Newcastle Vs Arsenal

by RealGunner Sat May 18, 2013 12:07 am

Newcastle Vs Arsenal
St James Park
Sunday 16:00 BST
Referee: Howard Webb

The End

So here we are, in the final game of the season. A season full of drama, excitement and of course disappointment. It's unbelievable how fast the season has gone by. It was like yesterday when we were talking about keeping 3 clean sheets in a row at the start of the season and thinking perhaps this is our year to break the trophy drought. But then shit happened. In any case, sunday isn't about remembering the failures of the past, but rather what we have achieved in this new team, format and the system. We are 13 games unbeaten, we have finally figured out the right team and we can now attack as well as we can defend. It's been quite positive, specially mentally as Keown says ''Arsenal’s strength has been their resilience and strength of character when everybody wrote them off ". He has it spot on because the way we have been grinding out victories and coming back from being a goal down, it's remarkable. Newcastle should be the same.

Arsenal are sitting 4th atm with Tottenham breathing down our necks with just a point behind. They have a game against sunderland where they will inevitable win and get the 3 points. We have a much harder game, a game where everything is at stake. Champions league football is mandatory at Arsenal, it's just natural. We have seen it for the last 13 years and that is perhaps the consolation in the last 8 years for not winning any trophy. That is what's at stake. We are planning for a summer in where we can finally let loose and buy players who can help us win trophies. We can only do that with CL football. That is at stake. It's not exaggeration to say that the game against Newcastle is more important than any other game this season. We have to win, there is no other option. We win and we secure 4th, and if Chelsea lose who are 2 points ahead of us with Everton at home, then that's even better as we can get 3rd. But that would be a bonus, not something that is expected. What we need is to do everything we can and win. I don't care how we win it, let it be a webb deflection, or a beach ball goal. Whatever it is. We have to win.

Newcastle

Newcastle are a strange team. They are sitting 13th in the PL table, and they were in risk of being relegated as well until last week however it's really odd to see them in that situation given the talent they have. Many have blamed Pardew and perhaps rightly so but when i watched them in the Europa League this season, they looked like a team who actually played to their true talent. They defended as a team and attacked as a team. This is why i don't share the optimism of others when they say it would be an easy victory for Arsenal. Not to forget, Arsene has never won against Pardew at home. Last week pardew came out with a bizarre comment that he won't care if Newcastle lose 4-0. I do believe that is a very insulting comment to the team and the fans. This is another reason why i believe Newcastle will actually play to win and to prove pardew wrong. That game won't be easy at all. Hence why we need to give our everything.

Team news

Newcastle winger Sylvain Marveaux could return after hamstring problems and Cheick Tiote should be fit after limping off last weekend. Goalkeeper Steve Harper should start after Rob Elliot, who was replacing the injured Tim Krul, was sent off last week.

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta is very doubtful with a calf strain, but could be replaced by Jack Wilshere. Olivier Giroud is available again after serving a three-match ban.

Probable Arsenal team

----------------------------------------------Szczesny-------------------------------------------------

Sagna------------------------Mertesacker----------------Koscielny-----------------------------Gibbs

---------------------------------------------Arteta/Ramsey--------------------------------------------
-------------------------------Ramsey/Wilshere----------------Rosicky---------------------------------

Walcott-----------------------------------------Giroud-------------------------Cazorla-----------------

Probable Newcastle Team

----------------------------------------------------Harper---------------------------------------------

Debuchy---------------------------Mbiwa-------------------Coloccini------------------------Santon

------------------------------------Cabaye-----------------Tiote---------------------------------------

Ben Arfa/Jonas-------------------------------Marveaux/Ben Arfa--------------------------Jonas/Gouffran

----------------------------------------------Cisse-----------------------------------------------------

Match Facts (BBC)

Head-to-head

Arsenal won the reverse fixture at the Emirates 7-3 in December, with Theo Walcott scoring a hat-trick.
Two seasons ago, the Magpies were 4-0 down after 26 minutes. They were still 4-0 down with 22 minutes left but then staged an incredible fightback to earn a 4-4 draw.
Newcastle have won just one of their last 11 Premier League games against Arsenal (W1, D5, L5).
Four of the last five league meetings at St James's Park have been draws, with Arsenal winning the other.

