Arsenal 0-0 Burnley: 5 talking points from Premier League draw

5. Arsenal Field 8 Hale End Graduates in Squad

While the circumstances forced it plenty, what a special sight it was to see no less than eight Hale End graduates in the squad. Five of Arsenal’s substitutes hadn’t played a minute of Premier League football, while four hadn’t played senior football for the club yet.

It also tells you a lot about the state of this team at the minute.

Arteta had no choice with injuries and absences ripping through his squad, but with young attackers on the bench like Omari Hutchinson and Mika Biereth, why they weren’t used as a final hurrah for others who were clearly blowing feels like a potential missed opportunity.

There is nothing to say they would have won the game for Arsenal. They’re young and haven’t made the step up yet for a reason.

However, desperately chasing a goal and some threat in the box, the scope was there to bring Biereth on for a central defender and truly go for it. Everyone was waiting for a big final push that never came.

It’s all a bit of ‘what if?’ Hutchinson has been in superb form of late and could have offered some unpredictability to what was painfully predictable football from plenty of tired legs. Even if they’re inexperienced, the bench could have been put to better use.