Arsenal vs. Burnley: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Arsenal's Premier League campaign received a major boost courtesy of last week's 2-0 away win over struggling Sunderland. The Gunners will now welcome the sight of Burnley, another side mired in relegation trouble.
The newly promoted team have found goals extremely hard to come by since returning to England's top flight for the first time since 2009. Manager Sean Dyche will know that troubling a confident Arsenal team won't be easy, especially at the Emirates Stadium.
Before a preview, here's all of the relevant schedule and viewing information:
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Date: Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014
Time: 3 p.m. (GMT) / 11 a.m. (ET)
TV: Sky Sports 1 (Soccer Saturday updates)
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (US Only)
Preview
One of the more intriguing aspects of this game will be where Gunners boss Arsene Wenger deploys forward Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean has been in sensational form for Arsenal this term, netting eight goals in 15 appearances, per Arsenal.com.
His latest strikes included the brace that earned the Gunners all three points at the Stadium of Light. They came with Sanchez playing behind the striker, as opposed to his usual wide role.
The shift in position gave the former Barcelona man more room to roam, according to veteran Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta, per Arsenal.com reporter Rob Kelly:
"We wanted to give a bit more freedom to Alexis, playing a bit behind Danny [Welbeck], more like a 4-4-2, which we haven't played for a while. It worked - I think Alexis did very well today so we're happy for him.
His confidence is high. Physically he's better, you can see that by the runs he was making in the 93rd minute, [when he] chased the keeper and kept going. That's all about him - he wants to keep going, he wants to improve and he's doing very well.
"
The reintroduction of the 4-4-2, or at least some version of it, is an excellent tactical ploy from Wenger. It's one he hinted at earlier this season, according to Gunnerblog writer James McNicholas:
Football's classic formation has always suited Arsenal best during Wenger's tenure. That's because the Frenchman's brand of football, while fluid and expansive, is also surprisingly structured.
It relies on numbers, those that tally quick combinations of passes between triangles of attacking players. Playing with an extra striker and a flat quartet in midfield gives the Gunners greater balance and creates more room for runners to exploit.
Operating through the middle can also bring out the best in Sanchez. His direct pace and eye for goal are major threats from the centre.
The problem is that Wenger has so many central midfielders that he rarely feels comfortable adopting a 4-4-2 shell. His desire to get as many playmakers on the field as possible is behind the use of tactical structures such as 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1.
Either of those guises could be adopted again now that Jack Wilshere is back. The young English terrier was suspended for the trip to Sunderland.
Wenger has been very keen to get Wilshere as much playing time as possible this season. However, that desire too often alters the shape of the team, leaving it unbalanced. Wilshere is also frequently guilty of slowing down the pace of Arsenal's passing.
The Gunners can play quicker and more freely from a 4-4-2 shape. It would be a shame to see Wenger abandon that just to fit Wilshere alongside Arteta, Santi Cazorla and Mathieu Flamini.
Of course, no matter how Arsenal line up, Dyche will instruct his players to pay the most attention to Sanchez. But the Burnley gaffer will be just as concerned about his own team's scoring potential.
The Lancashire outfit have managed just five league goals this season, per PremierLeague.com. Yet in fleet-footed forward Danny Ings, Dyche has a player who can cause Arsenal problems on the break.
The problem is finding enough ways to free Ings' pace. That won't be easy if the Clarets cede control of possession to Arsenal's talented and ball-hogging midfielders.
Predicted Final Score: Arsenal 3-0 Burnley
The Gunners have scrapped their way to a pair of ugly wins over Anderlecht and Sunderland in their last two fixtures. But while the performances may not have earned artistic points, the actual points accrued will have lifted a squad in desperate need of a confidence boost.
Armed with renewed hope, Arsenal can make easy work of a Burnley team that already appears out of its depth.
