BURNLEY, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 2: Mikel Arteta, Arsenal head coach / manager (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images)
Arsenal host Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday.
Buckle up, this won’t be pretty. Or will it? Sheer routine and realism point to the former, but will Mikel Arteta suddenly get this team right on Sunday and watch his team work their way to a 3-0 win?
Watching Arsenal come out onto the grass, play liquid soccer and give the fans something to savor on a Sunday night is the dream. Earning three points is the goal.
After another Europa League win against an opponent who shouldn’t score twice, the fluid soccer timer would normally be ready to run out just in time for the return of the Premier League.
More of Pain in Arsenal
Fans can be a bit more confident facing a Burnley team with just one win out of their ten division games, but expecting a win goes against the grain.
In terms of team selection, an excellent midweek display for Emile Smith Rowe has brought with it his involvement in some capacity, as has Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who adds athleticism to a midfield with the combined turning circle of a combine. .
However, based on who didn’t play any roles against Dundalk, some of the more regular actors appear to return to the fold on Sunday.
Social media platforms could be unleashed in the usual hour-long storm of discontent when the team card is announced, or Arteta may have a few tricks up his sleeve to fool fans and opposition alike. Or not?
Here’s his planned lineup to face Burnley on Sunday.
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 8: Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal (Photo by James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images)
Goalkeepers and defenders
Bernd Leno (GK) – Runar Alex Runarsson doesn’t look particularly good. Even against weak sides, everything he does from the waist up leaves a lot to be desired. Leno is the man.
Héctor Bellerin (RB) – Harassed by all for his inability to perform a task that all footballers are taught from the age of three, it is his troubling failure to defend transitions that worries fans the most. However, has it performed well until a few weeks ago? If you have.
Rob Holding (CB) – When Calum Chambers is back in top form, he will most likely be able to replace Holding in the starting lineup as he is a more comfortable operator covering the space on the right side. Until then, it is Holding who will remain.
Gabriel Magalhaes (CB) – Arsenal’s best player this season alongside Bukayo Saka, is the first name on the team sheet. He is so good and the rest have been so poor.
Kieran Tierney (LB) – One of the few who could still hold his head high after the derby defeat, how many crosses will he be asked to make this time around?