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FA Cup Preview: Arsenal - Burnley
We Meet Again...
Arsenal and Burnley may not have met in a League match since 1976, but Sunday's delayed FA Cup fifth round tie will be the third time the clubs have encountered each other in cup football in just over a year - and the second time this season.
Last season the Gunners travelled to Turf Moor for an FA Cup third round clash and returned south on 6 January 2008 with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Eduardo after nine minutes and Nicklas Bendtner after 75.
However, on 2 December this season, Burnley won by the same score - also at Turf Moor - on their way to the semi-final of the League Cup, when goals in each half by Kevin McDonald and some outstanding goalkeeping by Brian Jensen sent Arsenal's previously impressive youngsters tumbling out of the competition. The Clarets had already beaten Fulham and Chelsea in the Carling League Cup and went on to lose agonisingly against Tottenham Hotspur in their first major semi-final for 25 years. Burnley, beaten 4-1 at White Hart Lane in the first leg, went 3-0 up in the second to force extra-time, but conceded two late goals to Spurs as tiredness took its toll, with a Wembley final a mere two minutes away.
Nevertheless, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will have seen enough of Owen Coyle's Clarets during that League Cup odyssey - including at first hand - to know his own players have a tough assignment to get through on Sunday.
Where Are The Priorities?
The FA Cup has become a priority for the Gunners this season given that their chances of winning the Premier League title have been blown away by five defeats before the end of November and too many draws since. It is coming up for four years since Arsenal last lifted a trophy - the FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out with Manchester United in 2005 - and although they reached the final of the Champions League in 2006 and the League Cup in 2007, their fans are growing impatient for silverware as other members of the 'Big Four' - and now Aston Villa this season - threaten to upstage them.
Next season the Gunners are in danger of missing out on the Champions League for the first time since 1997-98, though they remain in this season's tournament and will take a 1-0 lead to Italy next week for a return clash against AS Roma, with a quarter-final place the prize at stake.
A similar prize is up for grabs against Burnley in the FA Cup this weekend - a place in the last eight against Hull City - and both teams go into the tie heartened by midweek league wins. Arsenal broke a sequence of five consecutive draws, the last four of them goalless, by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 at The Hawthorns on Tuesday, closing the gap between themselves and fourth-placed Aston Villa to three points. Nicklas Bendtner's brace and a Kolo Toure header did the trick. On the same night, Burnley won a Lancashire derby at Blackpool 1-0 to go seventh in the Championship, a point and a place below the play-off positions. Norwegian left-back Christian Kalvenes struck his first Burnley goal in the 85th-minute to settle a game dominated - and spoiled - by a howling gale.
Burnley remain focused on trying to achieve promotion to the Premier League. They have 10 Championship games left, and getting back to the top flight, which they last graced in 1976, is undoubtedly their number one priority. This season is looking like their most promising since then - and certainly since 1987, when they were only one game away from dropping out of the Football League altogether.
As for Arsenal, they were obviously pleased not to set a new Premier League record for consecutive goalless draws, and equally obviously Wenger hopes the win at West Brom can spark a sustained run of scoring - and victories. He has also voiced concern about what he regards as a prevalence of reckless tackles that are inflicting injuries on players, and questioned whether the punishments being meted out actually fit the crime or need to be tougher.
But of the things he can influence directly, having a second opportunity this season to overcome Burnley, three months after that Carling Cup defeat, is no doubt top of his list right now, notwithstanding the looming showdown at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.
Like-Minded Gaffers
This time, the circumstances are somewhat different. The team that was beaten by an experienced and determined Burnley XI at Turf Moor was packed with teenage potential, whereas on Sunday the Clarets can expect to face a near full-strength Arsenal line-up from the players currently available for selection. The Gunners will also be in the familiar environment of the Emirates Stadium - though it is a moot point whether that is a major advantage: whereas Arsenal's travelling fans are vociferous, committed and back the team to the hilt, at Emirates there is a tendency for too many of the patrons to sit back expecting to be royally entertained with our without any vocal support, and then to complain loudly if the team struggle to break down their opponents. Dissatisfaction has been the soundtrack accompanying those recent goalless draws on home turf.
