Arsenal vs Burnley: Stats Pack
Well, well, well; looks like we are back to our standard operating procedure. I wish I was referring to matters on the pitch, but the unfortunate reality is that Arsenal twitter and much of the fanbase are up in arms.
Far be it from me to try to postulate as to why things have turned sour in the eyes of many lately, but it remains rather frustrating. Perhaps there was no better time for a “straightforward” affair to show itself on the fixture list. Arsenal return to action against Burnley, a side who are a shadow of themselves from twelve months ago, and unfortunately for the Clarets, nothing more than a hiding will quell frustration amongst our ranks.
In the run-up to our lunchtime affair at the Emirates, at the very least we should remain quietly confident. We have our own set of concerns and weaknesses, but Unai Emery can take solace in the fact that Burnley have not exactly set the world alight this season. Famous last words we know, considering the result against Southampton last weekend. This, however, has all the hallmarks of a tailor-made rebound moment if there ever was one.
Arsenal vs Burnley; Premier League history
History is certainly on our side tomorrow in terms of results against Sean Dyche’s men. Arsenal has never lost against Burnley in the Premier League since their first appearance in 2009-10. You would have to turn the pages back to the old English First Division during the 1974-75 campaign to find our last league defeat, though they did see us off during the 2008-09 League Cup quarter-finals. To date, our record stands at 8-1-0 in the Premier League against the Turf Moor outfit, and if you include all results, 12-4-3.
While our head-to-head record certainly begets feelings of optimism, the score lines with which we have shown them off only aids such sentiments. Out of the eight Premier League fixtures where Arsenal have squared off against Burnley, we have managed to bag seventeen goals while only surrendering four. Even at the height of their powers during their unexpected run to finishing seventh while having one of the six-best defensive records in the league, we saw them off comfortably 5-0 (home) and 1-0 (away).
In need of an offensive rebound
It is incredibly unrealistic to think that we will not have our struggles every season. Even the best sides deal with the ebbs and flows of football; this becomes exacerbated when the regime changes.
We can all agree that even though much of our targeted work under Emery has been sorting out our defensive struggles, we still could rely on goals at the other end. It is a trend we saw in the final years under Wenger as well. Goals have never been a real concern for us, but lately, they seem to be just that.
Going into the Huddersfield fixture earlier this month, Arsenal had found the back of the net eleven times in four outings in all competitions. Since then we have only managed five goals in four, Europa League and Carabao Cup included. Our goal troubles did not rear their ugly heads away at Saints, but two goals in a combined three fixtures against Huddersfield, Qarabağ, and Tottenham is not what you want to see.
Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has failed to find the back of the net in his last four appearances. Despite a fair few chances falling to him, the Gabonese international has now reached the longest period without a goal in his Arsenal tenure. Just when you would hope and assume that Alexandre Lacazette would be there to pick up the slack, you would assume incorrectly to the tune of one goal in his last five; much of that can be attributed to him inexplicably still be included in the starting XI. Unsurprisingly, the one goal he has scored recently came against Qarabağ, in a match where he featured from the off.
Regardless of what the team sheet looks like tomorrow, or what approach Emery opts to deploy, we need a response in the goals department; a big one.
Reliance on fortress Emirates
Arsenal have not been beaten at home since matchday one when we hosted Manchester City. The only other two occasions where we failed to pick up the full allotment of points in front of the home support was against Liverpool and Wolverhampton. With a current league home record of 6-2-1, good enough for the fourth-best home record in the league, we must yet again hope that our pedigree at home. Yet again, our penchant for goals in the second-half may need to see us through against a Burnley side that will likely set up shop and ask all the questions that we need to find answers to.
Given the nature of the Premier League, it is so often so pointless to even discuss home and away form, but the nature of football and statistics dictates that it does at least have to be considered. In that light, it is worth considering that Burnley has only earned three points away from home on one occasion this season, at Cardiff. Though they have also managed two additional 0-0 draws (Southampton & Leicester City), if they are not getting battered (5-0, 4-2, 4-2), they are being blanked on the scoresheet (1-0, 1-0, 2-0).
Form and venue are not the end all and be all, but in this instance, it is reasonable to say that the walls of fortress Emirates will be safe for another weekend.
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