Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle: Mesut Ozil magic downs NUFC despite dogged display

A dogged spirited display from the boys today, but effort isn’t enough in this division, with a piece of Mesut Ozil brilliance giving Arsenal a 1-0 win at the Emirates this afternoon.

We did better than we expected, but it’s hard to take too many positives from another defeat – especially when results around us make it look very likely that we’ll find ourselves in the relegation zone tonight (West Ham currently 2-0 up at Stoke).

The first half was a frustrating one. Arsenal looked composed and comfortable but, as ever, they looked like they could be got at. Merino and Lascelles led by example and tried to get us going, but the lack of quality in our front three was glaringly obvious and painful to watch at times.

Aside from winning headers at both ends of the pitch, Joselu was painfully sloppy and Atsu and Murphy’s final ball let them down on countless occasions. Hayden ‘combative’ but that’s the only thing I can say good about him recently. Saying that, he made more fouls than he did clean tackles. Lejeune was caught out on several occasions in the first half. Getting too tight, on the wrong side, missing his tackle or only half clearing the danger. It was a moment of magic from Ozil but the latter contributed towards their opener. A more convincing header doesn’t allow him that half chance.

In the second half we had spells where we had a go in the last 20, with Merino, Perez and the early addition of Matt Ritchie doing their best to push us forward, but it wasn’t enough. We huffed and puffed, however it was only really from long distance efforts and set pieces where we had any half decent efforts on goal. They were rightfully applauded for their efforts at the full time whistle, but relegation fears have only got bigger today’s results.

Merino looked back to his old self and was our real shining light and we looked better at the back (although Arsenal weren’t anywhere near their best), but today showed once again that the signing of a striker and new number 10 are essential next month. Joselu won so many headers, but that’s about it. He looked so limited with the ball at his feet.

To rub salt into the wounds, Leicester (3-0 at Leicester!) and Huddersfield (4-1 at Watford!) both earned huge wins today, whilst West Ham’s current lead over Stoke mean we’ll be in the relegation zone tonight as it stands.

We put in a good shift and gave it a go, but effort alone won’t be enough to keep us up this season.

Ashley’s sale, Staveley’s arrival and some January signings can’t come quick enough, but for now, let’s focus on three points at West Ham next time out.

After today’s improved display, I am more hopeful we can get a decent result their – we’ll need to.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

224 thoughts on “Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle: Mesut Ozil magic downs NUFC despite dogged display

  1. Clutching at straws for something positive to say so I will have a moan about how Refs treat the name players from big teams differently. I have watched 2 matches so far today and have seen:

    1. Xhaka elbow Pezez in exactly the way Mitro was given a 3 game retroactive ban for.

    2. Dele Alli step on a City play nonchalantly in exactly the same way as Shelvey was sent off for.

    3. Harry Kane committing another red card offense in the way he did with Lejeune. He is still on the pitch. Well, you know they won’t suspend him whilst there is a chance that he might beat Shearer’s calendar year goalscoring record.

    Will there be trial by MOTD for any of this? Will there fck.

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  2. Will we hear “he is not that kind of player”? Well he is that kind of player, it is just the Refs do not punish him for his lunges because he is England’s next big hope. Same thing used to happen with Steven Gerrard Gerrard. And same with Alli who is a right dirty tw@t.

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  3. I am certain the Ref saw both and didn’t want to ban them for the Christmas fixtures. Same ***** as Clattenberg was talking about when he said he kept players on the field at the Battle of the Bridge as a sort of an executive decision. It is just total BS.

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  4. Eric – yeah, kick in Kanes face is a red card, Kane’s studs to the calf of Sterling is a red card, and Ali makes a horrific challenge on Byrne – I reckon any other fixture and they would have been given – but these are the golden boys of the league.

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  5. As for our game though, I just can’t understand why you drop they only forward who is scoring goals – 3 in 5 and he drops Gayle ??‍♂️ I just don’t get it.

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  6. Positive – We’re only one win from 12th. We can, technically get ourselves out of this with a good January window.

    Negatives – Teams at the bottom seem to be hitting form. Our next game is against an in form West Ham away and then City at home.

    But Rafa is spot on. We are a newly promoted club. Where did anyone really expect us to be? Until today Huddersfield were only 3 points ahead of us and Brighton are the same now.

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  7. And I think we can get the following players for £30-£40m in January;

    – Wiltshire
    – Walcott
    – Ings (loan)
    – Shaw (loan with view to permanent)
    – Reina

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  8. Stuart79:
    Positive – We’re only one win from 12th.We can, technically get ourselves out of this with a good January window.

