Newcastle United 0-2 Arsenal (07/05/2023)

[The Prophet]

Takeaways from yesterday:

 

Out biggest problem was that we locked control in the middle and the defence was exposed on a few occasions.

 

With Bruno not looking fully fit, we need a bit more cover in front of that defence. Longstaff just provides that bit of energy and doesn't expose him as much. We should get away with it v Leeds, but of he's still not fit v Brighton it might be worth dialling back the high press a touch.

 

No Longstaff and ASM also deprives us natural threat on the left. Gordon is still getting up to speed and Isak looks way more dangerous through the middle. I hope ASM is up to speed for the coming week.

[KaKa]

Really great back and forth game yesterday, where the first goal was absolutely crucial, and they managed to get it unfortunately. Really could have gone either way. 

 

So disappointing seeing how poorly people deal with results not going our way still, even though we were going toe to toe with a team that has been top of the league the majority of the season.

 

Never give the other team any credit whatsoever and instead start over reacting to the performances of every player in the Newcastle team. It's truly unbelievable how awful attitudes are whenever everything isn't going perfect and we aren't running over teams.

 

Are we just supposed to be excellent all the time now and never lose a game? Seriously, what is this? When does that ever happen in any sport? As much as folks might complain about other clubs fans, it's just not valid, because most fans are really just as insufferable in every way.

 

 

 

[OBC]

Cliche, but the first goal really meant everything in this game. The way we've been attacking, and the way Arsenal have been wilting under pressure recently, meant had we converted one of our early chances I'm sure we'd have gone on to do what we did to them at the end of last season and then some. 
Them getting the first goal was the difference between Isak and Wilson tormenting a nervy Arsenal team on the back foot, to playing a confident Arsenal team who could frustrate us and attack on the break. 

[STM]

6 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Really great back and forth game yesterday, where the first goal was absolutely crucial, and they managed to get it unfortunately. Really could have gone either way. 

 

So disappointing seeing how poorly people deal with results not going our way still, even though we were going toe to toe with a team that has been top of the league the majority of the season.

 

Never give the other team any credit whatsoever and instead start over reacting to the performances of every player in the Newcastle team. It's truly unbelievable how awful attitudes are whenever everything isn't going perfect and we aren't running over teams.

 

Are we just supposed to be excellent all the time now and never lose a game? Seriously, what is this? When does that ever happen in any sport? As much as folks might complain about other clubs fans, it's just not valid, because most fans are really just as insufferable in every way.

 

 

 

 

Spot on, all of it.

 

I've seen some mental takes in the last 24 hours.

[TRon]

FWIW, I thought this performance we actually played better than we did when we got the 0-0 down at their place. We had them rattled early on, and had we scored it would have been a different game.

Also have to agree with @KaKa we need to give credit to Arsenal as well, in both games we've played against them this season, they are the only other team bar City which have made us struggle against some really good football. Against sides like this you really can't take victory for granted.

[Holloway]

On reflection the game could have gone either way, ours with a bit more luck and better finishing. Said beforehand Arsenal wouldn't crumble, they did exactly what was needed to see it out

[KaKa]

I think people see Arsenal fumble against the likes of Southampton and West Ham, and so I guess they think we should just run through them now? No, they're an excellent team, and on any given day if they hit their stride, even just for a few mins during their game, there is going to be trouble.

 

I thought Jorginho was excellent yesterday in controlling the game and setting the tempo for them, and he was able to neutralise our ability to press in midfield. Bruno wasn't as mature in his performance, playing in the same position for us, and that little difference allowed them to edge things ultimately. Bruno can learn a lot from that though, Jorginho has been around the block more, and so it's understandable he had a better understanding of the moment.

 

One important thing to note as well, is that unlike the likes of West Ham and Southampton, Howe is setting us up to play like a team that controls games and pressures the opposition so they have little of the ball. he wants us to be a dominant team. It's no surprise then, that we are currently the third best team in the league, behind only Man City and Arsenal, two of the best at totally controlling games.

