Draw Premier League: Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle | Tuesday 3rd, January | KO: 19:45 BST Sky Sports

This is arguably the most difficult fixture in the league atm so we have to be at our very best. But they're essentially beatable. We're not the same team they slapped 3-0 at the backend of last season. We've taken giant strides since then. Thankfully, this fixture is at home.

Newcastle are a good team but with all due respect, were levels above them.

Their tactics have always been to suck teams in, force them to make mistakes am and then break break forward with pace. But we're a very technically secure team. I back us not to lose possession in dangerous areas tbh.

Prediction

Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Idk, Xhaka took up great positions towards the end and ended up doing quite well. The biggest issue looking inwards today was Ødegaard being completely off the boil but he’s flavour of the month so gets a pass.

I don’t think it’s right for us to pin this result on any of our players tbh. I know it’s AMs preferred coping mechanism and that. Can’t expect 9/10 from them all day everyday, doesn’t work like that. We didn’t win today because of our bench. And the refs but that’s by the by.

Not saying he played badly by any means. More that he takes up great positions but isn't fully comfortable in them when the ball is coming his way.

 

[db10_therza]

Its almost as If Zinchenko was delivering the ball to him in that area which is really difficult to do and why I think Zinny was motm and not Xhaka.... Naaaaahhhhh Zinny was making simple passes that only a handful of players in the league seem able to do.

Eh. I’m not sure you understood my point.

 

[Lady_Gooner]

Yeah I said before the game this was the worst game to drop points cause of the pressure it builds on the other two. I had NLD pegged as a nailed on L. Even if we get a point there, United at home becomes a cup final.

This is the NLDs last chance before I label it ****. They lose at ours, we lose at theirs and a red card in one of the fixtures.
We’ll beat Utd at home. We can’t drop points in back to back home games

 

[2Smokeyy]

We thoroughly outplayed Newcastle today. It was timewasting and a total dereliction of duty on the part of VAR that got them a point. If the best defensive team in the league had to cheat and have the referees bail them out to get a point, I'm not worried about less capable teams trying to replicate that tactic. Even with all that, if Martinelli, Ødegaard or Xhaka weren't having off nights, we'd still have beaten them with all that against us. I saw nothing to discourage me about this team tonight. City have lost game this season and nobody has asked whether whatever the other team did was a blueprint to beat them. This narrative is entirely because people are hoping or expecting us to bottle the league.

I’m not sure how you’re assuming that I’m expecting us to bottle the league. Where have I mentioned that???? I think you’re clearly jumping to conclusions.

City lost against Brentford before the WC and I was one of those that said that’s the type of way or “blueprint” you need to play against City and get success at the Etihad instead of going toe to toe with them.

 

[Wounded Healer]

The ref refused to VAR because he knew it will be corrected to penalties. ****ing ****.

 

[TheGreatWright8]

Well to extract some positivity at least Saka nor Saliba were booked.

 

[avenellroad]

Man they didn't look to attack once outside of corners and free kicks. Haven't seen anything like that for a long time. We have teams scared.

Can’t even understand how they got an XG of 1…What did they even do? Other than that Chris Wood chance when we threw everyone forward

 

[db10_therza]

Not saying he played badly by any means. More that he takes up great positions but isn't fully comfortable in them when the ball is coming his way.

I agree, he wasn’t at his best. I just don’t understand how anyone can have watched todays game and not come to the conclusion that the weakest link today was Ødegaard. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ødegaard but these games happen. I’m not criticising him. It’s calm. But I’m starting to understand why @Nacho is always saying he wishes people here were consistent in their criticism of our players.

 

[Wounded Healer]

Weird ****ing calls all evening. GN.

 

[MartiSaka]

Our attack (without Jesus) is very young, we just lacked a little experience in the crucial moments, sometimes you get that with younger players.

Newcastle did defend very well, but we still had enough chances to win.

So this is the thing about winning the league, we are going to need to pick up single points or more against the top sides away from home.

 

[Sniper Mik]

Can’t even understand how they got an XG of 1…What did they even do? Other than that Chris Wood chance when we threw everyone forward

Joelinton had a header but that's all I remember

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

Eh. I’m not sure you understood my point.

Youre saying Ødegaard was too dumb to be in space, you missed my point that the only reason that Xhaka got the ball in space was because Zinchenko was such a good passer and he happens to play on the left. Ødegaard was in space several times but nobody able to find him other than when Partey was on the ball.

 

[bastun]

Such a frustrating game to watch. I think people are really overhyping Howe a lot. His team is nothing special. Extremely physical side with a high intensity press and players not allowing any time on the ball for the oposition. By the way our best chances were in the first 30 mins while they were trying their press.We got out 3,4 times but the final pass ,decisions today were really poor. End of first half and all second half they parked the bus and hoped for some random clearence.

 

[Penn_]

Newcastle will fumble top four by drawing way too many games. 8 draws from 18 isn’t exactly threatening to the sides below them.

Good shape defensively though, we weren’t able to create many clear chances.

 

[GoonerBoy19]

One takeaway from the game is Arteta and team should keep heads calm when things aren't going their way. We lost our head many times during the game which is exactly Newcastle wanted. To win this league they need to master the dark arts.

 

[ChefMan21]

A frustrating game for us but credit to Newcastle I guess, they did what they needed to do to come away without a loss, which is probably par for them against the best team in the comp given they are not far behind in third.

My concern is that teams begin to setup and play like that against us, and there is some early success. I've thought before that we could do with a goalscoring midfielder - that hasn't changed - which might combat some of that, and a forward who is either quick, creative, or a tall timber. Think that would be a 2000lb JDAM directed against the parked bus, so to speak.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Last quip at Xhaka. Far too many passes were overhit or behind Martinelli today. He was collecting the ball from the touchline far too many times. Its unlike him and shows that he needs rest also.

 

[MartiSaka]

Joelinton had a header but that's all I remember

Yeah that was the only good chance

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

I agree, he wasn’t at his best. I just don’t understand how anyone can have watched todays game and not come to the conclusion that the weakest link today was Ødegaard. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ødegaard but these games happen. I’m not criticising him. It’s calm. But I’m starting to understand why @Nacho is always saying he wishes people here were consistent in their criticism of our players.

Out of interest who said Ødegaard wasnt the weakest link?

 

[MartiSaka]

Last quip at Xhaka. Far too many passes were overhit or behind Martinelli today. He was collecting the ball from the touchline far too many times. Its unlike him and shows that he needs rest also.

He wasnt good today at all. I think our passing was relatively poor even considering the challenges of facing the Newcastle defence.