Newcastle United: 5 things we learned from the 2-1 loss to Arsenal
By Durim Halimi
Newcastle United tasted defeat once again after falling to Arsenal at home on Saturday.
Newcastle United seemed optimistic heading into their match against Arsenal, but the Gunners found a way to claim a 2-1 victory over the Magpies on Saturday. It was a tale of two halves for Newcastle as urgency summed up their first half performance, while inconsistency describes their second half form.
Yesterday’s loss marked Newcastle’s third home loss of the season and kept Rafa Benitez’s side in the bottom three with one point. The Magpies will have to wait until next weekend for another chance at securing their first victory. For now, though, let us analyze what went right and wrong against Arsenal yesterday.
Phenomenal Pressure
The pressure Newcastle applied against Arsenal in the first half worked like a charm. Arsenal could not create a passing rhythm due to several Magpies covering ground all over the pitch. The most impressive aspect of Newcastle’s pressure was how many unforced errors they made Arsenal commit. If Newcastle can apply the same type of pressure against mid-table quality sides, such as Crystal Palace and Leicester City over the next two weeks, then three points are certainly possible.
Murphy-Ritchie Duo
Jacob Murphy got the nod to start on the wing over Kenedy and his form justified Rafa Benitez’s decision. Matt Ritchie’s return from injury was welcomed and much-needed because of his superior dribbling and passing skills.
The duo were unstoppable in the first half as they won most 50/50 balls, coordinated attacks and cut behind the defense multiple times. Kenedy should begin to worry as Murphy showed that he can be a quality starter for Newcastle.
Weak Mentality
A major negative point from yesterday’s match was the mentality of the squad after conceding the first goal in the 49th minute. The Magpies managed to spark comebacks against Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City, but they seemed to give up against Arsenal.
Players were running around with their heads lowered, they struggled trapping and passing the ball and they let Arsenal pass the ball around with ease. This cannot continue going forward and Benitez will need to find a way to motivate his players ahead of the fixture with Crystal Palace.
No Shelvey, No Party
Rafa Benitez chose to start Isaac Hayden over Jonjo Shelvey and this was a shocking move for most supporters. Hayden did not provide much contribution for the Magpies and he looked tired after 60 minutes. Shelvey’s absence was felt against Arsenal as Newcastle could not work the ball through the middle.
If Newcastle wish to earn two consecutive positive results against Crystal Palace and Leicester City, Benitez must start his best player in midfield. Newcastle are capable of winning some matches without Shelvey, but his ability to influence a match is unmatched on the roster.
Dubravka’s Form
What started off as a comfortable match for Martin Dubravka quickly became a match to forget. This is the fourth time this season that Dubravka has conceded two goals in a match. The goal scored by Mesut Ozil occurred as a result of poor marking in the box, but Dubravka could have been positioned better for Granit Xhaka’s free-kick.
Regardless of yesterday’s form, Dubravka is clearly the best option Newcastle have for being the primary keeper. Moreover, Dubravka will surely claim more clean sheets as soon as Newcastle begin facing mediocre opposition.