Arsenal failed to further their hopes of finishing in the top four this season after Mikel Arteta’s side slipped to a 0-0 draw at home to Premier League bottom dweller’s Burnley.
As you would expect Arsenal dominated both possession and chance creation throughout the opening period, with the lively Martin Odegaard forcing Claret’s keeper Nick Pope into a fine save and Bukayo Saka curling an effort just wide.
The Gunners continued to push on during the second-half, but they struggled to break down a well-organized and resolute Burnley defence. The best of the chances would fall to skipper Alexandre Lacazette, but the Frenchman could not keep Emile Smith-Rowe’s pull-back on target despite having the goal at his mercy.
Speaking afterwards Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side lacked quality in the final third.
“We started slow, we looked leggy and didn’t have enough rhythm or intention to attack the way we wanted. We started to play better, more rhythm and threat and came out in the second half completely different,” Arteta told BBC’s Match of the Day.
“We tried in every different way but lacked the quality in the final third. At the end, when we have a really low block, you need spark and creativity to win football matches and today we didn’t do that.
“It is what they do, they want to play a slow game, it takes long, it is their game and you have to respect that.
“We need to start scoring goals and get back the players, the last four weeks it has been extremely difficult to put training sessions and squads together because of the amount of Covid and injuries.”
