Well, we lost a game against Bournemouth, we couldn’t win against Liverpool when we should have and have fallen 5 points behind the leader Man City in the league table. Things aren’t going our way, with the injury list as big as it can get and some very unfortunate red cards shown to us. And to top it off, we get to play the third game in a week against a very physical, aggressive Newcastle side away from home.
But, I’m sure Arteta would be showing our last visit to St. James’ Park when we were shoved (Gabriel – Bruno), had verbal altercations (Rice – Bruno) and wrong ref/VAR calls were given (the only goal of that game). There’s only one thing we can’t control, but we are going to counter their physicality with our ‘Dark Arts’ and I’m sure players Kai Havertz would have been giving lectures.
It’s a very important game for us, Newcastle are vulnerable at the moment and if we manage to win, it keeps us in the title challenge.
Team News
In the team news, Big Gabi is doubtful to make it to the playing XI after missing out the game against Preston. William Saliba is the only surety in that backline, after serving the red against Liverpool which he picked up in the Bournemouth game. Ben White has picked up a joint injury and didn’t train this week, so he could also miss out. It will be a conundrum for Mikel to pick the back 4. Kiwior, Zinchenko, Saliba, Timber are available for sure, Thomas Partey could make it at the RB if Mikel tries to be smart and sacrifices one of Kiwior or Zinchenko.
Odegaard, Tomiyasu, Tierney and Calafiori will not be available.
Zinchenko made the Preston game so he is most likely to start at LB position And Timber should start on the right side. It’s going to be a very tough, physical, intense game and I hate to say it but Calafiori was more suited for this than Zinchenko. Newcastle are a tough team and they play a good attacking, pressing game. Kiwior dropped a good performance against Preston and if it’s up to me, I would rather see him play than Zinchenko.
Midfield? It’s going to be usuals – Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino. Partey still has his footballing vision intact but he has lost some of his athleticism and is pushed off the ball very easily. In a physical game, we need players than can shield the ball from opposition and take those blows without affecting one own’s performance. Declan Rice can do that but Partey can’t. I would rather fix Rice as a DM, Merino by his side in the defensive duty and let Nwaneri play an advance role like Odegaard used to do.
Front 3 should be back to basics, Marts, Havertz and Saka. Lets not try to be smart here.
Wrapping Up
We had beaten Newcastle 4-1 at home the last time we played in Premier League. Havertz, Saka and Kiwior were on the scoresheet with the 4th goal being an own goal from Botman. Willock scored from the Newcastle side. We had lost the first tie when Anthony Gordon’s controversial goal was the highlight of the day. The ball was out of play, ref and VAR decided it wasn’t and it was given a goal against us.
We have a problem physically if Ben White is not available today. Newcastle and Bruno G in particular are going to be physically intimidating. Declan Rice, and Thomas Partey can sustain that a bit but we need someone to be on offensive side. Havertz is the only one left with ‘Dark Arts’ and I would surely miss Ben if he don’t make it today.
I want us to thrash them, humble them a bit at their home and I want us to move closer to the top of the league.
Right, that’s all for today. See you during the match.
Ambarish
You got it right about Howe tactics of getting over a physical and tall Arsenal backline by floating the passes.
Saw the replay of Isaak goal. ( Had missed the opening as I was busy fussing over the dogs ). Gordon floated the pass. Gabriel was close to Isaak and jumped as well , but the ball found Isaak , who is also tall and can jump
– unlike our gangly giraffe
the key difference is within the midfield, as there’s a blueprint out for dealing with us now that we don’t have any creativity through the middle of the pitch…we have too many of the same sort of players, (Havertz, Rice, Merino) none of whom get things done in the final third…we should have started Ethan instead of Tross
Partey is a better player for progressive play than most.
Unfortunately gets flayed for age related issues and corresponding wrong deployment by ElB ,who does not realise his limitations and gets Partey exposed
simply-put, we’ve become a much ado about nothing kind of club…Juve North, but not the dominate version during Allegri’s first tenure
Trossard is a great player but he is not fit for games like these.. Thomas Partey nutmegging Willock lol..
