Newcastle v Arsenal No new players, so how about new tactics?

 

• Newcastle v Arsenal: the bias of the referee and why Arsenal might just be able to beat it
• Newcastle v Arsenal, and a ray of hope is spotted

By Tony Attwood

An interesting piece in the Athletic’s website published by the New York Times tells us that for the Manchester City game “Arsenal’s tactical approach… was all about a trio down one flank. Left-winger Leandro Trossard, left-centre midfield Declan Rice and left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly combined excellently throughout the game.”

They argue that the same didn’t happen on the other side of the pitch but “Trossard, Rice and Lewis-Skelly played close together, operated in each other’s zones, and spun their way into good positions in behind.”

But there is more because they also point out that although “Trossard was the winger, Rice was the central midfielder and Lewis-Skelly was the full-back…. they almost never found themselves in those roles.”

Now we know that at some stage Saka is going to come back and yet more can happen, so this maybe a temporary phase, or it may be the foundation of something else.  Imagine for example the tricks that could be played with equal fluidity on each side of the pitch, leaving Havertz ready to mop up or pound in anything that comes his way as the defences run around in circles.

But as the article says later, “the key factor was Arsenal’s rotation. Trossard was the winger, Rice was the central midfielder and Lewis-Skelly was the full-back. But they almost never found themselves in those roles.”

This I think is the way Arsenal are evolving, which then leads me to think yet again that the talk about buying a centre forward in the classic mould is as much a foil as some of the runs that the Arsenal midfield and forwards make.

And this could be relevant tonight since Newcastle have scored five and conceded seven in their last three games.  Arsenal have conceded three but scored seven.  There is certainly a different dynamic existing in the two sides.

But let us remember this, again from the Athletic and published on the NY Times website.   “Arsenal weren’t entirely convincing in possession. Their passing was often too conservative, and at key moments they often made the wrong decision.”   And that from a game in which Arsenal beat ManC 5-1.  Can anyone imagine what the side will be like when they are not “too conservative”?   

And that is a relevant question now, because Arsenal do need another good win if the issue of progressing is going to be anything more than a mirage.   But let us consider this…

The media are telling us around about 20 times a day that Arsenal need a centre forward, the purpose of whom presumably would be to score goals.   And yet Arsenal have won five games this season in which they have scored five goals.   And in case you think my counting is wrong they were…. 5-1 against Bolrton in the League Cup, 1-5 away to Palace in the League, 2-5 away to West Ham in the League, 1-5 away to Palace in the League, and 5-1 at home to the Mancs in the League.

Newcastle have not scored five this season in any game.  They have got four twice however, once away to Ipswich and once at home to Leicester, both of which teams are exploring the possibility of going down again and taking the profits with them.

But back to tonight.   Arsenal have Gabriel Jesus, Saka, Tomiyasu and White all out, although Ben White is obviously getting close to a return.  Raya who was injured in the weekend match is expected to be fit.

Sports Mole suggests a line up of

Raya;

Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly;

Odegaard, Partey, Rice;

Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard

The Standard has exactly the same line up.  90 min have the same players but one positional change, so when we get to three in a row with the same team, we stop at that point and say, that’s probably what it will be

So there we are.  In one sense it looks a tough game to get three goals in, but there just might be that chance.  Especially if we change the tactics but not the players.