Newcastle

Only relegated Reading and Wigan have conceded more goals than Newcastle's 67 this season.
Newcastle have failed to score in two successive Premier League home games. They last failed to score in three in a row back in August 2007 (six games).
The Magpies have won only one of their games on the final day of a Premier League season in their previous 10 campaigns (W1, D5, L4).
Newcastle have earned 10 fewer points at home this season compared to last season (28:38). They have lost eight home games so far in 2012-13, compared to three in their 19 home games in the last league campaign.
Alan Pardew's side have won just three of the 19 games they have played against teams in the top half (W3, D4 L12).

Arsenal

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine league matches, winning seven of them.
Arsenal have won four successive Premier League away games. The last time that the Gunners won five in a row away in the league was back in September 2004.
Four Arsenal players have scored 10 or more league goals this season, more than any other top-flight club - it's only the fourth time in the Premier League era that four players from one club have reached doubles figures.
Just four players have reached double figures in both goal and assist categories in the Premier League this season, with two of these Arsenal players (Theo Walcott has 14 goals, 10 assists, and Santi Cazorla has 12 goals, 11 assists).
If only the second half of games counted, Arsenal would already have been crowned Premier League champions.

Final Words

Win or else Europa League. Arsenal pls

by CBarca Sat May 18, 2013 6:03 am

It will be an easy win. Stop worrying RG

by GenBlizkin Sat May 18, 2013 6:59 am

Come on GUNNERS!!!!..... and that Wanderers LOGO cBarca!!!!!!

Newcastle to score, 1 nil HT...... Biggest HT spray in Arsene's history leads to a Arsenal 3 - 2 victory Goals From Walcott, Kos and Ramsey!!!!!!!

by urbaNRoots Sat May 18, 2013 7:33 am

Szczesny
Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Monreal
Ramsey Wilshere*
Walcott Rosicky Cazorla
Giroud

Bench: Fabianski; Gibbs, Vermaelen; Arteta; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Gervinho.

Hope to see this team. If we can score two goals in the first half that would be really nice.

COYG!

* Arteta if he's fit enough to start...

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Sat May 18, 2013 11:02 am

CBarca wrote:It will be an easy win. Stop worrying RG

by SamuelJayC Sat May 18, 2013 12:58 pm

So the whole season comes down to this, the last game. The order of the day is incredibly simple - win. Just like last year, we go to a team in mid-table, safe from danger, with an English manager and a reserve keeper in goal, with us needing three points. Ha, similarities with last year are spooky.

I'm confident we'll do it, if only based on the fact we always seem to do it. No Sissoko or Krul for Newcastle is a bonus, but without Arteta, we're never as reliable, so expecting a tough game.

I've gone for 2-1 to Arsenal, and I expect Spurs to see off Sunderland quite comfortably, probably 3-1 there. I'm not even going to mention play-off with Chelsea, this talk is extremely disruptive - focus on this game.

As for the team, Giroud should be fresh and raring to go, but Podolski was superb against Wigan, so it's a tough one. Wilshere in for Arteta seems obvious. This would give us a strong bench of Podolski/Giroud, Chamberlain, Gervinho, players that can have an impact coming on, which is obviously good.

Come on Arsenal!

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Sat May 18, 2013 1:17 pm

RG i suspect Marveaux and Santon won't start but be on the bench they are fit but i doubt we will change much from the last two games and a back 4 which looks solid.

Although they are lots of different ways we could line up.

Harper
Debuchy Taylor Coloccini Yanga-Mbiwa
Ben Arfa Tiote Cabaye Jonas
Gouffran Cisse

Harper
Debuchy Taylor Coloccini Yanga-Mbiwa
Jonas Tiote Cabaye Gouffran
Ben Arfa
Cisse

Harper
Debuchy Taylor Coloccini Yanga-Mbiwa
Tiote
Cabaye Jonas
Ben Arfa Cisse Gouffran

All 3 are quite possible but i do suspect you to win how ever i do think it will be close mainly due to Coloccini who since he came back we have gone from conceding 9 goals in 2 games to 1 in 2 games which was a penalty. ( which was also outside the box Mad

)

I'd love to screw you over though Twisted Evil

by RealGunner Sat May 18, 2013 2:31 pm

Yea i was not sure who will start with the fitness issues. Jonas was the first name on my team sheet though

by RealGunner Sat May 18, 2013 2:31 pm

CBarca wrote:It will be an easy win. Stop worrying RG

If you are so confident. If we lose/draw the game, you are getting an avatar of my choice for the next 3 months.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Sat May 18, 2013 3:20 pm

RealGunner wrote:Yea i was not sure who will start with the fitness issues. Jonas was the first name on my team sheet though

I'm being trolled.

by beatrixasdfghjk. Sat May 18, 2013 3:51 pm

RealGunner wrote:
CBarca wrote:It will be an easy win. Stop worrying RG

If you are so confident. If we lose/draw the game, you are getting an avatar of my choice for the next 3 months.

