Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle United - 18/05

[Ronaldo]

Is anyone criticising Howe? I understand people being worried if we don’t have Isak next week because the drop off is massive.

[On the Grid]

Not sure some people watch the same game as me...we were miles better and will finish above them next year...we will also beat Everton comfortably next week to seal CL and have a full summer to build...we are rising 

[Crimson Cardigan]

24 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

Is Raya the best keeper in the league btw? Absolutely owned that third of the pitch. Great saves as well, particularly the one from Barnes. 

No. His kicking was atrocious and we should have scored at least once from that.

[Fak]

9 minutes ago, Paullow said:

I'm not sure who I want to win on a general level, but in terms of that Villa match, I actually think the opposite might be better. Win on Weds and their season was poor but they've got a trophy, are in the CL, so doesn't really matter, the players can celebrate their trophy and then forget about the season. Lose, and it will have been their worst season in living memory and they might be more inclined to 'apologise' to the fans by actually putting in a performance at home.

 

aye aye. Like I said it was an absolute stretch. Either way we're spanking those Scouse scuffs next weekend. 

[Coffee_Johnny]

It’s disappointing when there was a chance of finishing—and who would have thought it—second. Two things stand out for me: (1) we did better than I thought we would, could quite comfortably have been two up at half time (and this  despite absence of Isak and neither Gordon or Barnes stepping-up and having good games—latter barely touched the ball, very little came off for former.); (2) we really need a deeper squad. Particularly a striker/forward. 

[PauloGeordio]

We’ve played the Arse 4 times, won 3, lost 1 and conceded 1 goal. Well done lads. Push on for the full house next season. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[wyn davies]

8 minutes ago, On the Grid said:

Not sure some people watch the same game as me...we were miles better and will finish above them next year...we will also beat Everton comfortably next week to seal CL and have a full summer to build...we are rising 

I'm concerned about next week nevermind next year, we get beat and Chelsea / Forest.draw then it's curtains roll on Conference League or whatever they call it .

[Fak]

2 minutes ago, PauloGeordio said:

We’ve played the Arse 4 times, won 3, lost 1 and conceded 1 goal. Well done lads. Push on for the full house next season. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

 

we could have got absolutely walloped 6-0 today and you'd have made everything feel alright. Thank you for your positive words and keep up the good work and continue spreading the positivity. God bless. 

[Superior Acuña]

Oh well. Could’ve won that on a different day, neither at best, probably a pretty forgettable match.

 

I was here two years ago for the 0-0 and was really impressed with the atmosphere, that’s gone.

 

Conversely it was better in our end - until they scored - than the other two London games I went to this season. 
 

However the negativity from some man, can’t understand it. Gordon got loudly called a scouse cunt by multiple people. 
 

All round if I was to bet I’d have put it on 0-1. Disappointing but we can and should still do this. The one thing that could’ve gone worse this weekend is if we got battered or Chelsea thumped ManU - valuable to have that GD advantage over Chelsea on last day in case both games a draw. 

[GideonShandy]

4 minutes ago, wyn davies said:

I'm concerned about next week nevermind next year, we get beat and Chelsea / Forest.draw then it's curtains roll on Conference League or whatever they call it .

Unless we get beat 10-0 we'd still finish above Forest and no worse than 6th.

[huss9]

barnes back on the left and gordon to start on the bench next week?

[wyn davies]

1 minute ago, GideonShandy said:

Unless we get beat 10-0 we'd still finish above Forest and no worse than 6th.

But need to be top 5 for the ucl don't we ?, suppose the competition below UCL is UEFA effort and would be an improvement on the con.

[Holloway]

Lost our shape and fluidity after they stepped it up but that was a good first half from us and we should have went in ahead. They still didn't create that much despite their dominance after the break, not too down about it 

[RS]

This game showed us the champions league is at least 3 seasons away from us being able to have any sustainable run alongside challenging the PL.  Just not enough depth in the squad. Without Isak we only had one half of looking threatening and subs that bring nothing. 

[cubaricho]

34 minutes ago, Ronaldo said:

Is anyone criticising Howe? I understand people being worried if we don’t have Isak next week because the drop off is massive.

I didn’t love how he set us up second half, and has done multiple times this season, but it’s not like a strong criticism or anything. I just wish he’d be less hesitant. Too often we come out in protectionist mode and just hope to hold on to a lead or keep a draw while trying to nick a counter attack goal.

[Shadow Puppets]

4 minutes ago, RS said:

This game showed us the champions league is at least 3 seasons away from us being able to have any sustainable run alongside challenging the PL.  Just not enough depth in the squad. Without Isak we only had one half of looking threatening and subs that bring nothing. 

Completely disagree. To me, it showed us that we are only 3-4 good players away from a sustained stay in the top 4.
 

We played well… would have won that game had we been more clinical, and only lost it due to a stupid error and a great strike.

[Ronaldo]

13 minutes ago, cubaricho said:

I didn’t love how he set us up second half, and has done multiple times this season, but it’s not like a strong criticism or anything. I just wish he’d be less hesitant. Too often we come out in protectionist mode and just hope to hold on to a lead or keep a draw while trying to nick a counter attack goal.

Yeah I’m with you. Half the issue with that is I have very confidence in us on the counter. Too many iffy decision makers likely to be on the end of it.

[Elma]

I thought that considering we were missing Isak and Joelinton, we played really well. We obviously lacked threat and lost our way a bit for twenty minutes at the start of the second half, but the effort was there and we played some nice stuff at times.

 

We deserved at least a draw and of course next week will be stressful, but I can't be too unhappy at today. A mistake from Gordon and a strike from Rice that goes in about two times out of ten. We defended really well apart from that. 

[JigsawGoesToPieces]

1 hour ago, Keggy_Keagal said:

Absolute rubbish . We were playing our plan b to start with with 5 at the back.  

 

Quite a predictable formation tbf

[wong989]

4 hours ago, NUFCDoog said:

Oh 100% - I agree its a game we should be winning, I just don't think its going to be as simple as what people seem to think it will be.

 

They've drawn 15 games this season, Pickford is a decent keeper and he'll be ridiculously fired up for it (especially if the worst happens on Saturday), theyll play with freedom and will sit back. Without Jo and Isak were not as strong. It's a bloody tough game.

Yea, as soon as it became obvious how tight things would be I wished we got any other bottom team rather than Everton, they're just the type of team that relish this scenario, and they have the ability if we're nervy or lax at all, and especially if we go 1-0 up and go into the second half Southgate style, it really worried me to see it last year, can't understand why its still happening. If you do that, you have to counter attack effectively. Mental how we play sometimes. Hopefully we qualify and Howe has some more options next year