Arsenal travel to Newcastle this weekend looking to get over the midweek disappointment and continue their winning ways.
Here’s everything they need to know to ensure they do just that.
Newcastle United | |
Manager | John Carver |
Home Ground | St. James’ Park (52,387) |
League Position | 11th |
Record Signing | Michael Owen (£16m in 2005) |
Ex Gunners | None (known!) |
Top Scorer | Papiss Cissé (11) |
Top Assister | Daryl Janmaat (6) |
Most Yellow Cards | Jack Colback (10) |
Star Player | Papiss Cissé |
Biggest Liability | Ryan Taylor |
STYLE OF PLAY
We can look at Newcastle’s style of play this season, but with so many injuries it’s anyone’s guess how they will set up.
Top scorer Papiss Cisse and defensive rock (as far as Newcastle are ever solid) Fabrizio Coloccini are both missing through suspension – spitting and rash challenge respectively – and they have almost a full XI of players unavailable for selection. In fact, Newcastle are the only side ahead of us in the injury league this year, and by some margin. They have out-Arsenaled Arsenal.
Typically they like to get the ball wide and whip lots of crosses into the box – top assister Daryl Janmaat has got a tasty right foot on him, and Cisse has certainly benefited from the service this season, after a somewhat stalled second season in English football. Who remembers his first six months when even his miskicks went in the top corner?!
Cheick Tiote is also missing, which means a marginally less aggressive midfield, although Jack Colback is doing his very best to pick up the baton following his move across from rivals Sunderland. However, it’s the defence that will be the most problem for the Toon, as they struggle to keep goals out with their first choice defence, let alone one held together by sticky tape.
Perez has had something of a breakthrough season up front but it’s hard to see him having too much impact on a game where Arsenal are likely to have the lion’s share of possession and chances. Newcastle struggle defending through balls, aerial balls and counter attacks – all areas where Arsenal excel – so there really is only one outcome foreseeable in this fixture.
ANTICIPATED LINEUP
Perez |
Riviere |
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S Ameobi |
Sissoko |
Coleback |
Cabella |
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Gutierrez |
Williamson |
Janmaat |
R Taylor |
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Krul |
SEASON SO FAR
Newcastle have had something of a rollercoaster season – it started low, it went up, and then it came back down again! It took until 18th October to record their first win (1-0 at home to Leicester) but that win signalled the start of five league wins on the bounce – the very same form Arsenal find themselves in at the moment in fact!
That period also saw them eliminate Man City from the Capital One Cup, and at the end of November, Newcastle were sitting pretty in the top six of the Premier League and through to the quarter finals of the League Cup. It’s been pretty much all downhill from there, the 2-1 win aside that ended Chelsea’s dreams of an unbeaten season before they’d really got going.
The Toon conceded 4 goals in two consecutive games against ourselves in the league and Spurs in the cup, amid a dismal December run. A festive win over Everton finally stopped the rot, only for manager Alan Pardew to open talks with Crystal Palace the next day.
Arsene’s best mate was finally confirmed at Selhurst Park on January 2nd, to be replaced by former assistant John Carver, and Newcastle have won just two games since – a 3-0 surprise win over Hull and an attritional home win over Aston Villa in Tim Sherwood’s second game in charge. A potential FA Cup run was finished at the first hurdle in a 1-0 loss to eventual Spurs-crushers Leicester.
Coming into this weekend’s fixtures, Newcastle find themselves in 11th – just five points away from the magical 40 point mark but going nowhere fast. They’ve scored just two goals in their last five matches, and with the players already looking like they’re on holiday mentally and with injuries decimating the squad, the end of the season can’t come soon enough.
VERSUS
Arsenal’s last 5 results against Newcastle: WWWWW
Competition | Date | Venue | Result | Scorers |
League | 13/12/2014 | (H) | W 4-1 | Arsenal: Giroud (15, 58) Czaorla (54, 88pen)Newcastle: Perez (63) |
League | 28/04/2014 | (H) | W 3-0 | Arsenal: Koscielny (26) Ozil (42) Giroud (66)Newcastle: – |
League | 29/12/2013 | (A) | W 1-0 | Arsenal: Giroud (65)Newcastle: – |
League | 19/05/2013 | (A) | W 1-0 | Arsenal: Koscielny (52)Newcastle: – |
League | 29/12/2012 | (H) | W 7-3 | Arsenal: Walcott (20, 73, 90) Oxlade-Chamberlain (50) Podolski (64) Giroud (84,87)Newcastle: Ba (43, 69) Marveaux (59) |
Record for Newcastle v Arsenal:
Overall record between the two clubs:
FORM
Newcastle’s last 5 results: DLWLL
Competition | Opposition | Venue | Result | Scorers |
League | Crystal Palace | (A) | D 1-1 | Cissé |
League | Man City | (A) | L 0-5 | – |
League | Aston Villa | (H) | W 1-0 | Cissé |
League | Man United | (H) | L 0-1 | – |
League | Everton | (A) | L 0-3 | – |