The last two of those stalemates offered an interesting contrast in frustration: Sunderland adopted a defensive strategy with a packed midfield to stifle Arsenal; Fulham took the game to their hosts in what was a far more open encounter. Arsenal failed to find solutions to either, despite creating plenty of chances against Fulham; but they can at least expect Burnley - buoyed by the manner of their last two performances against Wenger's side - to take them on by playing open, entertaining football. Coyle is not a manager to send his team out with a brief to strangle the life out of a game. His philosophy, like Wenger's, is to go forward. Indeed, he believes that taking the game to Arsenal offers the best chance of causing a major cup upset, and told Burnley's official website, "I expect an Arsenal side packed with quality and whoever plays you can guarantee they'll be an international player.
"That, in itself, tells you the enormity of the task, but we are going to look to be positive in the game and commit players forward at each and every opportunity and see where it takes us. I'm not going to set a team out to go and stop the game.
"We're taking over 5,000 fans and it would be remiss of me to just sit behind the ball and not offer anything in terms of an attacking threat. I'd much rather go and be positive in the game.
"Within that there's an element that could backfire and we'll be on the receiving end. But I believe in this group of players and when they're positive and look to pass and move the ball, we can create problems for the opposition. I believe for us to have a chance to win we have to go there and play." It could almost be Wenger himself speaking, and the Frenchman will certainly applaud the sentiment.
FA Cup Focus
Arsenal have won the Cup ten times, including three times already this decade. Football League founder members Burnley have won it once, 95 years ago. But the Clarets have only lost two of their last eight league and cup meetings with Arsenal. In the FA Cup specifically, Burnley won their first two ties against Arsenal in the late 1800s, but the Londoners triumphed in each of the four subsequent meetings. They scored seven against them in a fifth round tie in 1937, and won the last three 2-0, including last season's clash.
Burnley are seeking a second successive Premier League scalp in the FA Cup, after beating West Brom in the fourth round. In the third round they drew 0-0 away to Queens Park Rangers before overcoming the London side 2-1 after extra-time in the replay.
Burnley are the third successive Championship side that Arsenal have been drawn against in this year's competition. The Gunners beat Plymouth 3-1 at home in the third round, and were held to a goalless draw by Cardiff at Ninian Park in the fourth, then thumped the Bluebirds 4-0 at home in the replay.
Arsene Wenger has not yet lost an FA Cup tie to lower league opposition, although Burnley ran them close in last season's third round tie, and of course got the better of the Wenger boys in this term's League Cup. The last time Arsenal were humbled by a lower level team in this tournament was in January 1996, when Sheffield United from level two beat Bruce Rioch's side 1-0 in a third round replay at Bramall Lane.
FORM GUIDE
Arsenal
The Gunners are unbeaten in 16; winning seven and drawing nine since losing 2-0 away to FC Porto in the Champions League on 13 December. They are undefeated in 11 league and cup games at the Emirates; winning seven and drawing four following a 0-2 defeat by Aston Villa in the Premier League on 15 November.
03 Mar (Premier League) v West Brom (A) WON 3-1
28 Feb (Premier League) v Fulham (H) DREW 0-0
24 Feb (Champions League) v Roma (H) WON 1-0
21 Feb (Premier League) v Sunderland (H) DREW 0-0
16 Feb (FA Cup) v Cardiff City (H) WON 4-0
Burnley
The Clarets have avoided defeat in seven of their last eight matches in all competitions, and have failed to score in only one of their last 13 in league and cup.
03 Mar (Football League Championship) v Blackpool (A) WON 1-0
28 Feb (Football League Championship) v Sheff Wed (H) LOST 2-4
21 Feb (Football League Championship) v Norwich (A) DREW 1-1
17 Feb (Football League Championship) v Coventry (H) DREW 1-1
14 Feb (Football League Championship) v Wolves (H) WON 1-0
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal
Long-term injury victims Theo Walcott and Eduardo are likely to return to the squad against Burnley. Walcott has been out since dislocating his shoulder while on international duty with England in November. Eduardo suffered a hamstring injury after scoring two goals against Cardiff last month in his comeback from a broken leg and dislocated ankle.
