1. Even the 0.1 per cent would have been happy with this result, Arsene
“I have worked for 18 years in this country and I have been accepted 99.9% with a big respect. I can take the 0.1% and live with it. My job is to make people happy. If they are not happy, I have to live with it,” said Arsene Wneger after the defeat at Stoke City.
The Gunners boss is obviously experienced enough to know that it is virtually impossible to enjoy unanimous support from fans but their performance on Saturday deserves unanimous approval.
They completely dominated the game and they scored top class goals as well. Even Alan Pardew admitted that his team were second best.
2. Newcastle need Moussa Sissoko’s powerful runs in big games
Sissoko’s absence was a big blow for the Magpies as they struggled to relieve Arsenal’s pressure. Sissoko played key roles in the league wins against Liverpool and Chelsea, plus the Capital One Cup win at Manchester City, with his ability to push opponents back by making long runs forward with the ball.
Without Sissoko, the Magpies struggled to relieve pressure from the Gunners when they got possession, which allowed Arsenal to quickly recover the ball high up the pitch and keep piling pressure on Pardew’s side, leading to a one-sided affair.
3. Mathieu Debuchy passed an easy test against his old club
Due to injuries and suspension, Wenger had Per Mertesacker as his only fit senior centre-back for this game. The other available centre-backs were teenagers Isaac Hayden and Stefan O’Connor.
The Gunners boss went with the experience of Mathieu Debuchy. Wenger mentioned in his programme notes that Debuchy had to start because of his experience, his aerial ability and his impressive interceptions but he was playing up the abilities of a full-back who had to play at the heart of defence for the first time against Papiss Demba Cisse – a striker with the best goals-per-minute ratio in the division.
Thankfully for the French right-back, his old team-mates did not test him too much due to their deep defending. Debuchy was clearly a relieved man after the game as he gleefully waved the supporters around the stadium knowing that he had a comfortable game deputising in a difficult position.
4. Jak Alnwick got the start Pardew dreaded
In his pre-match interview, Pardew expressed his hope that Newcastle would defend well so that Alnwick would not have a lot to do in goal as he adjusts to stepping up to first-team action. That was hardly the case.
Newcastle’s outfield players could not contain Arsenal, which left the young goalkeeper more vulnerable than his manager would have liked. All of Arsenal’s goal attempts that were on target ended up as goals, including Danny Welbeck’s effort, which was later overruled because of a foul leading to that goal.
Losing at Arsenal may not be the worst thing that can happen to a young keeper on his full debut but collecting the ball from his net four times in the net is not exactly good for his confidence.
5. This was a really special night for the birthday boy
Even the very best strikers in the game would have been proud of scoring Santi Cazorla’s opening goal; he swapped passes with Alexis Sanchez, wriggled away from Fabricio Coloccini and finished with a wonderful chip into the far, top corner.
That goal required amazing technique, balance and understanding of the position of goal. That’s hardly a combination one would expect from a player who had not scored from open play in 28 games.
Cazorla’s all-round performance was brilliant as well; he was the man-of the match with his neat and clever passing, he covered more ground helping Arsenal win back the ball early and he rounded that stellar performance off with a cheeky Panenka penalty for his brace.
