Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Subs: Ramsdale, Cedric, Sweet, Bandeira, Elneny, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Nketiah
Arsenal jumped into second and ensured they kept pace with Liverpool after beating Burnley 5-0 at Turf Moor, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka (2), Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz.
Mikel Arteta named an unchanged side from the side that beat West Ham last week, with Emile Smith Rowe deemed fit enough for the bench following his absence last time out.
However, Gabriel Jesus (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) all missed out for the second successive game.
It took Arsenal just four minutes to take the lead when Gabriel Martinelli was freed down the left hand side, before finding Odegaard on the edge of the box who controlled and fired brilliantly into the bottom corner. 1-0.
There was a chance for Trossard shortly after when he was played in behind by Bukayo Saka, although his attempt to round goalkeeper James Trafford was thwarted by a strong right hand.
Burnley did call David Raya into action midway through the first half when Wilson Odobert snuck past Ben White and fired towards goal, but the Spaniard swung a big right hand to divert any danger.
A critical intervention from Sander Berge kept the score at 1-0 after Saka broke through again down the right, with Kai Havertz waiting at the back post for an easy tap in.
The hosts simply couldn’t handle Havertz throughout the first period whose movement – and ability to interchange with Trossard – was making a mockery of their backline, and the Belgian should have doubled the lead but totally mis-kicked his effort after being found by Saka.
Just before half time, Arteta’s men were awarded a penalty when Trossard was clumsily brought down by Lorenz Assignon after lovely interplay between Odegaard and Havertz cut Burnley wide open.
Saka stepped up and slotted into the bottom corner, although Trafford will feel frustrated not to have saved the effort out after diving the right way. 2-0.
It was another dominant half from the Gunners who restricted their opponents to just two shots on goal – none of which were on target.
Less than two minutes after the restart, Saka found himself on the scoresheet again for his second and Arsenal’s third after blasting a right-footed effort into the roof of the net, before Trafford even had a chance to move. 3-0.
His second brace in as many games, and scoring in four consecutive Premier League games for the first time in his career.
Trossard was guilty of missing two more presentable opportunities – one of which denied Martinelli an incredible ‘crab football’ assist after some great improvisation in the penalty area, but would eventually get his goal with Arsenal running riot.
Jakub Kiwior broke free down the left and his crossed squirmed through to Trossard, who curled confidently into the corner on his left foot. 4-0.
Arsenal soon added a fifth and it came from Havertz who enjoyed arguably his best performance in a Gunners shirt, springing the offside trap and nutmegging a retreating defender before finishing smartly on his weaker side. 5-0.
With eyes quickly diverting to Porto, Arteta rang the changes with Cedric, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah all introduced for White, Rice, Havertz, Saka and Trossard.
For the second time in a week it was pure dominance from Arsenal who have returned from Dubai in fine form, scoring 21 goals and conceding just two in five games.
Do Porto play in claret and blue, by any chance?
“Stadiums are empty everywhere we go” 😂😂 the Arsenal away fans are unbeatable.
That was exactly all I wanted; another tonking, another Saka brace (at least) to stuff the mouth of the likes of Rio Ferdinand. And I am beginning to get sold on Kiwior. Since Arteta has found a solution (Ben White inverting), maybe we should just continue with him there.
It’s a great solution especially as Gabriel looks fine at CCB in the build-up, which is the consequence of that move. It has looked really good against the smaller teams. I’m excited to see it against the better oppositions.
0 shot on goal vs 6 and we scored 5, plus a clean sheet. We rocked!
Only 5 goals this time, we’re going downhilll…
…says another ‘fan’ looking to get lots of down votes…
Kiwior doing great plus Tomi, Zinny and Timber to come back. Our defence is looking v strong!
Are we good or are we just good?
What I’m noticing right now is that newer arrivals are really clicking recently. We’re currently witnessing the rise of Kiwior and both Havertz and Raya are looking way more settled.
Exactly 👍
“The Rise of Kiwior” sounds like it could be next installment in the Godzilla franchise
Godzilla vs Kong III: The Rise of Kiwior
What a goal from Havertz just pure impudence.
Just imagine what we’d be like if we had a striker and could actually score goals.
Did you like the finish from Odegaard and the right footer from Saka? It’s not about a superlative #9, it’s about the team making chances for each other by using space intelligently.
He was being sarcastic
Well spotted. My bad.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I know right
Traveling fans! Just wow! Goosebumps for 90 minutes. Thank You so much!
