Arsenal Vs Newcastle United: 5 things we learned – A winning return

2. Ceballos the orchestrator

In his pre-match interview for television, Mikel Arteta spoke at length about having to play against a low block. No team has had less possession than Newcastle United in the Premier League this season and Steve Bruce’s side are phenomenally well-drilled defensively, boasting a terrific record throughout the year. Breaking them down was never going to be easy.

Arteta’s team selection reflected this, especially the introduction of Dani Ceballos in central midfield. Ceballos played instead of Lucas Torreira. He is much less able defensively, lacking the nous and range of the scrappy Uruguayan, but his passing range, creativity, and willingness to break lines with his distribution are much more impactful, and they were on full show here.

Ceballos controlled play neatly in the first half, if lacking that cutting edge to truly carve Newcastle open, before kicking his play up a notch after the break. His passing was sublime after the break, looking forwards, feeding balls that invited those around him to push forwards into advanced areas. He was the deep-lying orchestrator Arteta desired, and he now proposes quite the selection headache moving forward.