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Kieran Tierney said Arsenal “deserved” to be booed after being surprised at home by Burnley, so how bad is the situation for the Gunners right now?
The defeat 1-0, Courtesy of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s own goal, it leaves the North London team in 15th place and on a seven-game losing streak in their last 10 league games.
Several of the 2,000 fans inside the Emirates Stadium expressed their discontent after the match.
“We are not showing the coach what we can do and how much we believe in him,” said Scottish international Tierney.
“In every game there are signs that we are doing a little better, but it is still not good enough.
“Hard work is the only thing [that can fix this], nothing more for it. There are no excuses. There’s nothing I can say that makes people believe that something positive is going to come out of this. “
Tierney is not wrong. If you’re an Arsenal fan, the stats make for a disappointing read:
- The loss means that Arsenal have lost four straight league games at home for the first time in 61 years.
- The Gunners have not found the net since open play for 12 hours and 32 minutes in the top flight.
- With four wins and a draw after 12 games, this is the worst start to a season in the top flight since 1974-75, when they won two and drew three.
- Their 10-goal tally after 12 Premier League games is the lowest at this stage of a season at the top flight since 1981-82, when they numbered eight.
- Arsenal have received six Premier League red cards since Mikel Arteta took office last December, twice as many as any other team in the same time frame.
The latest act of bad discipline cost them dearly against Burnley.
Sunday’s red card was shown to Granit Xhaka for grabbing the throat of Clarets midfielder Ashley Westwood just before time, and the visitors grabbed the winner 15 minutes later.
It was the second time this season that an Arsenal player has been sent off for violent conduct after the £ 72 million club signed Nicolas Pepe’s red card for a header in a draw against Leeds last month.
The hosts were lucky not to receive a second red of the match when Mohamed Elneny raised his arm to James Tarkowski’s face in a corner kick, causing the Egyptian to receive a yellow.
When asked if Xhaka’s firing was unacceptable, Arteta told BBC Sport: “Yes. In my opinion, it is too much will to get it right, to compete to do everything.
“We take it to the wrong side, when you cross the line you will be punished.”
There is nothing easier for Arsenal, who will host Southampton in form at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
Asked where the performance against Burnley leaves his side, the Spaniard replied: “In a worse position.
“When you have this type of performance you have to win games, you have to win that simple. It puts us in a difficult position and we have to try again on Wednesday.
“I am clear about what needs to be improved. I don’t know how to get the ball into the net.”
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “If I’m an Arsenal fan listening to that Mikel Arteta interview, I’m worrying about the coach.
“He said he was delighted with the attitude, that he had sent off a player with good reason and Mohamed Elneny should have gone too.”
“He said they played well, he said they were too willing. He may be wrong, but I didn’t see it. I think he was wrong.”
Former Arsenal defender Alex Scott added on MOTD2: “First of all the Granit Xhaka tackle, you don’t need to do that in that area of the field. Then the reaction – you’re disappointing your teammates, the fans. It totally changed the game With VAR you cannot do this.
“It’s that red fog, it’s about having that control and knowing that you can’t do that and in the position we’re in, my team needs me.
“When you watch today’s game, who is the star of Arsenal? It’s young left-back Kieran Tierney. I’m very disappointed in Willian, how many times I saw him pass the ball and not even move.
