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By Bulldog Drummond
Burnley were relegated from the Premier League and are now looking to come back up, so an FA Cup run is not the primary thing on their mind – promotion is much more important, as is not getting anyone injured at this stage of the season. The income from today’s game will be most welcome but that’s about it.
Championship Table
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 28 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 45 | 18 | 27 | 56 |
| Middlesbrough | 27 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 14 | 23 | 55 |
| Burnley | 28 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 46 | 25 | 21 | 51 |
| Brighton | 28 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 50 |
| Derby | 28 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 39 | 25 | 14 | 49 |
| Sheff Wed | 28 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 42 | 31 | 11 | 46 |
| Birmingham | 28 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 37 | 28 | 9 | 46 |
The top two go up and the next four enter the play offs, so Burnley’s priority will be to catch Middlesbrough – a fairly tough call, but teams can and do collapse as the season goes on, so they keep hoping.
The former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson is said to be in the Burnley squad after joining on a short-term deal and their midfielder Dean Marney is doubtful. But there is every chance they will rotate the team a little not least because of their schedule.
- 30 Jan: Arsenal v Burnley
- 02 Feb: Sheff W v Burnley
- 06 Feb: Burnley v Hull
- 13 Feb: Reading v Burnley
- 20 Feb: Burnley v Rotherham
- 23 Feb: Burnley v Nottm F
- 27 Feb: Bolton v Burnley
That’s an average of around one game in every four days, including a prime match against the league leaders in one week’s time. What they don’t really want is another match in terms of a replay, and moving a game to fit in a 5th round tie. Of course they would take both for the money and the prestige, but in terms of throwing everything into this match, I suspect not. A tight defence, stop Arsenal from scoring…
Tomas Rosicky could play at the age of 35 for Arsenal for the first time this season and Francis Coquelin, out since November will probably be on the beach covering for his replacement. That suggests Flamini drops back down along with Arteta.
Mohamed Elneny surely must play especially after Olivier Giroud called him as “a complete player” which means showing Joey Barton who is the boss. Meanwhile Arsène Wenger said Elneny has the same “competitive instincts” as Jean Tigana. Wow and again wow.
“Winning the ball is not only down to power, it is to switch on at the right moment – it’s a technique,” Mr Wenger said. “You have players who are muscular who lose fights against small players who are very slim because small players switch it on at the right moment. When do you switch your muscle on, when the guy is in a weak position, it is a real technique.
“I remember Tigana was 63kg, a defensive midfielder and he was unbelievable defensively. He had that technique. I played against him at the European Championship in Sweden in 1992 and he was still the same – he won every challenge.”
So we have now our long run without defeat in the cup stretching beyond two years, and on the Burnley front we have won the last five FA Cup ties against Burnley, scoring 16 and conceding… one and that was when the score was Burnley 1-7 Arsenal, in 1937. Ted Drake got four, Bastin, Kirchen, and Crayston the rest.
We have lost one our of 40 FA Cup games against lower league clubs during the reign Arsene Wenger. But on the other hand Burnley have gone beyond the the fourth round in five of the last six years.
Looked at another way, Arsenal have won 32 of the last 39 home FA Cup ties at home and that old fella who ain’t no good at scoring goals Olivier Giroud has scored nine goals in his last 13 FA Cup games.
But Burnley have won their last three away games scoring 10 goals and conceding just two. They have won 5, drawn six, lost 3 away from home this sesaon, scoring 17 letting in 13.
Anyway, here’s the line up…
Oooooooooooooooooooooooospina
Chambers Gabriel Koscielny Gibbs
Elneny Rosicky
Oxlade-Chamberlain Ramsey Campbell
Giroud
On the beach… Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi, Walcott, Coquelin, Cech, Sánchez, Bellerin,
In 2013/14 Arsenal scored 16 goals en route to winning the FA Cup. In 2014/15 it was 15. This season after one game we have scored three. 12 or 13 to go.
And just one last thing. Although we won’t see that many of them today, in the Telegraph’s report on the top players in the Premier League Arsenal have four in the top 12, way ahead of any other team.
They are (as if you didn’t know)
- Ozil
- Cech
- Giroud
- Kos
No other club has four even the top 20. Mind you that Ozil is nicking a living, Giroud is hopeless and shouldn’t be in the team, and as for Kos, obviously not premier league material.
Makes you think.
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The Untold Books
Our latest is Arsenal: The Long Sleep 1953-1970 with an introduction by Bob Wilson. Details of this and our other titles can be found Arsenal Books on this site.
- Bob Wilson writes for Untold Arsenal: that most unforgettable of days
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From the anniversary files
- 30 January 1954: Following a 1-4 home defeat to Sunderland in the league Arsenal lost 1-2 at home to Norwich City of the Third Division South in front of 55767. Logie got Arsenal’s goal. It was the first and last time Arsenal lost an FA Cup tie at Highbury to a team outside the top 2 divisions. Alex Forbes of Arsenal and Bobby Brennan of Norwich City were both sent off early in the match – the first double sending off involving Arsenal since September 1922 (against Tottenham Hotspur).
