Mikel Arteta is obviously worried about Arsenal’s defensive crisis ahead of our visit to Newcastle, with Ben White not certain to return tomorrow, and Gabriel Magalhaes having been taken off during the Tottenham game.
The Boss did not sound too confident on either of them taking part at St James Park, but will make a certain decision tomorrow morning. Arteta told Arsenal.com: “I could [give you an estimate], but I will probably be telling you whatever! Tomorrow will be the day we will have better answers, probably not the answers that we want until matchday, but hopefully better answers.”
And with Rob Holding getting a red card in the North London Derby it looks like Arteta will have to shuffle the pack in the Monday night match. “We will have to modify certain positions to try to make it work, because we don’t have more defenders and even though we have academy players, they haven’t experienced a lot of those positions because they’re not specified central defenders, so it’s something that we will try to find a way.”
So yes we will be a little short on the defensive side, but as the famous saying goes “Attack is the best form of defence”, and with a full complement of attacking players to choose from Arteta will hopefully set his team up to go for the jugular straight from kickoff.
Arsenal fans may be worried ahead of the game, but the fact is that Eddie Howe has just as many injury problems as Arsenal. Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier returned to the squad last week but only had 22 minutes on the pitch after returning from injury. Also first team regulars Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock and Ryan Fraser are recent additions to Newcastle’s treatment room, while Federico Fernandez, Isaac Hayden and Jamal Lewis are all out and not expected to return until pre-season.
So right now I’m feeling a lot more confident ahead of our most crucial fixture on Monday.
COYG!!!!
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Video – Mikel Arteta talks about Newcastle, injuries and the Top Four race
Let’s hope it has a negative impact on them,then we take our chance.
Newcastle are struggling with injuries, their whole midfield is nearly missing as well as defenders, they are not as good as us and we have to make sure the manager and the players don’t make the howlers they made on Thursday.
Can’t beat a bit of plain speaking Reggie
Everton getting a result this afternoon is vital too
Brentford are winning 2-3
Personally Sue, i don’t think Everton getting a result makes any difference. My friend is an Everton supporter and he says they are poor. I think it could even be better if they are under more pressure as well but i just think they are not good enough and that is why they are where they are.
Oops!!!!!! Keeping their heads might help a little.
Sue, one of their fans has come on here and said they are in form P9 W4 L5 if that was us, i wouldn’t be trying to say we were in form but different expectations i suppose.
I’ve always felt that a team in a scrap for survival is the last thing we’d want, Reggie. I also got your point about being poor as their league position says it all as well. A big night tomorrow awaits as I agree with JF that Norwich are unlikely to upset Spurs if we don’t win
Sue, there are reasons why these teams are fighting relegation and they cant just wave a magic wand and be brilliant. Tgey can fight but we are playing Newcastle, then Everton. Lets get this right, we would all pick those two teams over, say Liverpool and Man city. Its a league and the better teams are better and the others aren’t.
But Everton have lost and thats bad news, at least it is IF we beat Newcastle. If we don’t, it becomes irrelevant, since Spuds will wallop Norwich in their last game and deny us 4th.
Well …we just have to win the game, 0-1, 2-3 or any margin at all, as long as we outscore em and wins the game.
Everton may likely draw or loose their game with Brentford as they have been red carded.
Meaning our match with them might be a true final…. Relegation vs Champions league
For those white neighbors….their game with Norwich is mare formalities, 3 points to them
Interesting take, and a little ill informed. We’ve been understrength since December
One thing for certain it’s going to be an interesting evening, and should be a bear pit atmosphere to welcome your boys.
Not in the habit of making posts on other teams articles, but this popped up in the feed and seeing as this is about NUFC…
Expecting a close game between two in-form teams. SJP is back to being a fortress, and NUFC under Howe are a pushover no more. In fact, we’re about even with you in the form tables for 2022 (NUFC 4th +1pt, Arsenal 5th, both with a +2 GD).
Feel free to underestimate us, prefer it actually, but not sure where you get your information (ditto for Reggie), but Schar/Fraser are back in training. Fernandez too (although he’s barely involved even when fit). Hayden and Lewis aren’t even in our 25 man squad due to early season ending injuries! Shelvey & Willock appear to both be recently injured, but only one of the two would typically start, and could be the only notable absence.
Put another way, you’re travelling to one of the most challenging away games of the season, playing against an in form counter-attacking high-press opponent who’s team sheet will potentially be one of their strongest starting 11’s available this year.
Ok, one Arsenal comment… You appear to only have 3 fit defenders available, and they’re all WBs. Confident you say?
Okay, thanks for the info. As i said in the article it is certainly not going to be an easy game and I have nothing but respect for Eddie Howe and your team.