 

Sure, we could camp out in our box and look to counter, which probably causes Arsenal to come unstuck and maybe drop points like they did against some of the teams they have recently, but I think Howe is trying to establish a mindset and approach that makes other teams have to adjust to what we do, the way the best teams typically do. 

 

Games like yesterday's will only cause us to continue to get better and improve in this regard, and going up against teams that are not as good as Arsenal we'll continue to look more and more devastating like we have recently. There is a bigger picture to the approach we are going with, and it is going to pay off.

[NG32]

Tough match, actually felt a bit sick with nerves watching it.  

 

Thought we missed Longstaff, the first goal was crucial. 

 

The good that will come from is we will learn from it.

[Matt1892]

On reflection the decision to play Isak and Wilson together was the wrong one, I know there was a clamour for it to happen but as I said before the game this was a must win for Arsenal and not for us, so we would have been better off looking to keep a solid formation at the start and then changing things as the game went on or more open.

 

We still played well and created chances but the early goal which came against the run of play made us open to be hit on the counter and that is what Arsenal did, they have a better balance in their midfield than we do and it is made worse by Longstaff being out.

 

I know there is talk of Bruno not being 100% fit but his poor performance was about holding on to the ball too long, trying flicks in dangerous positions and ultimately getting caught in possession and dispossessed. At times in the worst position possible to try it.

 

Arsenal are a great side and hopefully it gives the team a better understanding of what we need to do to get to their level.

[KaKa]

1 minute ago, Matt1892 said:

On reflection the decision to play Isak and Wilson together was the wrong one, I know there was a clamour for it to happen but as I said before the game this was a must win for Arsenal and not for us, so we would have been better off looking to keep a solid formation at the start and then changing things as the game went on or more open.

 

We still played well and created chances but the early goal which came against the run of play made us open to be hit on the counter and that is what Arsenal did, they have a better balance in their midfield than we do and it is made worse by Longstaff being out.

 

I know there is talk of Bruno not being 100% fit but his poor performance was about holding on to the ball too long, trying flicks in dangerous positions and ultimately getting caught in possession and dispossessed. At times in the worst position possible to try it.

 

Arsenal are a great side and hopefully it gives the team a better understanding of what we need to do to get to their level.

 

I agree with the bit in bold.

 

I thought we could have really done with Isak upfront and dropping into space to help with our control of the ball in our build up phase.

 

Wilson staying high up the pitch and engaging their centre backs physically didn't really do much for us at all, as he was mostly anonymous.

[Gallowgate Toon]

I think we should see Wilson-Isak again in certain games but yesterday wasn't it. It was the right intent but not a particularly strategic move. The beauty of Isak is that yes, he's class, but you can move him about to suit the game so easily as long as you have good plans B & C.

[KaKa]

6 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

I think we should see Wilson-Isak again in certain games but yesterday wasn't it. It was the right intent but not a particularly strategic move. The beauty of Isak is that yes, he's class, but you can move him about to suit the game so easily as long as you have good plans B & C.

 

Yeah, exactly. 

 

With Longstaff out and ASM not ready to start, it kind of made sense as both are in great form, but it just didn't work out.

[madras]

13 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Yeah, exactly. 

 

With Longstaff out and ASM not ready to start, it kind of made sense as both are in great form, but it just didn't work out.

Had Murphy's shot gone in and we got the pen and the game played out the same way would we say it worked ?

 

What I'm getting at is are we judging it by the result. It was a quite even game, both sides creating good chances.

[KaKa]

3 minutes ago, madras said:

Had Murphy's shot gone in and we got the pen and the game played out the same way would we say it worked ?

 

What I'm getting at is are we judging it by the result. It was a quite even game, both sides creating good chances.

 

Yeah, maybe. I just thought we could have done with our striker getting more involved with build up play in general, as Wilson wasn't really involved as much.

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

I was disappointed with our lack of control, particularly from our senior pros in response to Arsenal’s game-management tactics.

 

I’m not sure if the disallowed penalty decision caused us to fly off the handle a bit, but the midfield looked very ragged getting to grips with the flow of the game.

