MATCH DAY BLOG: ARSENAL VS BURNLEY
Ok, short match day blog so you can all drop some totally rational, non-knee-jerk comments all game long.
Arteta has put ALL the fancy toys on the pitch for this game. He’s taking ZERO chances on a Burnley side that have Turf Moor on lockdown in the Premier League.
Things that worry me… they’ve conceded two goals at home in the Premier League this season. The 5-4-1 formation is going to be deep, so we’re going to have to be very patient with the team today. Smacking them up 4-0 because they weren’t in the league last season is unrealistic.
They also have 12 goals from 7.4 xG — they’re the second most clinical team in the league. Not sustainable over the course of a season, but a warning: one slip-up, and they’re in punisher mode in front of goal.
They’ve also scored in nine of their last ten competitive games. They are very fast moving forward and they have quality.
Final thing we have to manage… the home crowd. Burnley have rabid support. The ground is small, the fans are close to the pitch, and if we let the crowd do that 12th-man thing with an early goal or an errant red card, we could be in for a long afternoon.
My main worry for the afternoon is we don’t have many attacking options on the bench outside two teenagers and Mikel Merino. Not bad options, but not totally ideal when you have Martinelli, Noni, and Kai out of the squad.
This is a massive game. We set the tone for the weekend. If we manage to get three points, focus shifts to City, who have a very good Bournemouth, and Liverpool are playing an irresistible Villa side. Also, the best-of-the-rest derby is Spurs vs Chelsea.
This is a massive day for the agenda. That agenda is Arsenal winning the league. Ok, go grab a warm cup of raw milk and let’s have a very good day.
Also, there’s a good deal going for the AOP membership. We’re going live to the members after the game. You also get access to the Discord, ad-free work, and bonus content. There are a lot of hours a week in that deal — the people are saying it’s the best deal online.