Aaron Ramsdale has challenged Arsenal to put together a run of form to match a Sky Bet Championship play-off push as the Gunners slipped up in the quest for the top four with a draw at home to Burnley.
The Clarets sit bottom of the Premier League and had not played a game in over three weeks but left the Emirates Stadium with a battling goalless stalemate on Sunday.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta bemoaned a “leggy” performance from his players as they head into the break sixth in the table.
Arteta will take his players to Dubai later this week for some warm-weather training as a forgetful January ends without a win, just one goal scored and with elimination from both domestic cup competitions.
The points are shared at Emirates Stadium— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 23, 2022
It remains to be seen if Arsenal will add to their ranks before the transfer window closes next week, with Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo and Fiorentina front man Dusan Vlahovic continued to be linked with the club.
Meanwhile Ramsdale, one of the club’s signings during the summer, wants to see a return to the pre-Christmas form which saw Arsenal put themselves firmly in the race for a Champions League spot.
“I think we have just been short in a few games really,” he said.
“The Man City one on New Year’s Day, we just fell short. Burnley, we just fell short with a goal, and then obviously in the cups anything can happen.
“But we are there, we are close, we just need to get back to a mini-run and you never know with momentum at the end of the season.
“We are almost looking at it as sort of a promotion push in the Championship, as you would said, and try and get into those play-offs – which is ultimately the top four for us.
“I will give credit to Burnley, we know what they are about. They defend really well, get men behind the ball, and I think it is frustrating on our behalf.
“We were putting balls into the box and we know that’s meat and drink for Burnley – just heading it away. For us, we didn’t create that little bit of quality that we needed.”
Burnley were back in action for just the third time this month but put in a performance which manager Sean Dyche wants to use as a building block for the rest of the campaign.
They may sit at the foot of the table but they are just four points adrift of 17th-placed Norwich, having played four fewer games.
Full-back Connor Roberts impressed on his full Premier League debut for the visitors and he too feels the Arsenal point could be the blueprint to Burnley staying up.
“We are at the bottom, there’s no hiding away from that,” he told the club’s official website.
🧱️𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗗 defensive performance at the Emirates yesterday 🧱️#ARSBUR | #UTCpic.twitter.com/HZG6qJrt5r— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 24, 2022
“But the only way is up now, fighting for every point and giving our all from now until the end of the season.
“We’re not going to play teams off the park and we’re not going to be the better team every game we play, but we will do what Burnley do and fight until the very last game.
“You have to stay switched on, when you come up against a big club who enjoy a lot of the ball and I thought we did that really well.
“Defensive-wise we were solid, as a back five then the midfielders in front and the two up top, everyone stuck in, and it paid off for us in the end.”