- 30 January 1965. Arsenal lost away to Peterborough 1-2 in cup and started a downward spiral which 18 months later led to the dismissal of Billy Wright as manager. Radford scored the goal.
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Insult of the Day: You do advance your cunning more and more (Midsummer Night’s Dream)
I would like to see Cech in goal. I believe Burnley will do heir best to win this despite their league program, simply because of the kudos of beating Arsenal.
Burnley was a team that not really brought any specific bad feelings to me… till I found out that they have given Barton a contract. Any team that gives such a player a contract goes down the ladder for me. This is a player that shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a football field.
He is and has been as bad for English football as Riley.
Actually we have to be careful with teams like Burnley,they have nothing to lose. Secondly i hope this time around we wont be walking the ball into the net like our last match,something is still bothering me though how Gabriel tough and faster on Shrek ii plus his last game against Bournemouth would not get into that game with Kos!! Anyway that is split milk now and the Prof knows better.Hope we wont regret it in May with that point,probably i’m wrong.
I worry only for the cohesion and meshing of the players selected and hope that training has increased the feeling of working with/for each other as a team on the day.
I’m sure AW was talking about “with kids you cant win championship teams any more”, which is actually a great compliment to Championship teams.
Trust media to harp on about the statement they created, “you cant win anything with kids”, and ignore the compliment made to Championship teams.
COYG. A goal feast? We could do with some to boost certain confidences. 🙂
First of all Mr Drummond, I am in total agreement with the Boss on his stance not to play the kids for this Burnley game today.
Save Bellerin who has stepped it up and broke through into the 1st team, the remaining 3 kids kept behind from going out on loan have not really stepped it up. Iwobi 19, is the most senior among the 3, and he hasn’t look to have stepped it up like Bellerin did at his age. Arsenal cannot afford to be given eternity of a time to youngsters to step it up. Those 3 youths should get down to serious work and step it up if they want to make it at Arsenal.
Bulldog, your predicted Boss starts are temptingly acceptable. More so if the Saints game that is lurking around the Ems corner is to be taken into account. However, the Boss may still do 1or2 changes to your starts.
It has gladdened our hearts to hear the Boss saying, he will try to still sign the 2 Nigerian youths and Ben Chilwell from Leicester before the transfer window got closed. I wish the Boss success in his efforts to get those 3 youths signed for the Arsenal’s under 21 squad.
Steady on Walter!
I would say that is prett y close, considering how many changes there are (from Arsenal.com)
> Arsenal starting XI: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny, Iwobi, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis, Giroud
> Arsenal substitutes: Cech, Monreal, Bellerin, Arteta, Rosicky, Walcott, Campbell
I’m not seeing any news about the U21 yet.
COYG! COYYG!
Come on gunners…
Elneny is looking good…confident and involved in the play.
Ospina…
Damn, their forward is quick
Gibbs….superb.
Chambers…. Wohhooooo
Chambers
As near as I can tell, Arsenal was just waiting for a loanee to score. Chuba Akpom scores for Hull away to Bury.
COYG! COYYG!
As many commentaries have mentioned it, might as well copy it here as well. Chambers has now doubled has goal tally for Arsenal, with both goals being against Burnley.
COYG! COYYG!
why was there an Arsenal player down?
Oops!!!…
Why did Gibbs tackle Coquelin!!! Hahaha
Not much we could do about their goal, a quality cross that was. Iwobi is good. Elneny looking good too. I can see some of the regulars struggling to hold their places down in this team.
p/s can see why Elneny covered the most ground in the CL and Europa, he seems to be everywhere.. 🙂
Whats with Iwobi and small socks!!
Alexieeeee…
It’s nice to watch today, there is something different with elneney and coq, with iwobi. Chamberlain looks better.. Sanchez looks frustrated and a bit rusty.
Im worried about Gabs confidence I hope he has a smoother second half. COYG
If we don’t sort out the setpeices we will conceede again.
@MadeToLove…
I agree though we are not quite all on the same song sheet, the team is full of energy!
Burnley’s forwards winning too many headers against our centre-halves.
Gabriel looks shot of confidence and kos looks like he don’t want to be there.
Only hope is our forwards can do something.
A bit of a dirty jump onto Ospina by the Burnley forward. Not a trip, not an accident.
Alexis!
Great Counter!
Yes. that is what i was talking about i love the shootings we are the GUNNERS we need shoot dem down every one . Looks like Le Prof heard my grumblings.
Trivia for Walter and referees to comment on. In the Woking-Barrow game, a linesman took a ball to the face and had to be replaced by the 4th official. Apparently a Woking fan has taken over the 4th official role. This “fan” is probably an off-duty referee?
About the time Alexis scored for the Gunners, that man Chuba Akpom did it again for Hull.
COYYG! COYG!
Come on Tomas, get a goal!
Oh, that man Chuba did it again. Hat trick today!
COYYG! COYG!
How come we dont close out games? Well at least its practice for the defence 🙂
Well done lads, next stage done.
How to go Gunners! Welcome back Alexis, it was nice to see you on the score sheet again.
Wellington started and played 70 minutes in Bolton’s loss. Hayden came on at 80 minutes with Hull. Unlike Akpom, he didn’t score. 🙂
Match report is on line
Thanks walter