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Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0: More upset at St James’ Park for Arteta as Willock impresses hosts

Arsenal’s title challenge suffered another blow as they lost 1-0 to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.

Newcastle made the most of a scrappy first half, taking the lead through Alexander Isak’s bullet header – his third goal of the week – that David Raya didn’t give a chance. Arsenal dominated the ball as expected but created just 0.23 expected goals (xG) from open play in a frustrating opening period that once again showed how much the side miss captain Martin Odegaard.

And the home side continued to frustrate Arsenal after the break, with Mikel Arteta’s side managing just one shot on target in this match for the second season in a row, despite the introduction of Ethan Nwaneri. Declan Rice missed a golden chance to equalize in injury time, capping off a frustrating game for Arsenal and a memorable one for Newcastle.

Chris Waugh and Art de Roche analyze some key moments from the game.


It is still too early to write off Arsenal’s title chances

Arsenal have now dropped points in three consecutive games. Such results hurt title chances, whether they come in the run-up phase, such as in 2022-2023, or in the early stages of the season.

Before kick-off at 3pm, they are four points behind Liverpool and five points behind Manchester City. This gap could increase to seven and eight points respectively in the coming hours, making Arsenal’s ambitions even more difficult to realize.


(George Wood/Getty Images)

Although there are only ten games left in 2024-2025, they only have to look at last year as an example of how different a campaign can look in winter than in spring. Last season they were five points behind first-placed Liverpool on New Year’s Day, but still managed to take the title race to the final day.

There’s no guarantee this will happen again, but as a side with the quality to be challenged, now is not the time to write them off completely.

Art by Roche


Thanks to Eddie Howe for revitalizing Newcastle

Does this result mean another Premier League launch for Newcastle? Are ‘Howe’s Newcastle’ back?

Efficient wins over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and Arsenal in the Premier League within four days, with three goals scored and none conceded, certainly point to a brighter end to 2024.

Isak has scored three goals in as many games – and 12 in his last 12 league games at St James’ – while Gordon has continued his remarkable run at home, scoring 18 goals in his last 22 top-flight appearances. When the two operate like this, Guimaraes orchestrating so sharply from midfield and Joelinton prowling around at his physical, aggressive best, then Newcastle is a terrifying proposition, especially on Tyneside.


(Stu Forster/Getty Images)

This should be just the start of a revival as Newcastle have failed to win any of their last five league matches and still sit only eighth (before Saturday’s 3pm kick-off), while their long-standing away form is still a good performance. problem. But overall, Newcastle’s performances are improving, the focused high pressing is returning and they are looking much more solid defensively (for the most part).

Encouragingly, they have a solid platform to build on, and once their attacking play really clicks, they should climb the rankings and challenge for European qualification.

Chris Waugh


Arsenal have a clean sheet problem

Despite an encouraging start, the way Arsenal conceded the opener will be a source of frustration for Mikel Arteta. Jurrien Timber gave Anthony Gordon time to take a vicious first cross and no one following Alexander Isak’s run left David Raya at the mercy of the Newcastle striker.


Alexander Isak helps Newcastle take the lead against Arsenal (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The goal meant Arsenal have not kept a clean sheet in the Premier League in six games since their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on September 15. Temporary failures appear to have led to more avoidable chances being created against them – a theme that was evident in the match. eventual wins over Leicester City and Southampton last month too.

A move to a 4-4-2 shape has provided solutions in the absence of Martin Odegaard, taking advantage of the dynamic between Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz, but there is no doubt that Arsenal are less dominant without their captain – both in possession as outside. With the ball, Arteta’s side lacked connective tissue, and without the ball, Newcastle took advantage of the spaces between midfield and defense, making clever use of Joe Willock, Isak and Gordon.

Arsenal have kept three clean sheets in a row in the Champions League. However, in the Premier League they have now conceded 11 goals, compared to Manchester City’s nine and Liverpool’s five (before the 3pm kick-off). It’s a trend that needs to be addressed if Arsenal are to play a meaningful role in this season’s title race.

Art by Roche


A new role for Joe Willock

Sandro Tonali’s absence from Newcastle’s starting XI was not welcomed by everyone.

However, Eddie Howe had a plan. That was to redeploy Joe Willock and Joelinton in the same squad – they fitted in brilliantly on the left during the 2022-23 campaign and on Wednesday nights – but in a bespoke system. Instead of Joelinton as an outright left winger and Willock as a left-wing number 8, the former often operated deeper than the latter, with the Arsenal academy graduate sometimes deployed almost as a number 10 against his former side.

This allowed Newcastle to move straight from the defense to Joelinton wide, in an attempt to win second balls high. While it also allowed the home side to play through Arsenal’s press, which they did well in the first half, with Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff linking up nicely before Willock was given a bit of space.


(Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

Willock’s positioning distracted Arsenal’s defenders, often leaving Anthony Gordon one-on-one with Jurrien Timber, who he terrorized, including setting up Isak’s opener with a brilliant cross. That was also due to a long ball forward from Fabian Schar towards Willock, whose presence forced Thomas Partey inside to pass back to Isak, before Newcastle played the ball wide of Gordon.

After the break, as Newcastle defended a lead, Willock’s running ability was dangerous on the counter, even beating William Saliba for pace at one point and forcing two second-half efforts on target.

Whether this is a long-term solution to Newcastle’s midfield conundrum is unclear – it felt more like a differentiation ploy for Arsenal – but the balance worked well. It also adds to the theory among some supporters that Newcastle’s midfield balance is better served with Guimaraes or Tonali, rather than Guimaraes and Tonali.

Either way, it’s refreshing to see Willock back to his athletic and ball-carrying levels after more than a year of injury problems.

Chris Waugh


The introductions of Nwaneri and Zinchenko improved Arsenal… slightly

The aforementioned lack of connection was a concern throughout the first hour at St. James’ Park. Arteta recognized this and responded by giving Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko the longest spells off the bench in the Premier League this season – both getting half an hour.

The switch moved Thomas Partey to midfield, Timber to right back and Trossard to the left. Both had moments where their impact was felt, with a passing sequence between Zinchenko, Partey and Rice resulting in a shot being deflected just wide. As for Nwaneri, he played much closer to Saka, leaving him less isolated.

Nevertheless, it was a difficult situation for both to achieve real change. Zinchenko’s rustiness was evident with a miskick that led to a Newcastle counter, while Nwaneri’s understanding of when to move meant he didn’t recognize a moment when Ben White tried to find him behind him.

More traditional Arsenal playing patterns were evident in the final half hour, but without the clinical edge. With Inter Milan away to Chelsea next weekend, whether Arteta decides to return to this form could be one of the more interesting aspects of the week ahead.

Art by Roche


What did the managers say?

We’ll bring you thoughts from Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta soon.


What next for Newcastle?

Sunday November 10th: Nottingham Forest (away), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET

What next for Arsenal?

Wednesday November 6: Inter Milan (away), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET


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(Top photo: Getty Images)

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