Manager Arsene Wenger has said he hopes both players will be involved against Burnley, but defender Kolo Toure, who scored in midweek but was then substituted with a calf injury, will probably miss out. However, William Gallas, who missed Tuesday's win at West Bromwich, could replace Toure.
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor, defender Mikael Silvestree and midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky are all still sidelined.
Wenger told Arsenal TV Online on Friday, “I will see how they [Walcott and Eduardo] look tomorrow and Saturday but they will certainly be in the squad, especially Theo. We have to wait and see how Eduardo reacts and responds to his injury.
“We are quite optimistic about Kolo but we have to assess the situation today completely. I don't think I will involve him on Sunday. But Gallas should be back for Sunday and it looks to be like Kolo will be back for next week [against Roma]. Adebayor is definitely out for Sunday and for Roma too.”
Lukasz Fabianski will replace Manuel Almunia in goal as the Pole has been given the nod for FA Cup ties this season.
Squad: Fabianski, Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Gibbs, Arshavin, Denilson, Ramsey, Nasri, Vela, Bendtner, Almunia, Van Persie, Diaby, Song, Clichy, Eboue, Walcott,
Eduardo.
Last Starting XI (v West Bromwich Albion): Almunia, Sagna, Toure (Diaby 46), Djourou, Clichy, Eboue (Ramsey 67), Song Billong, Denilson, Nasri (Merida 83),
Bendtner, Arshavin.
Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Van Persie, Vela, Gibbs.
Burnley
Owen Coyle was anxiously hoping goalkeeper Brian Jensen, striker Martin Paterson and the two-goal hero of Burnley's Carling Cup win over Arsenal, Kevin McDonald, would be fit to play. His wish was granted with the news on Friday that Jensen, McDonald and Paterson will all be available for Sunday's game, despite having suffered knocks during the 1-0 win over Blackpool in midweek.
Coyle told the club's website, "Brian Jensen I expect to be fine, Kevin McDonald and Martin Paterson took knocks the other night similar to Brian, but they should all be OK for Sunday."
However, defensive pair Michael Duff and Rhys Williams will be missing. Duff is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season, while Williams - on loan from Middlesbrough - is unable to play because Boro, still in the Cup themselves, don't want their player cup-tied.
"It's disappointing Rhys can't play because he was desperate to be involved," said Coyle. "I'm disappointed but I can understand where Middlesbrough are coming from because they are still in the cup competition and they do have a recall within the contract, but it would have been great to have him available."
Squad: Jensen, Penny, Carlisle, Caldwell, Kalvenes, Alexander, Anderson, Jordan, Eagles, McDonald, Rodriguez, McCann, Blake, Elliott, Paterson, Thompson, Gudjonsson, Mahon, Kay, Berisha, MacDonald.
Last Starting XI (v Blackpool): Jensen, Williams, Carlisle, Caldwell, Kalvenes, Alexander, Eagles, McDonald (Rodriguez 84), McCann, Blake (Elliott 56), Paterson (Thompson 60).
Subs Not Used: Penny, Gudjonsson.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal
If Eduardo is deemed fit enough to start - still a big if - he will be eager to pick up where he left off against Cardiff in the previous round, making up for lost time in the goalscoring stakes. It is uncertain whether fellow striker Nicklas Bendtner will play, though the Dane scored twice against West Brom in midweek. He still has plenty to prove, not least against Burnley, having squandered some decent chances at Turf Moor in December.
Bacary Sagna has been outstanding at right-back for Arsenal, both defensively and in support of the attack, and it could be his crosses into the area for the likes of Bendtner and Eduardo that prove decisive.
Andrey Arshavin will be keen to build on a positive start for Arsenal, especially as he is ineligible for their Champions League games this season. His vision and passing have already been seen to good effect; now by his own admission he needs a goal, and the game on Sunday would be a good place to start.
Burnley
Captain Steven Caldwell will be leading by example and has been solid and consistent throughout the season. He is likely to offer a stern physical challenge to the Arsenal forwards, probably alongside Clarke Carlisle, who excelled against Carlos Vela in the League Cup tie.
Behind them goalkeeper Brian Jensen - 'The Beast' - could be in inspired form again. A cult hero at Turf Moor, Jensen defied the Gunners by saving half-a-dozen one-on-ones that laid the platform for their December cup win.
