EPL Match Day 1: Arsenal v Newcastle United; Match Preview

HELLOOOOOOOOO GOONERS!!!! Oh thank goodness we are back with meaningful football. After the crap of a summer we have had at least there is football to watch.  It has been since mid May since any of the football I’ve watched had any purpose and well I for one am excited to have our boys back on the pitch to watch.

Ah, but it is a tempered excitement. What this season holds for any of us remains to be seen. As usual Arsenal are odds on favourites of the pundits to finish just outside the top 4 – yet again. Seems the addition of king Kenny and 10 midfielders to Liverpool have made them the flavour of choice this year to supplant us from our top 4 spot. Well, that is why they play the games don’t they?

And the first game we get to play is the place where I believe it all fell apart for us last season. Many of us still look to the collapse at Wembley as the place where we started our descent into the abyss but it was the 4-4 draw against Newcastle that was the true portend of things to come. Forget for a moment bad decisions by both Diaby and then by the ref – it was arguably the worst match I’ve ever seen Dowd call – that match will go down as a hallmark of everything that was and is wrong with this Arsenal  team.

But the EPL schedule makers in their infinite wisdom wanted to see if lightening can strike twice and scheduled this as our first fixture of the season. So we’re off to St. James Park for another season kickoff. Both teams for the most part have had an off season of flux. With Mike Ashley selling his key players and Wenger fighting to keep his.  Which team is better positioned for this match is anyone’s guess?

Arsenal can ill afford a slow start. Sure, there are plenty of games to play and lots of ground that can be made up in the course of a long season. But with the psychological frailty of this team a slow start could make those doubts come out early and effect more than an EPL season.

This season is the real test for Wenger. He has to win something now or it likely is his last. He needs everyone on the pitch committed for a full 90 minutes. There can be no mental lapses. Diaby’s idiocy at retaliating against Barton last season was the catalyst for the tide to turn at Newcastle. 45 minutes of brilliant football undone by one act of pure idiocy. Its no secret I am glad he is not on the pitch. Talented but thick as a rock. There is defending yourself and there is doing what is necessary for your team to win. Since he is out no worries there. The teams leaders, RvP, Vermaelen, Arshavin and TR7 need to be vocal. They need to challenge players and call them to step up when it is time. If that happens and happens often there is hope. If we are nonchalant about as we were last season – I worry.

For you Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri watchers, both have not been added to the squad. As a matter of fact it does look like that at training this Friday morning Cesc handed off the Captain’s badge to Robin Van Persie. While both clubs won’t confirm the deal is closed it looks like it will be shortly. Cesc is even reported to be enroute to Barca to join them for their Sunday match against Real Madrid and be formaly announced on Monday.

Nasri is a big question mark. He’s not in the squad. The deal does not seem to be set yet. Mancini says he wants all his transfer business concluded by Monday which could signal that Nasri will be out of here this weekend. Noone seems to know for sure what is going on here. What is clear that the club have grown impatient with Nasri and his refusal to sign a new contract (reportedly one of the biggest ever offered an Arsenal player). In a recent board meeting Kroenke is believed to have directed the club to take the money being offered as it was too large a sum to refuse. That is pure rumour but it does kind of figure with the instant up tick in Nasri leaving “noise”.

Either way those two extremely talented players won’t be on the pitch for this rematch. Neither will Jack Wilshere who is still recovering from an ankle injury. In his last tweet about the injury, Jack confirmed the scan did not turn up anything significant and that he  just needs to rehab. When he’ll return is anyone’s best guess. Remember the 6 weeks we were told about Vermaelen?

With those out of the way it falls to the remaining squad to pick it up. And for me now is the real test of the mental quality of this squad. How will they bond together in the face of all the adversity they have had to endure? They are still an extremely talented bunch and the starting XI I picked for Saturday are good enough to beat the likes of United so they should do the job against Newcastle. The likes of Van Persie, Ramsey, Gervinho, Song, Vermaelen, Sagna, Szczesny are all players that major clubs would like on their teams. The other supporting players are good in their own right as well. Its time they showed up for a full season

So let’s get to the match:

How it should play out:
Wow this is a hard one. It shouldn’t be, but there is so much unknown about how this team is going to respond. I am sure the Geordie faithful will all too kindly remind us of the pratfall from last season. But they have lost the likes of Nolan and Carol. Barton is doubtful. That should mean that this Arsenal squad should feast on the Magpies. Expect our pace on the wings to really press the defenders with both Gervinho and Walcott on the pitch at the same time. It is a bit of pace like that which will give teams fits.  I can see an early Arsenal lead evaporate into a draw and then a late Van Persie winner.

Players to Watch:

Arsenal: Gervinho. Simply put he could be the steal of the season. His first EPL match and the hunger to go with it.

NUFC: Chuks Tiote. He put the nail in the coffin against Arsenal last season.

Probable Starting XI:

Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Wilshere (ankle) Diaby (ankle)

NUFC: Ben Arta (ankle)

Leading Scorers:
Arsenal:

NUFC:

Last Meeting: (EPL)
Arsenal: 4

NUFC: 4

Goals For:
Arsenal: 0

NUFC: 0

Goals Against:
Arsenal: 0

NUFC: 0

Last Five:
Arsenal:

NUFC:

Goal Difference:
Arsenal: 0

NUFC: 0

Match Official:
Referee: Peter Walton

Broadcast Information:
US: FSC 1230PM EST

UK: ESPN UK 1730 BST

GAMEDAY CHAT: It’s Open!!!!!!

 www.youaremyarsenal.com/gamedaychat

YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2

NUFC: 1

The Final Word:

Something missed in all the Fabregas and Nasri transfer saga is this – where in the world is Emmanuel Eboue. In the list of squad numbers assigned to players Gervinho is wearing the number 27 – his old Lille number. The problem is it is also the number worn by Emmanuel Eboue. So I checked the list to see if had been assigned a new number. Alas, he wasn’t there. Nothing – nada – zilch. No Eboue. There were rumours that he was likely off to Turkey but when he showed up for the Benfica match, I got the hunch that he wasn’t going any where. Then this. I am gutted. I mean who is going to keep Gunnersaurus company? I guess Squillaci and Almunia could have that honour.

Seriously, though about Eboue. While it is clear he is not Arsenal quality in terms of skill, I would love more players to have his heart and ethusiasm of the team and game. Once chided and rebuked by the fans he turned that all around to become a cult figure. We called him our cheerleader but maybe we need some more cheerleaders on the team. Both on the bench and on the pitch. He exemplifies the personality we want. Except that whole diving thing he does.

As for Almunia he is down in a spider hole somewhere doing his best to hide from everyone. His disappearance is so great that the club are still running his team picture from last season on its site. So the new game this season will be – where in the world is Almunia? I can answer that for you – who cares as long as it is not between the sticks.

Until our next report – Stay Goonerish!!