Kevin Whitcher
The three points secured at St James’ Park were valuable for Arsenal going into the international break. Seven points out of 12 looks a lot better than four or five. However, more valuable, one hopes is the warning it delivered to Arsene Wenger about the consequences of not buying a goalscorer before the transfer deadline on Tuesday evening. There is no question the club have the money to buy ‘super quality’, and a good enough bid can secure the needed striker.
The performance against Newcastle demonstrated that the club need to improve in this department. With neither of the first choice options injured, the Gunners have registered three goals in total over 360 minutes of football. Leaders Manchester City, playing a similar level of opposition, have netted ten.
A consensus developed amongst Arsenal fans in the aftermath of the Newcastle win that a better forward is needed. This was because, in spite of the win, Wenger’s team were playing against ten men for over 70 minutes, but given the opportunity to fill their boots and win comfortably, rarely threatened Tim Krul’s goal. The winner itself followed two saved shots and required a deflection to go in.
Don’t get me wrong. A win is a win and in isolation, there is no reason to criticize the team for establishing a lead and then controlling the game. However, sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture. It tells us that Walcott is not going to convert enough chances and that Giroud is inconsistent. Arsenal, to challenge credibly, need better.
There was too much of what used to be called ‘fannying around the area’ and not enough taking the bull by the horns and testing the keeper from range with the possibility of someone taking advantage of any rebound. On the rare occasions that Newcastle came forward in any numbers, breaks were wasted with poor passes, or simply by not releasing the ball in time to make the killer pass.
This was a game against a Newcastle side that it is obvious are going to be fighting a relegation battle for most of the season. Once down to ten men, Arsenal should have gone for the jugular. Instead it took almost half the game to actually get into the lead. That the home side were receiving multiple yellow cards should have made the visitors’ task that much easier.
I had not heard before the game that Mesut Ozil was injured, although I am certain that will be the club line even if he was dropped. Would he have made a difference? Who knows. Ramsey played in his position, with the Ox drafted into the starting eleven, although his influence on the game was not what might have been hoped for. Koscielny was passed fit to partner Gabriel. The whole back four had a good game, although in truth, were not called upon too often.
Credit to referee Andre Marriner for not indulging the cynical tactics of Steve McLaren’s team. A weaker ref would have allowed the carded transgressors a foul each before showing yellow. As a consequence, a football game broke out before Mitrovic’s dismissal. After that, Newcastle played it understandably cautious until the opening goal, and even after that, lacked the belief to take chances and leave themselves too exposed.
Even so, with a better front man, Arsenal could have won this game by a couple more goals. I’ll happily take a 1-0 win for the remaining 34 matches of this campaign, but in reality, I can see many fixtures when they will fire blanks or one goal will not be enough for victory.
Arsenal have at least £65 million they can spare to pay a new arrival over £200k a week and a transfer fee of over £50 million. Would the club be better served if that money remains in the bank? It’s difficult to see how. How genuinely ambitious are the club these days? We’ll find out soon enough.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
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