 

We were steaming into challenges on a few occasions, letting Arsenal get a needed foul and relieve pressure.

 

It’s not a surprise that players like Joelinton or Schar get involved in bust-ups, yet the team as a whole seemed whipped up in a frenzy throughout the whole game.

 

When even leaders like Trippier were intent on remonstrating with Arsenal players for minutes on end, I could see there was an issue.

[The Prophet]

You can give Arsenal credit whilst commenting there are things we could have done better.

 

I agree there have been over the top reactions, it's to be expected in the context the top four thread, but the balance of the team wasn't quite right. We looked unusually open and susceptible to the counter. It's useful intel for Howe going into the Brighton game.

 

We didn't play badly at all though.

[54]

I don't think we need to look to far into the reasons we lost this game to be honest, I know the exact reason why we did, prior to the game I'd watched three games in my living room this season, the Sheff Wed FA Cup game, the Liverpool home game, and the League Cup final. I was feeling horrendous yesterday so instead of watching it on my computer desk like I normally would, I watched it in the living room again, and we lost again. So sorry lads this one is on me.

[Guest]

wanker

[KetsbaiaIsBald]

We just had zero luck yesterday.  It reminded me of the final.  
 

Man utd goals were a goal online by millimetres and a deflection.  

Arsenals goals were a nutmeg and a deflection.  

 

At the other end we did everything but score.  Posts, blocks, the penalty shot hitting his leg just before the arm, the ball flying to Wilson off the post too quick…
 

I’m not saying we deserved to win necessary, Arsenal also had their other chances. It’s just frustrating that one didn’t drop.  If it had with arsenals fragility and crowd it could have been so different. Some teams you play and you think if you played them 100 times you’d lose them all.  Yesterday was the toss of a coin. 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by KetsbaiaIsBald

[Guest]

Relax, 54 already confessed. Move on. 

[ExiledGeordie]

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

Really great back and forth game yesterday, where the first goal was absolutely crucial, and they managed to get it unfortunately. Really could have gone either way. 

 

So disappointing seeing how poorly people deal with results not going our way still, even though we were going toe to toe with a team that has been top of the league the majority of the season.

 

Never give the other team any credit whatsoever and instead start over reacting to the performances of every player in the Newcastle team. It's truly unbelievable how awful attitudes are whenever everything isn't going perfect and we aren't running over teams.

 

Are we just supposed to be excellent all the time now and never lose a game? Seriously, what is this? When does that ever happen in any sport? As much as folks might complain about other clubs fans, it's just not valid, because most fans are really just as insufferable in every way.

 

 

 

Spot on. 

[TRon]

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

 

I agree with the bit in bold.

 

I thought we could have really done with Isak upfront and dropping into space to help with our control of the ball in our build up phase.

 

Wilson staying high up the pitch and engaging their centre backs physically didn't really do much for us at all, as he was mostly anonymous.

 

I was against starting both together, but not for positional reasoning. I just like having one on the bench so if we need to come back from behind it gives me a bigger lift to see Wilson or Isak warming up than Gordon or Miggy.

[joeyt]

Assume it would have been Isak taking the penalty yesterday rather than Wilson?

 

Not sure if we've had a penalty with them both on the pitch

[Shearergol]

Over the last couple of months it’s apparent that Longstaff is absolutely vital to how we play. Never thought I’d type that. Big investments needed in our midfield over summer.

[KingArthur]

2 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

I agree with the bit in bold.

 

I thought we could have really done with Isak upfront and dropping into space to help with our control of the ball in our build up phase.

 

Wilson staying high up the pitch and engaging their centre backs physically didn't really do much for us at all, as he was mostly anonymous.

Isak on the left has worked well at the end. When the opposition is not attacking that much anymore ( Southampton and Brentford) or they have awful fullback (Everton)

 

Isak has to do too much defending if he starts there. No room to carry etc. I don't think this should be tried in tougher games. But on the other hand, you usually want all your best players on the pitch and at home have a go.