Arsenal vs. Burnley preview
So it’s Arsene’s last home game at Arsenal.
There will be a party atmosphere, but then this will be a preview as much as it is a celebration of his tenure.
As for the game, it’s pretty much the sixth-place play-off final. Burnley, whilst a “small club”, can finish above us and get into the Europa League next season. Who knows, we may play them there….
So with this goal in mind, there is no way that Burnley would park the bus or be cagey. They would get at us and want to ruin our “goodbye to Wenger” party.
Mr. “graty voice” would have seen our games vs. Soton, Stoke, and West Ham, and seen that we can be attacked. We won all of these games, but the differences were marginal. Burnley is a better team than them, so it’s pretty much that the outcome may be different also.
Dyche surely will want to finish above us. We cannot expect an easy game or win.
Moreover, we’ve beaten them of late, but our results have been fortuitous and contentious. The Koscielny winner in 16/17 and Alexis’s penalty in 17/18 at their place still grate on them. And last season at home was a possibly lucky win for us. Dyche surely would gee his players up, considering these defeats.
The Atletico home game was an example of what we can expect here also. Burnley’s success has come from being a highly organised team, and it was this structure, discipline, and tenacity that made Atletico beat us. This is another template for Burnley to utilise, and win this sixth-place cup final.
I can see Burnley looking to hit us on the counter, control the midfield, and put pressure on our defence, and look to see what they can attain.
As for us, I presume we’ll play a similar to the team that lost in Madrid, though PEA will be back.
PEA will be back for this one.
Kos is injured, so Holding or Chambers would deputise. Cech may be back, though he and Ospina for me are on the same level. Will we see Per at the back? He’s finished, let’s be honest, but it would be his last home game as a player anyhow.
I fully expect Dyche to have some kind of game plan, and our success in Wenger’s farewell would rest on how well we do here. It’s definitely not a nothing game for them since imagine them finishing above us? And yes, we’re a banter club, but a banter club with a far bigger global and domestic presence than them, and with PEA, Ozil, and many other top/noted players. They will NOT lie down. Would you in Dyche’s position? I know I wouldn’t….
I do expect us to win, however. We’re comfortable at home since we’re permitted to play our game, and we’re used to our surroundings. So my prediction is:
Arsenal 2-1 Burnley
I believe it will be close, though I think we’ll have enough attacking impetus to hold them off.
I wonder if we’ll get a trophy for winning the sixth place play-off final?
What’s for sure is that Wenger will get recognition for his contributions to our club, and it’s well worth it.
It’s bittersweet that I was hoping to get a ticket from Ticket Exchange to see this game, but then he announced he was leaving, and they sold like hot-cakes on that Friday.
Oh well, we cannot have it all.
But if we can beat Burnley with the proper clinical presence in front of goal, and secure 6th place for this season.
Moreover, I hope and trust the club will have a good bash for Mr. Wenger.
His home games have brought some of the best football ever seen in England, possibly the world, who knows.
This is possibly my all-time favourite home Wenger league game. It was Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United from 1997/1998, and the precipitating point of the Wenger/Sir Alex feud. It also showed that we could match United, and per the recent documentary showed to Sir Alex that they needed to up their game by many factors:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k12mPOkZQuQ
Thanks Mr. Wenger for everything, including wondrous games like above.
MarbleHallsTV is an Arsenal social media account on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. Been a Gooner since the 90s, inspired by Ian Wright, then Bergkamp, Vieira, Henry, Pires, Campbell, Rosicky, Koscielny, Ozil and Sanchez. A digital marketer/entrpreneur by profession, born in UK living in the Americas now.
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