EYEWITNESS: ARSENAL 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1, FA PREMIER LEAGUE
FA PREMIER LEAGUE: ARSENAL 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
EYEWITNESS report from THE EMIRATES STADIUM
by RICHARD OSLEY
PEOPLE laughed about Spurs being unable to deal with the Champions League hangover effect by losing to Bolton yesterday, but Arsenal were just as guilty, even more so, during a lacklustre defeat to Newcastle United on their own turf. Everybody knew the visitors gameplan - hit Andy Carroll for a header - and yet even with this prior knowledge that's exactly how the Gunner succumbed. It's matches like these that confirm Arsenal are always likely to fall short of a genuine title challenge. Newly-promoted teams must be despatched at home in a championship race. Them the rules. They thrashed Blackpool, but have lost to both West Brom and the Magpies today.
You don't win the big trophies like that - and Arsene Wenger knows it, as much as he lamented being "very unlucky" to lose to a team with one shot on target.
He admitted afterwards: "I believe we were never at our real level, not in full flow."
It wasn't that their familiar approach play or passing was not well crafted. In the first half Fabregas, Walcott and Nasri exchanged passes like cousins of Barcelona players. But the final ball was not worthy of the Nou Camp, always a clipped interception or a bumbling bounce away from setting up a clear goal chance. There was also that fear of shooting that has infected Arsenal players in recent years was there.
And Newcastle were hard working and industrious, better at repelling the slipped passes and Arsenal one-twos than most of the opponents that have been at the Emirates this season. In all, they probably deserved to win for the endeavour and determination they showed.
Arsenal seemed to take the lead from their fans at the Emirates, subdued in the cold all afternoon. Itw as noticable too that not every seat was taken, spots of red in the stand. The early afternoon kick off on Sunday, a second consecutive home game, clearly didn't appeal to all. It should have appealed to the Gunners team, though. Three points here would have kept up the pace on Chelsea and firmed up their top four place.
Cesc Fabregas rattled the bar with a long range effort and Samir Nasri forced a top rate flying save from Newcastle keeper Tim Krul with a top corner shot. But then with one free kick just inside the Gunners half, Joey Barton bombed the ball into the penalty area and Carroll outjumped Lukasz Fabianski in the Arsenal goal - as I guess we all imagined he could - to loop a header beyond him. The response was surpisingly lethargic. There was not enough urgency in a second half which should have been all guns blazing. Even with players as potent to call off the bench like Arshavin and Van Persie, Arsenal rarely looked like finding an equaliser. Let alone win the game.
To rub salt into the wounds, Laurent Koscielny picked up his second red card in injury time for preventing a clear scoring chance that didn't look that clear. It was desperation stakes by then, though. Arsenal had backed themselves into a corner they couldn't squeeze out of this time.
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ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS
Fabianski, 4: Failed one task of afternoon.
Sagna, 6: Lacked sharpness going forward into Newcastle half.
Clichy, 6: Same as Sagna.
Koscielny, 6: Sent off harshly in final moments. Two reds this season.
Squillaci, 6: Competent, but nothing more.
Fabregas, 6: Poor by his standards, possibly struggling with an injury.
Song, 6: Got bogged down in a midfield dogfight.
Nasri, 6: Nice passing but no end product.
Walcott, 7: Hit the post - but spent most of the game shackled by Newcastle defence.
Wilshere, 7: Arsenal's most imaginitive player. Maybe should have stayed on the pitch as Arsenal shaked things up.
Chamakh, 5: Flat. Offered little.
Man of the match: JACK WILSHERE
Subs
Szczesny, Rosicky, Djourou, Arshavin, Eboue, Van Persie, Bendtner