Early Match Drama and Midfield Battle
The match starts with Saliba on the bench. Mikel went with Trossard and Mosquera on the left and center back, respectively, which was odd. Arsenal went full flow and got a penalty in the 14th minute, or so we thought. The change in that decision still remains a head scratcher, PGMOL, we are looking at you! Anyway, the team switched through the gears after being wrongfully denied the pen, Eze was having a game against Pope with quickfire shots off in the first 15 minutes—good job Pope, but only just. Trossard was almost crashing the post after a slick counter move, then found himself free at the back post from a Saka corner, but he should have done better to nod it to Calafiori. Arsenal was playing their best football since this season. Then, Mosquera had one of those moments, a miscued ball for a corner and Newcastle scored against the run of play
Newcastle worked the corner short and beautiful, with Tonali delivering a peach-perfect cross to give Woltermade a free header. Gabby was too soft on that—no complaints about the goal. Despite all our dominance, we were looking at 1-0 down. Deja vu at Saint James's Park all over again or not? Nope, not this time, the team picked themselves up to show that this Arsenal landed at SJP with a bit between their teeth, especially since Liverpool had slipped at Palace. Gyökeres looked up for it (more on him later), the team put in a wonderful shift—not fazed by the atmosphere or physicality of Newcastle’s midfield, Joelinton and Bruno at the heart of it. Big ups to Zubi, Rice, and Eze in the middle of the park. I wanted to see Nørgaard, but Zubi did very well—intercepting, winning headers against Dan Burn (imagine that), popping balls to the right flank of Saka, and that ball to Timber—how Pope saved that was unbelievable. Rice, though, what a machine in the middle—assist, chasing down Murphy, the Newcastle right back to block shots. Now, that’s the Rice we want, and he showed it.
Gabby Wins It Late For The Gunners |
We battled the Geordies until the breakthrough came in the 86th minute with that sumptuous cross from Rice for Merino to deftly head in off the post for the equalizer. The gunners weren't done though. Gabby turned his would have been 5.0 rating to an 8.0 game rating by doing what he does best in the opposition box, he scores the winner, breaking hearts across St James Park with that header. Massive shout-out to Odegard for the assist and pre-assist. Eddie Howie singled him out as the one who changed the game for Arsenal. That picture above tells you what that win meant to the lads, long may that hunger to win continue.
Key Moments, Mistakes, and Gabby’s Role
Typical Arsenal, most gooners would say. Big Gabby—what was that? Was the referee supposed to blow a foul for that? C’mon? Anyway, we went into the break 1-0 down, but the team was playing well. Saka was good, still not best electric. Timber was showing himself to be quite an attacking fullback—taking notes from Benny Blanco, it seems. It was a big game performance from the boys.
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