Match Day Thread Newcastle United vs Arsenal - Matchday Thread

Agree with this. He scored a good goal yesterday, but he still doesn't offer enough for that team to be a regular starter. I'd play him, but I'd start Torreira ahead of him and rotate Guendouzi and Xhaka in the other deep lying role.

 

Thanx Piskie.

 

Guendouzi was positionally appalling which was probably why he was taken off. he was playing far too deep and wide and was screwing up the whole shape of the side.

Apart from the slip, I don't know what Mustafi did wrong. He and Socratis seem a pretty good pair to be honest. Xhaka was absolutely excellent particularly second half, once he had Torreira close enough to play off and I thought Bellerin and Monreal were better closing down.

It may have been the opposition but apart from dozing off in the last minute, I thought it was a pretty professional performance where we never really needed to get into top gear.

 

I can excuse Guendouzi having the odd bad game. He is still only a kid. Props to the manager for noticing it though. Something Wenger would never have done. Overall, it was probably our best defensive performance of the season but that was ably assisted by Newcastle being terrible. Can't really judge too much.

 

Yeah, I totally agree with Guendouzi. He seemed a bit under the weather to me. I suspect he was lying deeper and wider because he was worried about letting the side down and not being able to get back and cover.

It is going to be baby steps with Arsenal though. It isn't all going to click at once, and we are not going to be able to see vast improvements from one game to another.

I'm always a bit loathe to say a side were terrible though. There are too many other reasons available for a team being poor. They can have a bad match up, or be trying something new tactically, they can have one key player underperforming, or they can just be lacking confidence. It really doesn't take much to make a team go from a W to an L or back again.

 

The only issue I have with Aubameyang out wide is that it's not a role he's best suited to and I feel like we are curbing the best elements of his game, whilst limiting ourselves in the process.

He's scored 1 goal in 5 games so far and, whilst I am sure his form will pick up as the season goes on, I am not sure whether he himself is happy playing on the flank.

Lacazette has been performing much better than Auba though and he should rightfully be starting. But I don't think we should be shoehorning both of them into the side just for the sake of it because it's reducing our effectiveness.

I also wouldn't have both Micky and Ozil starting - they are similar players and take up similar positions on the pitch.

We are crying out for a proper winger.