But, being an Arsenal fan, we’re going to whip your arse!
I will be interested to see tomorrow night your comments and i cant remember what site it was but it was a Newcastle site, similar to this, i was flicking about the internet and saw it. I personally hope we beat you because i used to like Newcastle, the best supported Home town football club in the league but i feel for you now you are owned by murderers and Human rights violators.
Shelvey, willock and fraser for starters i read were out?
Reggie having been to Newcastle countless times with Arsenal away back in the days when I went everywhere with out team, I used to love Newcastle for theirwarmhearted and passionate fans andfor how lovely all the people were up there .
But NOW that murderers and scum sub humans own that club, they are universally hated and I use the word hate in its full, sinister and proper use too.
Along with Man City and Chelsea, I hate all three of those corruptly owned clubs and would love to see them all be relegated or better still, out of business altogether. As for Spuds and Man U, I MERELY STRONGLY DISLIKE THEM BUT DO NOT HATE THEM.
@ Reggie
My sentiments precisely.
I used to love Newcastle especially when Kevin Keegan used to manage them and I wanted them to win the league but MU went and won it that season. Remember the famous speech: ‘I wud luv it, if we cud win it’ .
Newcastle fans on the whole will relish being owned by rich owners but in truth they are that desperate they will not even bother about the origins of the money and how it is aquired by their owners. They should but they wont, unless the project fails, then they will denounce everything their owners stand for.
Further to my comment.
I hope we win although it does not mean I think we will win. Our team has the self-destruct button which I have they do not press.
Had a very long dream earlier today ……. the Arsenal had won all their last 2 games and had convincingly clinched 4th …… and were challenging for the league in 2022/2023
I think I’ll have the same dream to tonight ….. and I wouldn’t mind even if it becomes longer ….
hope not have
If we don’t beat Newcastle then we don’t deserve to be in UCL. Everton could well be a massive game for both clubs. Arsenal win champions league football for next season, Everton possibly fighting relegation to championship.
Lets hope that we conquoir them…
Once gunners always gunners…
We lready have a good record with them….
We have to do with a makeshift defence and hope we manage. Point is if we are on the attack and on the front foot we should keep them occupied so that they have less shots on goal. Attack is the best form of defence.
Newcastle are yet to score a goal against Arsenal in the last 5 meetings (since 2020), while we’ve had an average of 2 goals scored against them in those 5 meetings. However, the first 20 mins performance Arsenal throws out there will always determine how the game ends, past performances has shown that. Albeit, fingers crossed as we stay positive. Gunners for ever!
Seeing as I was asked… I think the best team won on the night, and quite comfortably in the end. Actually respect what Arteta is trying to do overall (although I think he got his tactics wrong for this one). With a few key acquisitions you should be there or thereabouts for years to come, but this just wasn’t your day.
Ok, so a few of you went there. I’m not sure why you feel the need to attack FANS of other clubs. They are, by and large, the same long-suffering bunch, that like many, just want a little hope and escapism.
We had no say over who bought us any more than we did over the previous lot, and our government seems perfectly happy to do business with theirs (including selling them arms). Happy about it? No, not at all, but we’re no more individually responsible for the actions of Saudi than the typical Arsenal fan is for Kroenke – and I wouldn’t accuse you of being personally responsible for his big game hunting TV channel, nor assume you are in favour of forced labour, wage theft, sexual harassment, crackdowns on strikes, nor dangerous working conditions associated with many of the workers that have enabled some of his families’ wealth either.
I’m not naive, but before you ask me to quit my club due to it’s current ownership, in solidarity, the least you could do is give up petrol and gas one day a week? Or those ‘free’ internet streams of games (you know who you are)? Maybe boycott the World Cup? Okay fine, at least try to save the elephants & rhinos.
I will close with this:
On big geopolitical issues… Closed regimes… well, history tells us they rarely get more open by being isolated. Maybe, just maybe NUFC can rub off on Saudi too, even if just a little, and it can’t hurt to beaming back some ‘Say No To Racism’, multiculturalism and multinational cooperation (not to mention prominently represented female and ‘minority’ ownership, etc.) If they wanted to avoid scrutiny, they’ve certainly made an odd pick.
As a fan… it’s nice to have some hope for the future and to see the passion and fire back in people’s eyes – even if it’s only for a few hours a week. Not asking for the world, just a team that tries and a club that wants to compete. I wish you happiness in life and best of luck to your team (well in all but a few games a year anyway), and if Kroenke decides to relocate you half a country away, there’s a vacancy in the N.E. for an opponent in red & white, and our away strips are even apparently navy & white next year!
Regardless, you’re always welcome on the Tyne. Peace.