I like our uninverting left-back.
*The Dominator
I can get used to this. Half of our team putting the ball at the back of the net again! COYG!!!
Tough day at the office for The Cockermouth Kid
Don’t you dare celebrate, we’re watching you Arsenal fans. Yours seriously, the celebration police aka silly cunts aka lovers aka thin skinned fuckers aka wallies aka tories
Haha meant losers ffs, anyways was probably funnier than I thought it was in any case. Celebrate life gooner lovers x
Some pundit somewhere surely:
“Arsenal won 5-0 on the road and Arteta and the players looked like they didn’t even care! A few smiles, some calm hugs at the end of the game, and that’s it? Clearly they have no passion! They don’t care! Pathetic! They will never win because they are too passive and have no fire! Look at Klopp, that is a coach with some fire, not a passive blank like Arteta! Shameful!”
That’s a statement from the lads ! Marker down, let the others worry about the might of the Young Guns
Btw Kiwiors position to lose now though he was excellent but then again they all were !
my gut instinct was to say are you crazy, Zinchenko with his technical mastery waltzes back into this team… then again we just beat two supposedly very good low block teams, the sort of teams we supposedly most need Zinchenko to break, 6-0 and then 5-0 with Kiwior in the team… so maybe?
It’s an interesting one. The team is playing differently since the new year. Instead of everything to feet and the buildup all funneling through 1-2 people, the passing is more diversified and everyone is just looking to see who is in space. We don’t notice Kiwior in possession because the team knows not to give him the ball in precarious places. Teams haven’t figured out how to punish us for that, but they will. I think Zinchenko can thrive with this new philosophy, no problem at all.
Good point. Zinny for sure can add even more to this style offensively, but on the other hand you could easily imagine both of these games going very differently if he has one of his characteristic defensive lapses and allows them to score one before we make it 2-0. And I could never imagine him pulling off the sort of defending Kiwi did after Saliba got beat today, just completely anticipating the opponent, getting ahead of him and then becoming a brick wall. And also with his height alongside Saliba and Gabriel are teams even going to try lobbing it… Read more »
Yeah, for sure I like what he gives us off the ball. I think he’s a good squad option as a situational substitute or as an alternate to big Gabi. I don’t foresee much more than that because of his limitations on the ball (weak foot!!), but that’s still good value for what we paid.
Kiwi and Zinny are good players but neither is the total package. I believe that’s why we went out and got Timber, another versatile young player dripping with athleticism, desire and talent. I think we’ll bring in one more like that this summer.
Is he more limited on the ball than Gabi though? I haven’t analysed it that closely, seemed to me like he has great quality on the ball for a central defender and could easily be our long term starting LCB if not for Gabi. And I don’t think neither he nor Timber were ever imagined at LB so both have been great positive surprises there. Whether we bring someone else in there I think depends on whether someone leaves and whether Arteta thinks Timber is the long term solution there, which if he can get back to what he showed… Read more »
Not everything damn thing needs analyzing and fixing for God’s sake, I have always said Kiwior is a good player and he has been great. It wouldn’t hurt you to give him credit. I remember vividly how many times Zinchenko lost possession of the ball in dangerous places that cost or almost cost us goals. Kiwior is playing well, simple.
good analysis right there
Keep it up lads!
Although I am rapidly running out of celebratory cigars 😉
That Havertz goal was sweet.
60 million down the drain is starting to seem like it might end up being a bargain
He does still look awkward in front of goal but you can’t argue with the work he does outside the penalty box. An ideal Arteta player. No ego, can play multuple positions effectively, physically robust, always available, works his shorts off every game, and oh yeah, lots of quality on the ball too. People forget this but he’s still just 24.
Until the 11th of June, when he’ll be 25. But until then he’s 24, because that’s the way it works.
Even funnier were the Burnley defenders trying to play him offside at the throw in 🤣
Their set-piece coach made sure someone man-marked Ben White on every corner to block him from blocking their keeper, but they must have run out of time to practice defending throw-ins.
Lol wow, did you see that “foul” on Adeyemi, i think it was? He was basically sumo wresting with BW, back turned to the ball, got thrown down on his face, whistle goes. Curious decision to say the least. But it does show teams are paying attention. We’re going to have to train an alternate in the BW dark arts to keep teams guessing.
Get in there!!
We must be doing alright if fats has no constructive comments. Good times!
Fats, no offense, you’re a legend and nothing less!
