{"id":1978,"date":"2020-12-13T22:52:42","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T22:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=1978"},"modified":"2020-12-15T17:41:40","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T17:41:40","slug":"brain-dead-xhaka-dooms-gunners-to-relegation-scrap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=1978","title":{"rendered":"Brain Dead Xhaka Dooms Gunners to Relegation Scrap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u00a9 Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So the results before we kicked off were all good for The Arsenal. No, not at the top of the table, where our interest had cooled since match day 2, but below us, where Sheffield United, WBA and Brighton had all lost and Fulham had only drawn.  As the game kicked off, we were seven points clear of the relegation zone, with our opponents Burnley in that 18th<\/sup> spot, on 6 points from 11 games. A win would take us to the dizzy heights of 14th<\/sup>, ten points clear of relegation. What is this defeatism, I hear those who have only known Arsenal since Mr Wenger took over? Well, settle down to real life I say, with decades of bitter experience behind me. Forget the heady days of titles, and top four. We are in a relegation scrap and on a miserable run of matches, especially at home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the groans of the online faithful, virtually the same team that tamely lost the NLD was chosen to take the field, with only a forced change of Elneny for Partey and both the current b\u00eate noires of Willian and Xhaka playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Elneny, Saka, Willian, Laca, Auba<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bench: Runarrson, Ceballos, AMN, Mustafi, Willock, Eddie, ESR<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mood in the bar was dark when this line up was announced. Everybody wanted to support our Basque manager. But there was a feeling that this dismal run had to end. Your correspondent was sadly unsuccessful in the ballot so took station in front of the TV with only a glass of malt to sustain him and Countryman Junior for company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first ten minutes were tedious. Same old, same old, with little or no attempt to take a man on or make progressive passes. After 10 minutes, a good move down the left saw the ball fall to Laca, around the penalty spot, but he miskicked. The ensuing corner saw Willian blaze over. Up the other end, Brady found Wood totally unmarked in yards of space in our area. Fortunately he made a complete Horlicks of it when he should have scored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally after 20 minutes we had a decent attempt on goal. After a passing exchange, Saka found Rob completely unmarked on the penalty spot. Sadly, his header was just over the bar. 30 seconds later, Auba had a chance to put Saka in, but a badly misdirected pass saw the Burnley defender sweep the ball away. After 27 minutes, a lovely flowing move saw Laca slipped in but Pope (the best English keeper?) blocked well with his legs. Laca surely had to do better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half an hour gone and, apart from the Wood chance, Leno had not had to stir from the deck chair where he was reading a novel and drinking a cup of tea. Brady was yellow carded for being a prat after KT3 was fouled, but really much ado about nothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half time. Same old, same old. To think I\u2019m missing the Strictly results for this dross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HT Arsenal 0-0 Burnley<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 No changes at half time. Much chuntering about Groundhog day in the bar and it\u2019s difficult to disagree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 50 minutes a lovely piece of play from KT3 on the left wing saw Auba in space. He drove to the byline then cut the ball back to KT3 who hit a sharp shot but straight at Pope. We were knocking on the door. Immediately, Auba ran through midfield, found Willian on the right, who found Saka who again fired the ball straight at Pope. Tierney left his opposing right back for dead and put in a great cross. Again it came to naught. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then came the turning point of the game. Right in the middle of our best spell of the match, Xhaka chopped down McNeil. He was carded for the foul (rightly) but then behaved stupidly, as VAR showed that he then went for the throat, with his hands, of a Burnley player. A richly deserved red card and utterly, utterly stupid. Get this man out of my club! There was no need to take that action, he was at fault in the first place. Surely, surely, enough is enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, Laca came off and Dani came on. But our whole momentum was killed. Once more we had to play 10 v 11 as a result of the total stupidity of a senior player. When will we learn?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 70 minutes, Burnley took off the big man, Chris Wood and brought on Vjadra. Hector was carded for a late challenge and misses the game against Southampton. On 72 minutes, Elneney put his hands in the face of Tarskowski.  It should have been a red card, but was generously given as a yellow. But we were punished immediately. The retaken corner was swung in and Auba steered it into his own net, our first goal conceded to a set piece this season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

73 mins Arsenal 0-1 Burnley (Auba og)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2000 strong crowd were silent and who could blame them? On 82 minutes, Eddie came on for the utterly useless Willian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 86 minutes, Saka picked up the ball on the right, stepped inside and fired a great shot, well saved by Pope (again).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FT Arsenal 0-1 Burnley<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Desperate under achievers: Xhaka, Willian, Auba, Laca, Bellerin and Arteta. The only positive performances came from Saka and Tierney. Leno had nothing to do. Elneny did some good things but should have been sent off. Centre backs did OK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are desperate times. We all want Arteta to do well but it\u2019s yet another awful Sunday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll win again
Don\u2019t know where
Don\u2019t know when
But I know we\u2019ll win again some sunny day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So the results before we kicked off were all good for The Arsenal. No, not at the top of the table, where our interest had cooled since match day 2, but below us, where Sheffield United, WBA and Brighton had all lost and Fulham had only drawn.  As the game kicked off, we were seven points […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1978"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1978"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1990,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1978\/revisions\/1990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}