Preview: Arsenal versus Newcastle, Tottenham watch on anxiously. « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade

By Phil Gregory

The extremely timely slump of Tottenham continued yesterday, with a defeat for our beloved neighbours versus an Everton side on the up. This offers us the tantalising prospect of cutting the deficit to Spurs to one point with a win against Newcastle. Overtaking Spurs would be particularly sweet “what, apparent the worst Arsenal team under Wenger just overtook the best Spurs team in thirty years? Fancy that!” Bragging rights aside, third place would also mean an easier opening to the season, no potential two legged ties versus the likes of Udinese to impact on our August league fixtures. Not much riding on it, then.

Playing on a Monday night is always a little bit peculiar, taking us away from the familiarity of weekend football. Given our injury list though, an extra couple of days until the game may have been to our benefit for this tie.

A glance at the form table suggests this game could be a close one, with Newcastle just above us with the third most points over the last eight games, fourteen to our thirteen. That sample however includes our early 2012 slump, in the last five we’re the standout team of the two. Looking at the respective home and away records there isn’t too much to report, with both sides over/underperforming at home and away respectively, as would be expected with home advantage.

The win versus Milan didn’t cost us any players thankfully, allaying fears that Chamberlain and Walcott could be facing spells on the sidelines. With the likes of Arteta and Ramsey being welcomed back into the squad our dearth of central midfielders has been relieved a little bit. Diaby has been ruled out, with Benayoun expected back in training on Sunday, so possibly fit for the bench.

Diaby is an interesting case, capable of some outstanding moments but all too rarely fit to get on the pitch. It’s almost unbelievable to think he is 25, given how little he has played for us since arriving. While I can understand those fans frustrated with his injury situation, people should be careful with what they wish for. The exact same charge sheet that can be levelled against Diaby now could also have been said against Van Persie a year or so ago, and indeed then many were increasingly fed up with Dutchman’s misfortune with injuries. Castigating Van Persie for being “Injury prone” was a topic I wrote about back in December 2009, so you can’t even say I’m writing with the benefit of hindsight. A resurgent Tomas Rosicky has been another that many fans wanted out, likely at the same time as slating Wenger for not having enough experience in the squad. The fact of the matter is, as fans how can we demand loyalty from players when the moment they get a few injuries, we demand that they are sold? Arsenal sticking with players through their injury worries is loyalty; players sticking with Arsenal despite our troubles in recent seasons is also loyalty. To expect players to be loyal to the club, but then not to stick by them through periods of injury would simply be hypocritical.

Moving onto the matter at hand, the line-up for Newcastle:

Szcznesy

Sagna Koscielny Vermaelen Gibbs

Song Arteta

Rosicky

Walcott Van Persie Gervinho

A few returnees give us some welcome breathing room in selecting the line up. Arteta will surely come back into midfield next to Song, which will offer us greater balance in midfield and provide a solid platform for the creative talents of Rosicky to flourish.

Although Wenger gave no indication that Chamberlain had suffered a lasting injury in the aftermath of the Milan tie, the youngster will likely stay on the bench for this game for the sake of caution. We have adequate options on the flanks, with Walcott and Gervinho a capable duo. Van Persie, as ever, starts up front.

Newcastle are without any major injury concerns apart from the season-ending injury of Steven Taylor a while back, and boast an impressive side that is performing well this season. They shipped out some apparent English “stars” and looked to build the side with greater ability in possession, with Frenchman Cabaye particularly impressive. Looking for weaknesses in their side, I think our wide players will be able to get at their fullbacks, who have not been entirely convincing this season, and that will be an area we will look to exploit. Newcastle aren’t a side who are too interested in possession, seeking to get the ball forward with precision and utilise their potent strikers. The defence will need to be on guard against this direct style.

It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if we bossed possession in this game, looking at the two sides and how they are likely to set up this seems more than likely. That said however, I’d imagine we will concede at some point: While Koscielny and Vermaelen are good defenders, Newcastle’s strikers will ensure they have to have an excellent game in order to keep a clean sheet. If Newcastle sit deep and frustrate Arsenal it could be a tight game, and avoiding giving the likes of Ba and Cisse the opportunity to score and require Arsenal to get two will be key for me. At home I think we’ll win it, hopefully we won’t see the usual Webb “let the game flow” refereeing style (read: let one team kick the sh*t out of the other, and kill the game that way) but I won’t hold my breath. I’m not convinced it’ll be a classic, we might nick it 1-0 but more likely is 2-1 to the Arsenal for my money.