You're a mod, it makes no difference Razz

.

by CBarca Sat May 18, 2013 3:51 pm

RealGunner wrote:
CBarca wrote:It will be an easy win. Stop worrying RG

If you are so confident. If we lose/draw the game, you are getting an avatar of my choice for the next 3 months.

Deal. I won't give you a reverse offer, either, I just want you to know that I was right Laughing

by Wilson37 Sat May 18, 2013 5:12 pm

Samuelj29060 wrote:So the whole season comes down to this, the last game. The order of the day is incredibly simple - win. Just like last year, we go to a team in mid-table, safe from danger, with an English manager and a reserve keeper in goal, with us needing three points. Ha, similarities with last year are spooky.

I'm confident we'll do it, if only based on the fact we always seem to do it. No Sissoko or Krul for Newcastle is a bonus, but without Arteta, we're never as reliable, so expecting a tough game.

I've gone for 2-1 to Arsenal, and I expect Spurs to see off Sunderland quite comfortably, probably 3-1 there. I'm not even going to mention play-off with Chelsea, this talk is extremely disruptive - focus on this game.

As for the team, Giroud should be fresh and raring to go, but Podolski was superb against Wigan, so it's a tough one. Wilshere in for Arteta seems obvious. This would give us a strong bench of Podolski/Giroud, Chamberlain, Gervinho, players that can have an impact coming on, which is obviously good.

Come on Arsenal!

last season also.. the last game was the only game we won without Arteta in the eleven.. scratch

by King Meyy Sat May 18, 2013 6:34 pm

Is Santi playing as a Left Wing Forward now?

And instead of 2 CMFS led by AMF...are we back to 2 CMF and 1 DMF?

Hope we snatch 3rd with this match.

by RealGunner Sat May 18, 2013 6:46 pm

We play with 4 midfielders and two forwards. The position of Santi on paper is LW but he doesn't play there. He is normally in midfield with Gibbs having the full flank to himself.

it's like a 4-4-2 essentially. but with no LW

by urbaNRoots Sat May 18, 2013 6:55 pm

When Walcott drifts in this is how our formation looks like:

Szczesny
Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs
Arteta Ramsey
........ Wilshere Cazorla
Walcott CF

by RealGunner Sat May 18, 2013 7:03 pm

When we attack it's usually

----------------Szczesny------------------
--------Mertesacker----------------------
-------------------------Koscielny---------

Sagna--------Arteta----------------Gibbs

-------Ramsey----Rosicky---Cazorla----
-----------Walcott----Giroud--------------

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Sat May 18, 2013 7:04 pm

Its a 4-2-2-2 basically not that uncommon.

by Raptorgunner Sat May 18, 2013 7:45 pm

Great Job RG.

This is probably one of the most important games of our lifes, we must win the game at any coast, I have a feeling Newcastle will show up and will make it hard for us.

We must play our game and score early and open up Newcastle and hope they give up.

------------------Szczesny
Sagna-------Mertesacker--------Koscielny----Monreal
-------------------Ramsey Wilshere----------------------
Walcott---------------- Rosicky-------------------Cazorla
-------------------------Giroud

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Sat May 18, 2013 7:53 pm

Why Monreal Raptor?

by Raptorgunner Sat May 18, 2013 7:57 pm

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Why Monreal Raptor?

Gibbs played on Tuesday, I think Wenger would go with Monreal, fresh legs.

by SamuelJayC Sat May 18, 2013 8:02 pm

Newcastle XI according to reports: [Harper] [Debuchy Williamson Coloccini Yanga-Mbiwa] [Tiote Cabaye] [Gouffran Ben Arfa Gutierrez] [Cisse]

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Sat May 18, 2013 8:04 pm

I forgot Taylor isn't fit :facepalm:

I hope you play Giroud now Laughing

by SamuelJayC Sat May 18, 2013 8:11 pm

Newcastle staff will receive huge bonuses if the club beat Arsenal tomorrow...

Newcastle Vs Arsenal BKktMUNCIAAuSZC

by RealGunner Sat May 18, 2013 8:12 pm

oh dear

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