    Negatives – Teams at the bottom seem to be hitting form. Our next game is against an in form West Ham away and then City at home.

    But Rafa is spot on. We are a newly promoted club. Where did anyone really expect us to be? Until today Huddersfield were only 3 points ahead of us and Brighton are the same now.

    4-6 points better off than we are now to be honest. I think we should have got more out the Brighton, Huddersfield and B’mth games personally – and I think if Rafa was honest, those would have been games he’d have expected to take points from as well.

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  9. Stuart79:
    And I think we can get the following players for £30-£40m in January;

    – Wiltshire
    – Walcott
    – Ings (loan)
    – Shaw (loan with view to permanent)
    – Reina

    Stu – I agree with the 1st 3, but I think Shaw is off to Spurs in a deal that will see Rose go to Man Utd.

    I think WH might be after Whilshire, but I think he’ll see more game time with us, and in that 10 position too.

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  10. Sharpy17: 4-6 points better off than we are now to be honest.I think we should have got more out the Brighton, Huddersfield and B’mth games personally – and I think if Rafa was honest, those would have been games he’d have expected to take points from as well.

    We didn’t get beaten by the better teams in any of the them games you mention, Sharpy. In all three there was nothing in it apart from the opposition took their chances. We missed good chances in all three of the games. That’s down to quality or lack of it. We need to create 4 chances to score.

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  11. I also think this takeover talk has effected the players. It can’t be coincidence it started to go wrong when it emerged she’d made a bid ect… Jabba needs to make a decision. Accept her offer or cancel the whole thing and protect your investment. I suspect he’s going to accept it in the end but he’s trying for a little bit more. But he’s in a bout as strong a position now as England cricket team are! 😳

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  12. Stuart79: We didn’t get beaten by the better teams in any of the them games you mention, Sharpy. In all three there was nothing in it apart from the opposition took their chances. We missed good chances in all three of the games. That’s down to quality or lack of it. We need to create 4 chances to score.

    Stu – I think that’s a fair assessment of those games mate, and we probably had around 15 shots each game – so to have scored in none of them either suggests their keepers played out of their skin, or our forwards didn’t convert.
    Yeah, I would go with lack of quality – but I honest believe we had better quality than those featuring in those games. He went with Joselu & Perez, but I’m of they opinion that Gayle and Mitrovic are better quality.
    Gayle has 3 in his last 5 games. Mitrovic has 2 from 7 appearances – which is usually 15mins or less to be fair.
    Joselu has 3 in 17 and Perez, well he has 1 in 17.

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  13. Stu, totally agree on the takeover stuff having an effect, been thinking that a while now. It’s doing fans heads in so must affect players, they must be wondering what will happen to them if it happens.

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  14. Rafa seems to have a blind spot with certain players. It is unfathomable that he did not play Gayle. Perhaps he didn’t want us to go 1 up early like against Man U and Chelsea only to play like **** for the rest of the game.

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  15. I’m watching MOTD and I’m really bored of hearing everyone banging on about City like.
    Under Pep alone they have spent around £1b – ONE BILLION.
    That’s on top of players like Aguero, Silva, Sterling and various others already there!!.

    He has the cheat to football manager so absolutely should be dominating.

    Oh and he’ll likely go out and spend another couple of £100m in Jan.

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  16. Sharpy17:
    I’m watching MOTD and I’m really bored of hearing everyone banging on about City like.
    Under Pep alone they have spent around £1b – ONE BILLION.
    That’s on top of players like Aguero, Silva, Sterling and various others already there!!.

    He has the cheat to football manager so absolutely should be dominating.

    Oh and he’ll likely go out and spend another couple of £100m in Jan.

    I don’t think they’re anywhere near £1b since pep be fair. Man Utd have spent more since peps been at city I reckon He’s a bit special.

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  17. I am really surprised that we haven’t been able to eek out a few more points with Rafa in charge. I know we only added depth when all other teams improved but this is getting Pardewesque. I know I gave Ugly John a hard time but that was more because I knew he was in over his head and I said many times he was dealt a bad hand.

    Rafa knew the squad was week and wasn’t backed but really a win here and a draw there would have seen us be comfortable instead of maybe scuppering a takeover we all want and God forbid another relegation.

