DYCHE TRAVEL WOE
SUDDENLY it is a crisis at Arsenal – two defeats in four days and Arsene Wenger is the man in the spotlight, his judgement is questioned.
Soft underbelly... men not up for the fight … do not like it when they have to play up in the north.
The Gunners boss has heard it all before. He knows when his team underperform, but the same things happened to Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. This season – and in seasons past. Now comes the test. On paper, the home game with West Brom should not provide the most exacting test of the season for Arsenal. But it is vital that Arsenal win. Chelsea lost two league games in a week in September and they haven’t looked back since. Now, Arsenal face the same challenge. The damage inflicted by the 2-1 defeats at Everton and Manchester City is not irreparable.
But what the Arsenal players must do is show heart and character to respond.
The momentum built up since their defeat at home to Liverpool in their first day of the season might have been interrupted, but there is no reason for it to be destroyed.
Destroyed
Those same players who turned Arsenal into title contenders are still at the club.
Of course, they miss Shkodran Mustafi, who has been superb alongside Laurent Koscielny this season and given Arsenal a solidity where they looked fragile before. His absence is a blow, but injuries occur. Jurgen Klopp, at Liverpool, has not had the gifted Philippe Coutinho available, Mourinho has had to do without Eric Bailly at Manchester United, Guardiola would love to have a fit Vincent Kompany at his disposal.
No, Arsenal’s problems have more to do with attitude than ability. Discontent among those not playing, weekly gossip about new contracts. Now it is time for focus and Wenger will ensure that is back on Monday when Tony Pulis brings his team to the Emirates.
Pulis is a warrior, so it is safe to assume his players will make life as tough and as uncomfortable as possible.
If Arsenal have to win ugly, so be it. During the Invincibles’ season of 2003-04, there were spectacular wins, but look through their record. There were several closely contested wins by one goal and draws too.
But then they had the ability to react to a setback during a game. Now, the class of 2016 must learn to do the same.
Wenger will have spent the days building up to the Boxing Day match, reminding the players of what is needed – that they will be remembered as a team who buckled when the going got too tough and there are too many egos at the Emirates and not enough energy.
Now is the perfect time to eliminate that perception. Surprise missive from FIFA that video replays will be used from January 1 to review offside decisions… backdated! BURNLEY have answered Sean Dyche’s plea to turn Turf Moor into a house of pain for visitors.
But the Clarets now need to pick up points away from home if their Premier League adventure is going to last more than one season.
They have the eighth-best home record in the division – better than Manchester United. But the only point they have collected on their travels was when they survived a United onslaught at Old Trafford in a goalless draw.
Dyche said: “I said, at the start of the season, that we had to turn Turf Moor into a fortress, so that part of the challenge has gone well so far.
“We are more than handy in front of our own fans – 16 points from nine games is a healthy return. But we need to start adding a few points when we go on our travels.
“We’re still a bit edgy, but there’ve been signs that we are coming to terms with that.”
Three of their next four Premier League games are at home – and Dyche will want a healthy return as Middlesbrough and Sunderland arrive in town over the festive period.
Burnley have been boosted by the return of Joey Barton, following the midfielder’s ill-fated spell with Rangers.
But the security that Dyche enjoys may also give them an edge in the battle for survival.