Games against Burnley are never pretty.

Every year since I can remember there has been a Premier League team that plays “anti-football”.

From Bolton to Blackburn, Stoke City and now Burnley.

Sides that play a physical game, often committing challenges that are let go by the referee. Their aim is to stop their opponents beating them by all means possible rather than winning a game themselves.

They do not concede many, and score even less.

Burnley rarely lose by more than a single goal, so it was not a surprise that the game finished 1-nil.

They do not play the way they do due to necessity – plenty of teams with similar budgets play much better football. They play the way they do by choice.

Sean Dyche is in the box with the likes of Tony Pullis and Sam Allardyce where losing 1-nil is considered a good result.

And like with Pullis and Allardyce, Dyche is always quick to point to being mistreated by the officials to excuse a defeat.

On Saturday Burnley we’re awarded a penalty. It was overturned by a combination of VAR and Anthony Taylor.

The correct decision was made – Aaron Ramsdale got a huge chunk of the ball before the Burnley striker went over his out stretched foot.

Dyche, in his post game comments, still managed to complain.

He someone managed to make a point that even though he agreed the referee got it right, it was not as clear and obvious enough for VAR to intervene.

I have no idea what medication Dyche is on but would advise the nurse up his dose.

So it was a solid victory for us, won by a fantastic free kick by Martin Odergaard.

Burnley offered very little and what they did offer – high balls into the box – Arsenal dealt with it well.

Ramsdale was commanding in his box, claiming everything. Whilst Gabriel showed the monster of the defender he came became.

A lot has been made about Ben White’s deficiencies in the air – something that was rarely mentioned when at Leeds United or Brighton – but he was never exposed. In fact it was with the ball at his foot that led to the error that saw Burnley awarded a penalty.

2 wins from 2 since the international break. 2 clean sheets. Both 1-nil victories. We slowly build.

Up next Wimbledon in the League Cup before Spurs next Sunday.

Up The Arsenal.

Keenos

There is no debate that Folarin Balogun is too good for under 23 football.

Another 2 goals for the Arsenal U23s against Chelsea has taken his tally in the Premier League 2 to 23 goals in 46 games.

Balogun made his U23 debut back in the 2017/18 season. In 2019/20 he scored 10 goals in 15 U23 appearances. And than last season he added another 9 in 18 appearances.

Having signed a new contract in the summer, it was expected he would progress to become a regular in Arsenal’s first team squad.

Balogun started the first game of the season as a Covid hit team lost to Brentford. He came off the bench for the last 11 minutes against Chelsea in the Premier League but has not made the match day squad for any of the last 3 Premier League games.

Ahead of him he has Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacezatte, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli.

With 4 strikers ahead of him, and Arsenal not in Europe, Balogun will unlikely get a sniff of first team action this season.

But he has outgrown the U23 scene, despite still being just 20.

It was a probably a mistake not to loan him out for the season over the summer. Pick a Championship side in need of a striker where he would play week in week out. Like when Nketiah went to Leeds United.

With Lacazette and Nketiah’s contracts set to expire next summer, Balogun will quickly go up the pecking order and will likely be 3rd choice striker behind Aubameyang and Martinelli.

But for him to prove himself as worthy of being int he equation he needs to start playing regular men’s football.

U23 football is no longer enough for Balogun. He has outgrown it.

In January, Edu needs to find the correct team to move him onto for a 5 month loan deal. Then we can see what he is really made of.

Keenos

It might have finished 1-0 but another day it could have been 3 or 4.

30 shots was the most in the Premier League under Mikel Arteta as we created chance after chance.

Nicolas Pepe was stopped from opening the scoring due to a fantastic block by Brandon Williams prior to setting up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal.

Aubameyang would shot straight at Tim Krul. He should have done better. Likewise Emile Smith Rowe, having shifted the ball to his stronger foot, should have finished his shot. Bukayo Saka hit the rebound wide.

It was a Norwich City side that had conceded 10 goals prior to Saturday and there will be tougher tests to come. But the green shoots of recovery were clear and obvious to everyone.

Arsenal looked energised, pressing from the front.

Aubameyang down the middle looked a new man. Closing dow the keeper and keeping the defenders honest.

Martin Odegaard in behind him showed why he was always Arsenal’s first choice as a 10.

Not only does he bring he bring quality on the ball but also a high work rate.

There is no point the striker pressing if those behind you do not.

With Odegaard and Bukayo Saka backing up Aubameyang the Norwich team were constantly under pressure in their own half. Time and again we won the ball off their midfield.

Arteta was also able to put out what was is his strongest defence.

Again it is only Norwich but the back 4 looked solid and composed.

Taking into account their age profiles, the defence will grow together as a unit the more they play together. Hopefully Arteta refrains from the chopping and changing of last year in the back 4.

Burnley next weekend will be a tougher test for the defence. Expect some high balls into the box to test Ben White and Gabriel.

Overall, it might have only been 1-nil to The Arsenal but there were a lot of positives to take out of the game.

Have a good Monday.

Keenos