Arsenal reserves cruised to our sixth win in a row in the Europa League last night, but things couldn’t be more different for Arteta’s starting XI in the Premier League with just one win and two goals in our last 7 games.
The pressure is now taking its toll on Arteta, and with three home defeats in a row the boss will not accept anything but three points on Sunday against Burnley. He was very clear when he told Goal after last night’s Europa League win that he has belief that our bad run will end now: “I have zero doubts about how the boys are going to respond, how hard we’re going to try and how involved everybody is going to be in trying to support the team,”
“We have to prove it and get the three points.”
“Now we have to forget about the Europa League until February and focus on the Premier League, EFL Cup and FA Cup when it starts,”
“We have a larger squad, we have players back from injury, so we will have the opportunity to pick who is better in the moment.
“It gives us more options in the Premier League to focus and get the results we need. We need to start winning football matches immediately. We cannot sustain the results we’ve had in the last six or eight weeks, that has to start on Sunday.”
They surely won’t get a better chance to get a result, considering that Burnley have only had one win in their last ten games.
But, as Arteta has found out the hard way, there are no easy games in the EPL….
“…we will have the opportunity to pick who is better in the moment”
If Arteta is true to his word then I’ll feel optimistic on Sunday and expect to see the likes of AMN, Elneny, Soares and Nelson on the game sheet.
Yeah …. S. Rowe and Balogun as well
One way for the manager to show that is to bench some of the underperformers. Start Elneny and AMN in midfield over Xhaka and Ceballos, and start Soares over Bellerin at RB.
I’d also have Balogun on the bench ready to come in as well as ESR if there needs to be an adjustment after halftime.
After these comments, what are the chances that he starts the same players who have been letdowns the last few games? Xhaka, Willian, Ceballos, Bellerin, same underperformers and expect different result.
Leno
Soares Gabriel Mari Tierney
Elneny AMN
Willock/Saka
Nelson Balogun Auba
His career is in a threat. Losing against Burnley will put too much pressure on him. But starting the game with Willian and Xhaka will jeopardise his chances of winning
I’m nervous already….
If he starts the same players Sue, the best we might get will be a fluke 1-0 win. But note that teams in poor forms always turn their season around when facing us. Again I say to you, hope for the best, expect the worst.
Well after reading your comment, Kstix… I’m even more nervous!! 😄
Auba loves a goal against the Clarets – has 7 in 5 games – scored more goals against them than any other top flight opponent… hmm, will his drought end tomorrow?! I bloody well hope so….
I think it is more a must win for him as his career is on the line. The problem now is that every team plays us fancying its chances. So I anticipate a tough game. Hope I am proven wrong and we win with panache!
This is the most important game of the season for us.Anything other than a win, can be regarded as failure.I sincerely hope AMN , Elneny and Willock start in midfield.
Yes Grandad
It would be a disaster to lose
Arteta and the team are under the spotlight so they all better rise to the occasion
Grandad we are having a few of them and each one more important. This one isn’t one of the hard games to win, i expect an easy, committed win, anything else, its hammer and nails and coffin time.
Now that the Hungarian guy..Szoboszlai has decided to join Leipzig, who is out next creative midfield target?..Many will tell you that creativity can now come from the flanks and so on but nothing beats the creative midfielder…AFC attacks cannot continue to stall in the final third..
I said earlier, Xhaka and Bellerin are players who can’t retract after being dispossessed. Most especially Bellerin. He loves and good in going forward but coming back? NO WAY. It has been like that since Wenger days. If Arteta plays him and not ready to put another right back behind him then the game on Sunday will go the same way. Just rewind the past five games against Arsenal and you’ll discover that almost all came through Arsenal right back.