Arsenal 4 - 1 Newcastle

A rare exciting performance from us at home against an in-form yet still somehow very average Newcastle team. Both sides were depleted due to absurdly long injury lists, but we at least had our most effective attacking players available to help us break down the Newcastle bus.

In fairness, they didn't park it for the whole game. They had periods of good possession and tried to get back into the game, but seemed to lack the quality to produce a good chance in open play. Our make-shift backline stood up quite well to whatever they threw at us, especially Bellerin and Gibbs, who stopped Newcastle from getting in crosses. Doing that practically cut off half their threat.

Going forward we were the most fluid I've seen us be in a long time. Alexis and Giroud linked up very well throughout the night, while Welbeck played very well without scoring (thouguh he did have a seemingly fair goal ruled out for a minor amount of physical contact). With pacey ball carriers like Bellerin, Chamberlain, Alexis and Welbeck in the team we looked threatening, especially on the counter attack. Very few times tonight did we have to pass it side-to-side for ages in front of all eleven Newcastle players.

Our first three goals were excellent in different ways: the first was quite direct with just four passes involved, leading to an excellent cross and header; the second was a slick passing move resulting in a classy finish; the third was a quick counter attack. It's this sort of attacking variety that we were so excited to see at the start of the season. If only we could see it more often.

I was worried about set-pieces with only one centre back in the team and I was proved right when Ayoze scored. Nothing new to say about that, really. We suck at defending set-pieces on the best of the days, so it's hardly going to get better with smaller players in the team.

Cazorla's panenka wrapped up a comfortable win for us. We're now level on points with Southampton in fifth and two points behind West Ham in fourth and United in third. Hopefully Liverpool can take some points off them tomorrow. Back to back 4-1 wins should do our confidence some good going into a tough run of games against Liverpool, QPR, Southampton and West Ham in a short space of time, but I'm remaining cautious. We haven't been able to muster up a real run of form this season, and we lose players to injury every week.

Tonigth, at least, I've got no complaints. Shame about the goal we conceded but overall it was a fun performance and a great scoreline.

Because we are poor, a few fluke results doesn't change that.

Solid performance all around.

Welbeck was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet with that early shot that IMO was wrongly disqualified. (If that's a legit "foul," then football simply can't be a contact sport at this point, can it?)

Although we shouldn't have such a makeshift back four, they deserve credit for doing pretty well under the circumstances. Though the goal they gave away was pretty ugly.

Ayoze - impressive young player. If he keeps developing like this I think Newcastle will make a lot of money off him in 2016.

on the Champions League draw…

Arsene: "We have been well served in the recent years. Maybe I will go to church over the weekend."

main Man Giroud always does well vs Newcastle

but Alexis had one of his best performances
with combination of attributes he offers

cant read too much into some stuff with all players both side missing

we could absorb pressure and keep the ball better last season when leading and seeing games out

now much better equipped to counter attack though

Great performance and just the win we needed. Well done everyone.

5 wins out of our last 6 is very good, the fact that we lost to Stoke in that run is what pisses on the parade but we've got some momentum in the side, at least.

Debuchy was infinitely better than Monreal at CB. Aggressive, better aerially, reminded me of Sagna there too. And getting to see Bellerin go on those blistering runs was awesome. He's getting better and better, crossing is clearly a strongpoint of his.

Quick and fluid performance wrinkled by a reminder that we always skip set piece practice at training but another win in style is welcome.

great performance imo. seems like its being downplayed a bit. Newcastle may have been poor but I think we could've beat anyone playing like that.

That's the tempo we need to play at going forward.

Very happy with how Giroud has looked since his return. He's clearly been working hard on the training ground which is great to see.

Newcastle didn't defend or attack

Mole's view of Pardew shines through.

Had he just parked, we would have gotten frustrated and they could have hit us on the counter and got a result. But he played us away just like they played Chelsea at home. Not good enough. The majority of managers seem to have figured us out but they came unprepared on how to handle our honestly really predictable gameplan

VendettaRed07 wrote:Newcastle didn't defend or attack

Mole's view of Pardew shines through.

Had he just parked, we would have gotten frustrated and they could have hit us on the counter and got a result. But he played us away just like they played Chelsea at home. Not good enough. The majority of managers seem to have figured us out but they came unprepared on how to handle our honestly really predictable gameplan

... and this is why I don't find myself too excited by the win or the scoreline or the performance.

I was telling MJ, Ali and Anjl yesterday - this wasn't some tactical masterclass humiliating a Guradiola or a Mourinho or a SAF side; it was the bare minimum we would expect from a home game. More so after all the money we've been spending. In the context of recent crap performances, this looked good - but don't get used to that mediocrity! We are better than that!

Therefore, my feeling was that the One AW chants were more a vindictive statement of fans who support Wenger, in response to those bunch of retards who hurled abuses after Stoke. This was hardly a performance which merited so much love and adulation.

We even had a customary defensive lapse which spoilt our clean sheet ffs.

VendettaRed07 wrote:Newcastle didn't defend or attack

Mole's view of Pardew shines through.

Had he just parked, we would have gotten frustrated and they could have hit us on the counter and got a result. But he played us away just like they played Chelsea at home. Not good enough. The majority of managers seem to have figured us out but they came unprepared on how to handle our honestly really predictable gameplan

Enjoy the win myself, wont take anything from it, found it easier this way to expect Arsenal this season. I like our front three, has both pace and height.

Also, two up front ftw - might see that Giround-Walcott combo.

Its also the only way I can see Walcott coming back into the squad with Sanchez being irreplaceable on the right.

Might not be the best way to square up to Madrid but certainly our best option for breaking down scrubs who park the bus.

Sanchez is so much more dominant on the left. I can't wait for a front three with both theo and alexis

I hope you mean Theo-Giroud-Alexis and not Theo-Welbeck-Alexis. The latter is pacy, but not balanced.

Also will be interesting to see if Özil goes back to the center. If yes, and if these guys stay injury free for the remaining half the season, we could finish quite strongly and maybe even grab a cup somewhere.

I would very much like to retain the FA Cup, for a start.

Ofcourse, there will be questions of what happens to the other mids. Rotation is key and hope AW does that.

Here's to a lot of Ifs and Hopes.

El Gunner wrote:"grab a cup somewhere" well, it's not like we got much choice other than the FA Cup

FFS Champions League

Funnier stuff has happened before

Was at the Emirates for this.

Fantastic performance and fantastic result.

5 wins in the last 6 games and still have many players to return, too.

Need to win a 'big' game now though, and win at Anfield.