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  18. If you think back to last year we were able to pick up points even when we played badly. I know there is a gulf in quality but still, that is what Rafa has been able to do throughout his whole career. I am begging him to find that touch again. I am not sure if I can take another relegation.

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  19. Eric Sykes:
    If you think back to last year we were able to pick up points even when we played badly. I know there is a gulf in quality but still, that is what Rafa has been able to do throughout his whole career. I am begging him to find that touch again. I am not sure if I can take another relegation.

    Pardew and Carver has players like Sissoko, Colo, Janmaat, Cisse and even the likes of Remy for one season yet we still nearly got relegated twice! What Rafa would give for players like that now. Even though thy weren’t great, they were better than what we have. McClaren also had us in a similar position with Gini and Townsend added.

    The big problem I see is that in a summer when clubs have really spent big we’ve decided not to again… We are always 2/3 years behind everyone else when it comes to transfers.

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    I’ve joined your rss feed and sit up for in quest of more of your fantastic post.
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  21. I didn’t see a lot wrong in our overall play, there was plenty of hard work going on and defensively we were improved, more like early season, Lascelles return ?
    Our big problem is up front, the quality simply isn’t there, we had at least 3 chances to get level, all failed to be executed. Oh for the want of a quality forward .
    I actually think Joselu is quite technically good it’s just his finishing is poor and at this level that’s what matters.
    Still bit concerned about Yedlin too, he is really poor defensively.
    Not a lot Elliot could do about the goal to be fair.
    Really do think if a better front man was up top we’d of gotten something yesterday.

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  22. Kim – I’m not the only one who thinks Elliott should have come out and collected that high ball instead of becoming his normal statue on the line as a shot flies past him. He’s a **** goalkeeper. Slow with really poor judgement.
    Despite losing these games they were all narrow defeats mainly down to mistakes from the keepers. Perez put in a hell of a shift but blew two glorious chances.
    I’m now in two minds. One says we’re going down, the takeover won’t happen and Rafa will resign. The other says the recent improvement will continue, we’ll sign some decent players and just stay up.

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  23. Georgio, I think we are down, especially if we go into January still in the bottom 3. Very few teams in the bottom 3 at jan the 1st go on to survive I believe. Have to just pray we can take points off West Ham again but it’s fair to say they have vastly improved last few games. Also the B&HA game is massive now too.
    Would a commanding forward coming in in jan help? possibly but they would need to hit the ground running and that’s easier said than done.

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  24. How many goals this season have people said “keeper should have done better”? A hell of a lot! What can the manager do about that? Maybe he knew they weren’t good enough and that’s why he wanted a keeper in the summer?

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  25. I’m resigned to us going down anything else is gravy here on in.
    Pretty sure Mandy & co will be having second thoughts, mad not too tbf.

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  26. Stuart – that’s exactly why he wanted a new keeper.
    Kim – Elliott only makes saves when they’re hit straight at him. He’s a statue for the rest.
    Keep the faith – survival is possible. Look at Palace.

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  27. kimtoon:
    I won’t get on Elliots back too much he did ok , made afew good saves yesterday .

    It’s no good any keeper making a few good saves if he conceded goals he should be saving.

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  28. I just think it’s counter productive for fans to be running down most the players at this delicate point in our history. There’s a few I don’t rate but maybe we are best off as a collective just getting behind them all for now before confidence is completely shattered. Confidence is such a big thing when you are stuck down there. Booing players or the team as many have done on occasion is a waste of energy and hardly inspires them to try or do better.
    Darlow and Elliot are our keepers and we need them full of confidence right now. The only other option is playing Woody but can’t see that happening.
    Hopefully January will see a decent keeper, forward, 10 signed at least, but I won’t hold my breath with Cashley still holding the purse strings.

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  29. I don’t think saying they’re not good enough is running them down, Kim. It would be rather strange if everyone went round saying they’re great when they’re clearly not and everybody knew that before the season started.

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  30. I will not believe that Ashley will sell the club until it actually happens.
    Some weeks ago I was told that Ashley needed to sell to fund his £300m purchase of an old hospital in London for property development.
    Now I’m told he has completed that purchase without needing to sell Nufc.
    I really hope he goes but I suspect he will still be the owner of the club at the end of the season.

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  31. I’ll believe the sale when I see Mandy holding up her Toon Shirt… we have thrown away a lot of points from winning positions this season. I’m now in the hateful position of wanting Man United to win a game… ?? just to keep West Brom below us…

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  32. Stuart79:
    I don’t think saying they’re not good enough is running them down, Kim. It would be rather strange if everyone went round saying they’re great when they’re clearly not and everybody knew that before the season started.