In attack, Martin Paterson is the Clarets' leading scorer this season with 17 goals to his name in what is his first season at Turf Moor. Fellow striker Steven Thompson has scored 10 times this season.
PREDICTION
While Burnley will make their first ever trip to the Emirates in confident mood, the Gunners will be aware that their opponents have leaked goals this season, and their open approach could leave them exposed, especially if Arsenal have their shooting boots on and can break Jensen's resistance.
Owen Coyle has admitted that Arsenal will probably enjoy lots of possession and that his players will have to "stand up and be counted," and defend their penalty area "with their lives".
But he expects them to take encouragement from their Carling Cup run, play positively and try to impose themselves on the game. They could leave gaps at the back which the Gunners must seek to exploit. For while this is a big game for Burnley, it is also a big game for Arsenal, particularly in the context of their season. As Wenger said in the build-up, “The most important thing for us is not to think about Roma, but to focus on this game and qualify. The best way to deal with the next game is to win this one.”
That is something they may well achieve, but it will take effort, application and patience from both the players and the fans. Goal
AC Milan vs Atalanta Preview
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has called for his side to get back on track with a win over Atalanta.
The Rossoneri, 12 points behind league leaders Inter Milan, will be desperate for a victory to make up for both their UEFA Cup exit last week and the 2-1 Serie A loss at Sampdoria last time out.
However, better news arrived yesterday when it was revealed Milan have secured a unique 'timeshare' deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy that will see David Beckham spend the bulk of the next 15 months with the Rossoneri.
Nevertheless, Galliani's immediate concern is to get three points on the board tomorrow.
"On Sunday we need to get back to doing well in the league and it is important that we recover some injured players," Galliani told club website www.acmilan.com.
"We have a number of players out injured and without them we are a different team.
"It seems to me that all teams experience some difficulty when they play their second line-up."
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has also expressed his disappointment at the number of players unavailable to him.
"It is a tough period for us but things will improve," he said.
"I am convinced that when we recover everyone we will be a different side and that the end of the season will tell a different story."
The Rossoneri's long list of injured players includes Marco Borriello, Gennaro Gattuso, Zeljko Kalac, Kakha Kaladze and Alessandro Nesta.
Massimo Ambrosini, Kaka and Ronaldinho also look increasingly unlikely to feature this weekend as they too are struggling with problems.
Ancelotti will recall Paolo Maldini and Filippo Inzaghi to the starting XI with Philippe Senderos and Luca Antonini making way.
Veteran defender Giuseppe Favalli is suspended.
Meanwhile, Atalanta midfielder Ferreira Pinto is hoping the Bergamaschi can cause the Rossoneri a few problems tomorrow.
The Nerazzurri's recent record against the Diavolo is good having won three of their last five encounters, including a 2-1 win at the San Siro last season.
However, the Orobici slipped further behind in the race for European qualification thanks to a second consecutive defeat, a surprise 2-0 loss at home to relegation-battling Chievo, last weekend.
"I am hoping to be the only Brazilian to emerge victorious on Sunday," Ferreira Pinto told www.bergamonews.it.
"It will be a great game. Both teams come off the back of defeats, two consecutive in our case. We have the duty to do better than in our last two games.
"We must get some points as we are not enjoying a positive spell. However, as a whole our season has been a good one, even if we don't manage to qualify for Europe.
"It will be difficult as Milan have just the championship left having been eliminated from the UEFA Cup."
Team-mate Diego De Ascentis is also expecting a tough time against his former club.
"It would be a mistake to expect an easy ride on Sunday," he said.
"The Rossoneri are going through a negative patch but it would be misleading to talk of a team in crisis.
"Besides, they have always shown the character to respond to difficult moments and emerge stronger than ever."
The Nerazzurri make the trip to the San Siro without a few key players.
Cristiano Doni and Christian Vieri are injured while defender Thomas Manfredini is suspended.
Coach Luigi Del Neri is expected to make just a couple of changes to the side that lost to Chievo.
Jose Talamonti will come in for Manfredini in defence while Jaime Valdes will replace Marino Defendi in attack. ESPN Star
