Burnley 0-5 Arsenal: This is a very good team

Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video

After giving West Ham six of the perfect final week, Arsenal put in a 5 star efficiency within the rain and shine of Burnley yesterday.

With solely Emile Smith Rowe again within the squad from our assortment of injured gamers, it wasn’t a shock that Mikel Arteta named an unchanged crew. They had been excellent in opposition to the Hammers, and yesterday it took simply 5 minutes to place their stamp on the sport. Gabriel Martinelli obtained down the left hand aspect, performed it throughout the field to Martin Odegaard, and the skipper’s half-volleyed end into the underside nook was hit with the type of energy and precision that made it unstoppable.

It had appeared that within the opening jiffy Burnley’s plan was to match Arsenal’s high quality with some physicality, however that pale fairly shortly. We had moments, when Leandro Trossard went by way of for instance, and Martinelli triggered his full-back some issues, however the hazard we triggered them didn’t fairly flip into clear possibilities. Trossard had a recent air shot in entrance of objective when he ought to have made it 2-0, and shortly afterwards received a penalty after being performed in behind by Kai Havertz whose motion triggered Burnley issues all afternoon. There’s not loads of contact, but it surely’s a careless lunge from the defender.

Odegaard stepped up, put the ball down, and Bukayo Saka stepped as much as take his second penalty in successive video games. James Trafford went the best means, and whilst you wouldn’t precisely say it was a mistake from the keeper, I’d say he was a bit pissed off with himself that he didn’t maintain it out. That made it 2-0 on the break, and I don’t assume it was something lower than Arsenal deserved primarily based on the efficiency.

If Burnley’s half-time crew discuss was about holding it tight early on and seeing if they may nick a objective to get again into the sport, we put a fork in that fairly shortly. Havertz discovered Odegaard, he performed it to Saka and also you nearly may see the defender pondering ‘I can’t let him reduce on his favoured left foot’. A part of what makes him so particular is his capability (and willingness) to make use of his proper foot, and he rifled the ball into the roof of the web to make it 3-0. A superb end to just about seal the sport at that time.

There was an extended stoppage when Burnley’s Aaron Ramsey landed awkwardly after a problem from Odegaard. The TV replays confirmed his knee buckle as he landed, and he wanted oxygen earlier than being stretchered off. If that was an Arsenal participant we’d all be fearing the worst this morning, so let’s hope it not as critical because it appears to be like (however a speedy restoration whether it is).

There then adopted an nearly comical sequence of Trossard lacking likelihood after likelihood. Martinelli bursting by way of, getting tackled, then someway offering an assist-worthy go whereas on his arse was fairly one thing – not least as a result of the Belgian squirted the ball past the publish when it appeared simpler to attain. Ultimately he discovered his vary, the ball coming to him off a defender after we’d triggered the Burnley defence issues, and he made no mistake for 4-0.

Successful video games in addition to that is clearly loads of enjoyable, however one of many different advantages (other than actually bettering objective distinction) is it offers the supervisor the flexibility to make adjustments. Slightly than asking the likes of Saka and Rice to provide 110% for 90+ minutes, we will save their legs a bit and provides an opportunity to some others. I don’t assume any of the subs had been significantly spectacular or something, however with the Champions League beginning up once more, holding gas within the tank of our greatest gamers is actually essential.

The fifth got here from an extended throw by Jakub Kiwior, who had one other spectacular day at left-back and appears much more settled now. He despatched Havertz down the left, and the German reduce into the field, nutmegged a defender, and completed together with his proper foot. I used to be joyful for him to make that contribution, as a result of I believe his total efficiency deserved it. He was concerned in loads of what we did nicely yesterday, the interchanging of him and Trossard is a tactical growth that groups haven’t fairly found out but, and it was only a pretty objective to place the icing on the cake.

Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated:

I’m actually joyful clearly with the efficiency and the end result, with the person and collective as nicely. The contribution of each single participant has been very, excellent and the truth that the crew appeared prefer it needed extra. They weren’t glad, they needed to attain extra and didn’t need to concede a objective, so I’m actually happy to see that consistency.

It’s arduous to pick people on a day when so many performed nicely, however I’ve to provide a nod to Odegaard whose type of late has been very good. Earlier within the season it felt like he was simply taking a contact too many at occasions. Now the ball goes the place it wants to precisely on time, and his capability to squeeze the ball into areas is excellent. No participant has made extra passes into the penalty space this season (not together with set-pieces), and he feels basic to how this crew clicks. He’s not alone, clearly, just about everyone seems to be taking part in nicely proper now, however he – together with Saka – simply have one thing a bit further that we’re going to want if we’re gonna go the gap on this title race.

Because the Dubai journey, Arsenal have performed 5, received 5, scored 21, conceded 2, and after yesterday sit 2 factors forward of Man Metropolis with our objective distinction 5 higher than theirs. There’s so much nonetheless to do, clearly, but it surely’s been an excellent response to that run of poor kind, which I all the time thought was anomalous to what we’d seen from this crew till then. I believe it’s secure to say now although that we’ve gone up a degree, and holding this type of consistency between now and Might would be the intention. Whether or not we will do it or not we’ll have to attend and see, however there’s no query this can be a very, excellent Arsenal aspect, and one we must always get pleasure from as a lot as attainable.

So, for the gamers and the supervisor, it’s a query of ‘job achieved’, placing this one behind them, and turning the main focus fully to the midweek journey to Porto. As followers we will get pleasure from it a bit longer, in fact, and you’ll be part of James and I for an Arsecast Additional tomorrow to relive all of it once more.

For now, have a fantastic Sunday of us.