Arsenal v Newcastle Preview

Arsenal v Newcastle United, Saturday 29th December 5.30pm, Emirates Stadium, Premier League, ESPN


Premier League Table

1. Man Utd 46pts
2. Man City 39pts
3. Chelsea* 35pts
4. Spurs 33pts
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7. Arsenal* 30pts
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15. Newcastle 20pts

*Game in hand

Gunners on form & fully rested ahead of Magpies test

Arsenal's 1-0 win at Wigan last weekend made it three consecutive victories in the Premier League for the first time since March. Many questioned whether or not the Gunners deserved the three points at the DW stadium, but Arsene Wenger was pleased with the attitude of his side. "It was a difficult game but that will give us belief and confidence, it's a good result," the Arsenal manager said after the game.

The postponement of Arsenal's clash with West Ham at the Emirates on Boxing day (due to a tube strike) was a blow as Wenger admitted he wanted the game to go ahead, with his side in good form, but it meant while Newcastle were battling it out at Old Trafford against Manchester United, Arsenal's stars were just training then resting.

Alan Pardew's men lost 4-3 against the league leaders, though they were leading on three occasions, and played without their entire first-choice midfield - Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Gutierrez (all injured) & Tiote (suspended) - and the Newcastle manager insisted "When you score three times at Old Trafford, you need to get something from the game."

Last season

Newcastle 0-0 Arsenal (13/08/11) - Gunners open season with goalless clash at St.James' Park as Gervinho is sent off on his debut.
XI: Szczesny; Sagna Koscielny Vermaelen Gibbs; Song Ramsey; Gervinho Rosicky Arshavin; Van Persie

Arsenal 2-1 Newcastle (12/03/12) - Goals from Van Persie & Vermaelen win it for Wenger's side after Ben Arfa opened scoring for visitors
XI: Szczesny; Sagna Koscienly Vermaelen Gibbs; Song Arteta; Walcott Rosicky Oxlade-Chamberlain; Van Persie

Match Facts:

* Newcastle have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games against Arsenal (W1 D5 L4).

* The Gunners have had a player sent off in three of their last four Premier League games against Newcastle.

* The Gunners haven’t won back to back Premier League games at home since April.

* Arsenal have won their last three Premier League games, the joint best current run in the division (along with Chelsea).

* Mikel Arteta has made an average of 87 passes per game this season, more than any other player.

* Newcastle have played the highest proportion of long passes this season (17%), Arsenal the second lowest (8%).

* The Gunners have only won four of their last 11 Premier League home games (W4 D4 L3).

* Newcastle are 10 points worse off than they were at this point last season.

* The last time Newcastle had fewer points after 19 games in the top-flight was 1988-89 (17). They were relegated at the end of that campaign.

*Arsenal have made 11 errors leading directly to goals, more than any other side.

Team News

Arsenal

Giroud (ill) & Rosicky (ill) both return to squad, while Diaby (thigh) & Santos (muscle) will return to training next week. Fabianski (ankle) remains a long-term absentee.

Newcastle

Cabaye (groin), Ben Arfa (hamstring), Anita (ankle), Gutierrez (knee) S.Taylor (hamstring), R.Taylor (knee), Vučkić (knee), Gosling (knee) & Williamson (suspended) are all unavailable, but Tiote returns from suspension.


Pre-match views

Arsène Wenger

"Newcastle look like they know the French market very well. They have made some very good buys[in France and around Europe. Marveaux for example, had a good game at Manchester United. Demba Ba, Cisse, Cabaye and Ben Arfa - they have bought very well. Since [Alan Pardew] has arrived there, they’ve built a good team. Cisse is a typical goal-getter and Demba Ba has great power. You feel there is a good understanding there as well. They both come from Senegal and play together in the national team so there’s a good friendship as well, that makes them stronger."

Alan Pardew

“It will be a similar scenario to the game against Man United. Both teams play a little bit differently, as you would imagine. They will match us up in midfield - we won’t get as much joy in that area - but I still think we can hurt them. The league suggests that Man United have stronger assets, and we need to focus on the weaknesses of Arsenal and try to hurt them.”

Great work Sam

Last year's game at the Emirates was nerve-wrecking although a really memorable game.

Hope we'll have an easier job this time.

Good Job Sam.

I watched Newcastle play United yesterday and if they play the same way, we will lose. We have to take our chances if we create any and we got lucky against Wigan if we give Newcastle the same chances we could lose badly.

I have a bad feeling about this game, I hope the players show up.

We won 3 games in a row.. But still the performance was far from convincing.. No one can deny that we are lucky this season to get many results going our way.. I never remember Arsenal winning so many games with penalties.. Fulham game would have added to the list..
The frustrating part is that our problems remain the same.. midfield is slow and is struggling to create enough chances and the front 3 are not clinical or creative enough to score.. Bar matches against 10man Spuds and Reading...
So we managed 3 wins in a row.. But i am not convinced.. I am still hoping for the response that Wenger and Arteta promised...
As for the team i want Giroud to start as cf and Walcott/Ox at right.. Also i feel Kos needs to be played more frequently..
Would also love to see some changes which are hard to come by as we are getting points.. Rosicky at the centre and shift Cazorla wide (i am sure Wenger will do the opposite, Rosicky will be played on the wing if he starts).. But then Gibbs will have to cut his forward runs and concentrate only on defending as Cazorla is poor on the defensive aspect..
So Cazorla-Giroud-Walcott/Ox or Podolski-Giroud-Cazorla...

