Newcastle United looked dominant in the first half, but Arsenal took control in the final 45 minutes.
What looked like it would be a good performance for Newcastle United ended up being a bad day on Tyneside as Arsenal claimed a 2-1 victory at St. James’ Park. Newcastle played with confidence and moved the ball around well to start the match, but pressure from Arsenal in the second half forced the Magpies to collapse.
The loss to Arsenal this afternoon marks Newcastle’s third consecutive loss at home to start the season. Rafa Benitez will have plenty of reasons to push his players harder than ever in training this week after a dismal second half performance.
First Half
The first half only consisted of three total shot attempts between both sides, but it was entertaining with plenty of activity in midfield. Despite their surprising lineup today against Arsenal, Newcastle dominated the entire first half and placed the Gunners under constant pressure.
The duo of Mohamed Diame and Isaac Hayden in the middle were decent in their recovery of the ball in the center of the pitch, but Jacob Murphy and Matt Ritchie were stellar and essentially unstoppable on the wings. As a result of Newcastle’s ability to consolidate aggression with pace, the Magpies earned seven corners and seven free-kicks.
Arsenal managed to maintain most of the possession in the first 45 minutes of action, but none of their possession was meaningful. Both keepers, Martin Dubravka and Petr Cech, enjoyed a comfortable half as they were largely untested.
Second Half
The second half of this match witnessed a reversal in roles. Newcastle went from a dominant, energetic side to a club that folded under pressure and conceded two quick goals. Arsenal wasted little time in the second half and they executed on their plan of attacking the Magpies.
Granit Xhaka’s free-kick from distance was perfectly placed in the corner, leaving Dubravka with no hope to make a save. Ten minutes later, Ozil added a second for Arsenal after being given sufficient space from poor marking in the penalty area.
The injury to Jamaal Lascelles forced the captain to make way for Ciaran Clark in the 45th minute, and Newcastle’s defense seemed to go in decline since his departure. The rest of the match consisted of Arsenal swinging the ball around trying to create more opportunities that never came.
It was not until stoppage time when Ciaran Clark rose up for a powerful header to get a goal back for Newcastle, a goal which maintained their 2-1 scorelines against elite clubs.
Final Note
With one point from five matches, Newcastle are tasked with the difficult objective of not losing motivation as they hope to climb the table soon. This tale of two halves should raise some concern for Rafa Benitez as his side essentially gave up in the second half.
The Magpies will have to travel to London next weekend to face Crystal Palace. This match will present Newcastle with a better chance at claiming three points, but only if they play with urgency and composure for 90 minutes.