Bruno G doesn’t just behave like a cunt but even look like one..
Tross is a depth player, not a starter, on any team actually competing for things
If you are going to get a yellow, atleast do it properly Mikel..
Merino on a card.
So guess we might see Nhwari earlier than 84 minute
We could be in more trouble iwhen the game opens up more. Newcastle still edging it.
Nwaneri and Zinchenko coming in..
for all the chatter about Havertz’s home scoring streak, which has since ended and included only one tally of note, Isak, who’s a vastly better Striker, has scored a goal in 12 straight here
Not Zinchenko
you know things are shit when MA starts subbing in players before the 60th
five minutes to go until Wenger time. Will Arteta bring on Ethan?
Get Nwaneri on the ball and see his class
Tony—at least Zinchenko allows Timber to return to his better side and possibly help Saka
El B read my post
True TRVL just his defense skills worry me.
to be clear I don’t want him on the pitch, but at least that’s his natural position
69 minutes and still no shots on goal
I might be wrong, but I feel like Tross only scores when he’s a sub
I hear you TRVL. White for Timber makes sense.
Yellows are flowing now.
according to the stats offered up by the commentator this could be our title hopes dashed, should we lose, as no one has found a way to win being so far back at this juncture of the season (minus Blackburn during a 42 match season)
I know I was harsh on Tross, but surely replacing him with Jesus isn’t the answer…so much for the Timber on the right side narrative
Set piece play is really intelligent. The usual battery moved in a group towards the centre of goal. Before that Tossard of quick reflexes was kept back ,to where Rice delivered the ball. Everything was packed so shot could not go in. Without Jover and Raya we would have been mid table by now.
After things move up guess ElB will work to move Jover out in case his impact becomes too noticeable.
Didn’t make sense Jesus on for Tross either. Trossard scores Jesus doesn’t or hasn’t, so a real head scratcher.
We have to win here but lucky to get a draw. Need to get a shot on target first. Got about 20 minutes to do it.
imagine spending a Billion fucking dollars but only managing 1 shot on target for the first 75 minutes against a slightly above average side
Funny live score has nil shots and FotMob says we had one.
Then let’s score with the next one
“Defence wins you titles”
This is so very true but you also need the midfield and someone at the top to score.. we have been very solid defensively when our usual back 4 is available but there is no creativity at all in the midfield. Thomas Partey was spark, which has fused. Declan Rice was having fun at West ham but we have shoehorned him into a robot that has it’s limited task. Martinelli only remember how to hug the line and keep 2/3 players with him and is considered a smart move by Arteta I suppose.
Saka is given some free hand and we see why he scores more than Havertz. We needed a mix of Wenger and Mourinho but we only got the latter.
Tony
Jesus will score a hat-trick in last 10 min. He cries for game time so he is going to prove everyone wrong that he can score.
Mikel believes in him so much I’m sure that’s gonna happen.
maybe if the plan was to go full Stoke we should have at least bought a set piece taking specialist, like a Charlie Adams, just not the chunkier latter days version
Ok Ambarish I wish I was as confident as you🙄
defence doesn’t win you titles, it’s having such a good enough offence that it limits your opponents chances that wins titles…this tends to fluff-up your stats…that’s why Klopp and Pep were dominate for so long
Bet MA wished he’d bought a real striker last summer
Five minutes to get a point
Bruno Guimarães is a bit more advanced in the dirty arts than Grandmaster Jorginho
Surely questions have to be asked why only one shot on target in 90 minutes?
So Arteta’s genius move to change a torid first half performance was to bring on a left back to play at left back, move the right back who was playing at left back to right back and then move the CM who was at right back to centre midfield.
Why do I have an image of a huge Cruise Liner, a fucking great big Iceberg and some cunt rearranging deck chairs?