You can see the drop in fluidity when we send nketia, Nelson and Cedric. Move these 3 on in the summer. Mean time get Jesus, Partey, Zinchenco and timber back and the squad is looking very strong. Confidence is sky high. Looking forward to Porto
Funnily I didn’t see any drop in fluidity at all. I thought Nelson particularly looked good.
I agree with Arteta on most things but the way he uses Nketiah is not one of them. His profile at the 9 clearly doesn’t suit a buildup heavy approach. He needs to be used in the Martinelli role on the LW as the uber-athletic outlet. He could be very good there against teams that want to push up on us or when we are leading. Of course he doesn’t have Martinelli’s 1 v 1 ability in tight spaces, so not going to be useful there at 0-0 against a team like Forest, for example. As for Reiss, I want… Read more »
I like Kiwior.
#metoo
Good performance against poor opponents who found out early that roughing us up doesn’t work any longer.
Havertz having a significant impact with his runs creating space.
Trossard eventually scored but had a game to forget. Kiwior looking the part.
Marti at his best since the clubs winter holiday in the sun. Running fb’s instead of cutting in
Leagues best goal difference- who would have thought !
This must the fourth time I have thought that Trossard keeps wasting opportunities–and then he scores. So, you can look it either way: Trossard wastes a lost of chances; Trissard scores in every game.
All good goalscorers miss chances. The great ones keep shooting!
Arsenal have now conceded just one shot on target in last 3 games and scored 14 goals during this run. This is borderline bullying now.
If Chelsea beats City tonight, this will be a perfect weekend!
The only slight skidmark in the pants being that Chelsea fans would be happy.
If the City fans are sad, it’ll cancel it out.
All that is excellent except that I don’t think we can count on Chelsea argh ffs.
It turns out we can and City did drop points! Next on my wishlist is City & Liverpool playing a draw at Anfield!
Kinda sad we couldn’t even get 6 again, but I guess we’ll get by with 5 this time. +11 goal difference swing in the span of 2 games is acceptable.
LFG!!!!!!
Why all these trashing other teams? Not fair and we fans don’t even have anything to complain about anymore.
Hasta la semana proxima para otro seis a zero, ciao!!!
Goal difference improving rapidly
I would argue the best team to watch in the Premiership
It’s kind of surreal after so many years of Sean Dyche to watch Burnley under Kompany. Dyche’s style is effective but certainly not the football I enjoy watching. Kompany is a JdP disciple and I thought his Burnley were excellent structurally against our buildup and also against our press in the first half. Kompany had a great setup to combat us in both of those scenarios. This game was won with individual quality. Our players were just superior accross the board. 5-0 was harsh on Burnley from a tactical perspective but a fair reflection of the gulf in individual quality.… Read more »
Sorry, who is JdP?
Juego de Posicion, aka Guardiolaball, but it goes back to Cruyff and beyond
love this lineup. smith rowe sharp too off the bench. in terms of what we can improve on. the team lost something after the triple subs and i think the team doesn’t trust nketiah – we seem to play like 10 instead of 11 after he came on and it impacted how the entire team played. odegaards passing was off after the subs, but he was playing passing like prime ozil before that.
Excellent all around! 🙂
Do we have any idea how far away are Tomiyasu, Zinchenko, Jesus and Partey from full fitness? It would be great if we could do some rotation in the next few games, and especially the full-backs would come in handy…
Kiwior seems intent on giving Arteta a left back selection headache.
I honestly don’t think there is a conversation to be had here. The first choice LB is Timber, second choice for most games is Zinchenko, Tomiyasu plays against elite RW dominant teams, and Kiwior is also an option.
Tomi is the Japanese guy in fast and furious.
Cool, quiet and gets the job done.
Poor old Tierny doesn’t even get on ‘the list
Looks like the best starting 11 just announced itself again.
Trossard’s 2 feet up top is my favourite choice, could have had more goals again, but.. you know. Damage.
Kiwior, nail it down son. Another assist too.
This is getting really boring now..
We’re oozing class and confidence now. Long may this last! Agree with Blogs that this was Havertz’ best game in an Arsenal shirt. He was an absolute menace, popping up everywhere. His workrate is really impressive too. COYG!!
Ben White!
Inverting like I told you zinny just shut it and do the work.
I was once a midfielder too.
(Joke tho)
Anyone else loving Benny Blanco’s shithousery in the goal mouth during corners?