after Arsenal took a one lead in the game at 12 minutes, generally, Arsenal are looking to be playing to the galley in the game in the 1st half of the match instead of to be playing to substance scoring goals to silence Burnley. Ceballos playing to the adminiration of the Gooners in the Ems who stood up admiring his artistry on the ball in the midfield area was unecessary as it has the hallmark look of playing to the gallery on it. Therefore, in the 2nd half of the match, the Gunners MUST eschew any resemblance of negative playing in the match that bothers on playing to the galley in the game. But play positive football to score goals in their numbers against Burnley. After which they could decided to do some artistry in playing on the ball for the Arsenal faithfuls in the Ems watching to admire.
match report is on line
I’ll take this 2-1 PL scrapy home win by Arsenal over dropping valuable points to Burnley.
But let no Gooner draws any conclusion in his or her mind to think because Arsenal have had 2 Premier League games scrapy wins the Gunners might be unable to handle Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool gengenpresing football next week at Anfield in the PL. No! Football Game is never like that. For, Arsenal could play to exhilarating form in both the attack and defending in the game to hit Liverpool with defeat in the match. And this I believe Emery can do as he has the Gunners squad capacity to select the most suitable 18 man in-form Gunners on match day to do the defeating of Liverpool unfailingly.
Okay, I am currently relishing the Arsenal win over Burnley this afternoon which is huge for the club and us Gooners as I ruminate on the win but saw that Arsenal are good to 6 points after playing 2 opening PL matches this season. This a stack mark difference to what Arsenal achieved last season in their 2 PL opening matches when they scored 0 points. Going to Anfield next to engage Liverpool in a big game battle for 3 points collection, the Gunners should be encouraged by the stack mark difference they’ve made this season against the 0 point they collected last season from their 2 opening PL matches. And draw encouragement from the stack mark difference they’ve made this season to give them the beliefs they will beat Liverpool.
Okay, I have just been given a glass tumbler of palm wine to drink. (Arsenal 2 Burnley 1) And after I drank the win feeling comfortable, I am nonetheless asking to be handed another glass tumbler of palm wine to drink. Insatiable urge? It rather be.