    We don’t have to say they are great mate, I agree. It’s more that too many on social media are abusing them often in really spiteful ways too. Saying stuff 99% wouldn’t have the guts to say to their faces. I’m talking twitter here, more than blogs . We all know the quality isn’t there with some of them and truth be told they will know they aren’t up to PL standard. But what’s the point in rubbing their face in it is all I’m saying.

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  33. It is so tight at the bottom and midtable that a couple of wins makes a massive difference. Look at West Ham, Palace and Everton. A point a game will see us survive and we are not far off that. A win at West Ham would get us there.

    This may be blind optimism. There were games we could and should have already taken points from. We know the ones. I don’t expect anything from Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea away but we dropped some needless points by stupid mistakes elsewhere and moreso by not taking the chances we did create.

    You cannot play Joselu and Perez as a tandem and expect to score more than 1 goal which usually gets you a draw at best. Meanwhile, our only natural finisher is dropped and our Mad Serb is persona non grata.

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  34. I think we should play Dummett at West Ham and shift Manqillo to right back. That should give us more balance. Shelvey will be back so at least that will give us another option in midfield. MBemba as the defensive mid might be worth a try but it won’t happen.

    Gayle has to start, but we all said that about the Arsenal game.

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  35. Man U are doing what City did last week and trying to keep the ball in the corner to play out the game. Someone should tell them it is West Brom and not their local rivals who are 2nd in the league.

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  36. Bournemouth losing 3.0 at the mo to Pool at home, yet we held them to a draw at our place so does that make them worse than us?

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  37. You can see why Barca want Coutinho. With a bit more space in La Liga he would be a revelation. The only fear would be if he and Messi try to occupy the same space.

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  38. What decent player is going to want to join us this winter? We have the worst form in the league and will likely be bottom of the table for New Year. We will be looking at loans or deals with get out clauses for mercenaries. Don’t expect fireworks this winte, regardless of who the owner is… I think we are in big trouble.

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  39. shamrock:
    What decent player is going to want to join us this winter? We have the worst form in the league and will likely be bottom of the table for New Year. We will be looking at loans or deals with get out clauses for mercenaries. Don’t expect fireworks this winte, regardless of who the owner is… I think we are in big trouble.

    I would tend to agree, Sham. Although similar could be said for a few down there.

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  40. Usually in previous seasons a team that had lost 6/7 games on the bounce would be in a rose positikn than us. Thankfully others have had similar struggles and that means we’re only one win from 12th.

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  41. interesting that Rafa set the 20 point target by end of December, that’s exactly what I was happy with us getting to. Many were saying it would be more but I always felt that 20 would be a good result at that stage.
    If they play with heart and determination I can still see a 20 point return, a win and a draw from West Ham and B&HA games would suffice and then hopefully a rescue mission in the jan window early doors.
    If that idiot doesn’t back Rafa then he gets everything he deserves .

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  42. Iain Lawrence‏
    @toon_iain

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    Replying to @MsiDouglas

    Excluding the big 6 we need to win all our remaining home games and draw the away games to get 40 points

    When you put it like that …… 😳 oh dear

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  43. kimtoon:
    Iain Lawrence‏
    @toon_iain

    Follow Follow @toon_iain

     More

    Replying to @MsiDouglas

    Excluding the big 6 we need to win all our remaining home games and draw the away games to get 40 points

    When you put it like that …… oh dear

    that a shock mate,thats not going to happen

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  44. If you want to be pragmatic we need about a point a game from now. That will get us to 36 and that will be about 17th or 18th. An extra point will get us 17th.

    This 40 point mark is *****.

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  45. In the last 11 seasons 38 has been enough to stay up. West Ham went down on 43 points many years ago but that was before Bournmouth with their giant 13,000 seater stadium could buy a 20 million pound player.

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  46. They were class though.

    I mean Bournemouth. They all stayed to the end to watch how good Liverpool were. Seriously.

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  47. We won’t be able to make a reasoned or educated prediction on relegation until 1st Feb. I’d say it’s simple. A good January and we will stay up. A bad one (as expected) we go down. The clubs around us will all spend and improve. Their owners see PL football as the most important.

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  48. THE UGLY CREW!!!

    From Olly’s last post.

    God they are ugly.

    Ugly John looks like an oil painting in comparison.

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