Where do we go from here? Three things we learned from Arsenal 0-1 Burnley

Mikel Arteta

Brainless Xhaka, sympathy for Saka and Arteta in trouble: Three things we learned from Arsenal 0-1 Burnley

For Arsenal fans, bleak home defeats in 7.15pm Sunday kick-offs have become as much a part of 2020 as Zoom quizzes and the word 'unprecedented'.

Once upon a time, Arsenal being in a relegation dogfight at Christmas could also have been filed under unprecedented – not any more.

There was something particularly grim about this latest defeat. Whether it was Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang finally breaking his goal drought – at the wrong end – or the crushing inevitably as soon as Burnley scored that Arsenal would not find an equaliser, this was a new low point in a season already consisting of a fair share.

It was a performance that had all the hallmarks of 'classic Arsenal' in 2020/21. A needless sending off, no attacking threat and an increasingly lost looking Mikel Arteta wondering quite how it has come to this.

This year has had a strange effect on time, and how long ago things feel – and it’s fair to say, looking at yesterday’s performance, lifting the FA Cup feels an awful lot longer than four months ago.

At this rate, the only way Arsenal look set to finish in the top four next season is if the away games are at Luton and Millwall rather than Liverpool and Manchester City.

Let's pick over the latest shambles with three things we learned from Arsenal's latest humbling defeat…

Xhaka uses up last embers of goodwill

There looked to be no way back for Granit Xhaka when he was booed off the pitch and gave as good as he got in return while exiting the field against Crystal Palace last season.

His journey since then has almost mirrored that of Arsenal under Arteta. A renaissance, some excellent performances and now a regression to days we had hoped were behind us.

For anyone who had forgotten Xhaka's uncanny ability to become a liability, the Swiss midfielder provided a useful reminder on Sunday by grabbing Ashley Westwood around the neck following an innocuous coming together in the middle of the park.

A red card – via VAR review – was the inevitable outcome and provided further evidence that Arsenal have a selection of senior players who simply cannot be relied upon.

Patrice Evra revealed afterwards that Thierry Henry once turned off his TV when he saw Xhaka lining up as Arsenal captain. If he is instantly recalled after this latest brainless suspension, there will be millions of Arsenal fans around the world doing exactly the same.

Sympathy for Saka

At the age of 19, Bukayo Saka is in the unenviable position of carrying almost the entirety of Arsenal's attacking threat (if it can be called that) on his shoulders.

Saka has been a bright spark in an otherwise awful season and provided about the only glimmer of light against Burnley – fans must hope the burden of responsibility does not weigh him down.

Perhaps Saka's displays can be a lesson for Arteta in terms of trusting youth. The Europa League – particularly the weak group Arsenal have negotiated – is not the Premier League but the youngsters are playing with confidence and the senior players are not.

At this point, it can hardly get any worse. Only Sheffield United, West Brom and Burnley have found the net less than Arsenal this season and 10 goals from 12 games is a frankly unforgivable tally.

The likes of Eddie Nketiah, Flo Balogun – who needs game-time if he is to be convinced to sign a new deal – and Emile Smith Rowe could bring a fresh lease of life to this side and inject some much-needed zest.

Arteta up against it

Mikel Arteta came into this season with a goodwill not seen for an Arsenal manager since the glory days under Arsene Wenger – or perhaps the first campaign under Unai Emery.

Last season's FA Cup win has bought him time but how long can that realistically last? At what point do the board simply have to act before things get even worse? Will he even last until Christmas?

The problems at Arsenal extend far beyond the manager – that much has been clear for some time – but Arteta is arguably not helping himself at the moment with some questionable selections and a misguided loyalty to certain players.

The next three league games are against Southampton, Everton and Chelsea and on this form, it's quite conceivable Arsenal will not win any of them.

If that happens – and Manchester City win the Carabao Cup quarter-final in the meantime – Arsenal may well be entering 2021 on the hunt for a new boss.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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