Updated preview.

Raptorgunner wrote:Good Job Sam.

I watched Newcastle play United yesterday and if they play the same way, we will lose. We have to take our chances if we create any and we got lucky against Wigan if we give Newcastle the same chances we could lose badly.

I have a bad feeling about this game, I hope the players show up.

our defense is way better then Man u atm, but our Attack is nowhere near. It won't be a high scoring game, 2-3 goals max

On one hand they just ran Man Utd pretty close, but on the other hand so did Reading! It should be tough, but let's end the year with a bang.

Legend wrote:

Raptorgunner wrote:Good Job Sam.

I watched Newcastle play United yesterday and if they play the same way, we will lose. We have to take our chances if we create any and we got lucky against Wigan if we give Newcastle the same chances we could lose badly.

I have a bad feeling about this game, I hope the players show up.

our defense is way better then Man u atm, but our Attack is nowhere near. It won't be a high scoring game, 2-3 goals max

We have been really lucky, Wiagn game could have been a disaster.

Raptorgunner wrote:

Legend wrote:

Raptorgunner wrote:Good Job Sam.

I watched Newcastle play United yesterday and if they play the same way, we will lose. We have to take our chances if we create any and we got lucky against Wigan if we give Newcastle the same chances we could lose badly.

I have a bad feeling about this game, I hope the players show up.

our defense is way better then Man u atm, but our Attack is nowhere near. It won't be a high scoring game, 2-3 goals max

We have been really lucky, Wiagn game could have been a disaster.

we have never played "well" against Wigan we are always hot or cold against them. Martinez has a knack for getting his players to null ours.

AnonymousFC ‏@AnonymousFC0

Theo Walcott will continue upfront for Arsenal tomorrow. The change in position has helped contract talks.
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Giroud is the next Chamakh?

Newcastle scored 3 at O.T

We should be careful and play as professionally as we can. Newcastle have quality upfront and they can hurt us, despite their poor form.

If we can win this then we will win 4 in a row in the PL and that's fantastic.

Samuelj29060 wrote:
[b]Pre-match views

Alan Pardew

“It will be a similar scenario to the game against Man United. Both teams play a little bit differently, as you would imagine. They will match us up in midfield - we won’t get as much joy in that area - but I still think we can hurt them. The league suggests that Man United have stronger assets, and we need to focus on the weaknesses of Arsenal and try to hurt them.”

LOLX this guy sure had double standards

weaknesses of arsenal >> pressing them all over the field not allowing them to play ??? is that what u are talking about ?
Pardew i think wenger already knows ur master plan and he will counter it, which is, by making sure his players know the match will come down to individual battles.

More over, the reason your side didn't beat united is due ur lazy players walking instead of running back to defend. with arsenal your players will maintain high level of concentration ?? especially after a tough game against united will they be 100% ? think again ?????

Pardew says "the league table suggests United have stronger assets than Arsenal" which I understand, but the league table also shows Arsenal's defence is better so..

i dont think he pointing to the crown

he means uniteds assets is something embedded in them by fergie and that is the style of play/they build upon it.

Here at arsenal things are a bit confused. arsenal used to be like barcelona playing possession football (past years) this has change over time. The team right now are a hybrid. sometime they are excellent at passing sometimes they are poor. they get caught b/w what style to play and that's where it becomes frustrating to watch them.


Imo teams have tried to either defend against them ( big teams and small Team) and sometimes press them not give them space to play (like reading last weak, swans etc). pardew is therefore pointing this out ;P

Newcastle aren't in the greatest of shape right now. They're desperately lacking in creativity and aren't playing particularly well overall. Sure, they scored three at Man United, but two of them were created from long shots deflecting to a Newcastle player or into the United goal.

What we have to be weary of is the likes of Cisse and Ba getting any chances at goal, since they're clinical and would probably take any chance that happens to come their way against us.

They can be a hard side to break down, too, so we'll need to be at our best to score. Walcott won't be given a whole lot of room playing centrally (he's been excellent against them in recent times playing on the right) and it wouldn't surprise me if Tiote was given the task of man marking Cazorla.

We'll need to play well to win. I can easily see this being a draw or a loss if we don't score before the 60th/70th minute.

If Tiote marks Santi/Wilshere i think he will get sent off within the 90 mins lol.

Newcastle aren't getting results but are playing quite well. So this game worries me a bit.

I usually always go for an Arsenal win but today...my gut feeling is...

1-1

^^^
I agree Newcastle have been playing well lately and this is a game that scares me. If Newcastle does not press our midfield we will be able to feed the ball up the pitch and will look at a 3 - 2 win for AFC. If Newcastle does press our midfield it will in affect nullify our forward line and could easily be a 4 - 2 loss.

What surprised me about Newcastle was that against Man Utd they didn't park the bus and try to get a point but they attacked them all the time to get 3 points. I don't think Pardew will ask their players to do the same against us with Williamson and Anita missing. I believe they'll defend and will try to hurt us in the counter, ala everyone that comes here

We have to keep the ball as much as possible and that's why I think Rosicky would be a better option today if he's 100% fit instead of Podolski who's too direct for a possession game.