Newcastle v Arsenal: team predictions, insulting comments, yellow cards and all that stuff

 

 

Newcastle v Arsenal on Untold

• Newcastle v Arsenal: the injuries, who returns; top and bottom of the league
• Newcastle v Arsenal: Arsenal’s tactics working well; Chelsea go yellow bonkers
• Newcastle United v Arsenal: and again its the issue of the officials

By Bulldog Drummond

According  to the Guardian Arteta was cleared of making insulting comments about match officials after Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park last season after VAR did not recommend ruling out Anthony Gordon’s winning goal.  You might remember there was a bit of a fuss made about that issue.

And then with the slight under-the-table suggestion that there is a bit of fiddling going on they note “The Spaniard is one of five managers in the Premier League not to have been shown a yellow card this season.”

Now if you have been following our chat about Arsenal’s troubles with referees of late you might have noted our comments about just how far down the table Arsenal are in yellow cards… – the club is 15th in that table, running at 20 cards, just a fraction over half the level that Chelsea are getting.

ESPN did run the headline, “Chelsea break Premier League record for most yellows cards” in May last season but they, like the rest of the media, are silent on the notion that Chelsa look likely to break the record again this season.  It is funny how one club gets hammered for three, and another is not mentioned for heading for an all time record.

Meanwhile, it just struck me that while we have articles today which rake up old news such as Arteta “trying to keep a lid on his emotions because he does not want to be banned from the dugout” (the Guardian) which is stunningly obvious even for a newspaper.  But that’s how it goes.  If they can’t invent a story about Arsenal doing things wrong today, they’ll rake up a tale from last year.

Staying with the Guardian they have Joe Willock playing for Newcastle, and an Arsenal line up of

Raya

Partey Saliba Gabriel Timber

Merino Havertz Rice

Saka Trossard Martinelli

Raya, Gabriel, Havertz and Partey are the four ever-presents in the league this season so far, while Rice, Saka and Saliba have all played in eight games in the league.  Havertz is top scorer with four and behind him Saliba has three.

Newcastle also have four ever-present players  – Guimaras, Burn, Joelinto and Pope, with Anthony Gordon on eight games.  Their top scorer in the League is Barnes with three while Gordon and Isak each have two.

For Newcastle Burn and Joelinton have have four yellow cards, while Arsenal, who have been lambasted all week for their disciplinary record have no one on four and just Jesus on three. 

Meanwhile in what it considers to be news the Daily Mirror has “Arsenal’s unprecedented club statement after FA alerted to Mikel Arteta comments” which gives them a chance to rerun the “Arteta goes on a rant” story.  It has nothing to do with today, or even this year. But then that’s the Mirror for you.   Maybe one day we could run “Daily Mirror unprecedented article about football today.”   But probably not.

Sports Mole has a 4-2-3-1 lineup of

Raya;

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber;

Rice, Partey;

Saka, Trossard, Martinelli;

Havertz

 

The Standard has 

Raya;

Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber;

Saka, Rice, Merino, Martinelli;

Havertz, Trossard

So there we are.  Kick off at 1230 UK time.