Arsenal: 4 negatives from 2-0 win over Newcastle

2. Showing More Killer Instinct

This was the kind of game where as soon as the first goal went in it would have near enough wrapped up the points. Newcastle had offered nothing and would only offer something if they found themselves a goal down, which would open the spaces for Arsenal to exploit.

When Martinelli grabbed a glorious second goal the game was finished as a contest. Yet, looking at the Premier League table and still seeing a minus next to Arsenal’s goal difference, those 25 minutes should have been viewed as time to plunder instead.

Being more ruthless when the game state is heavily in your favour is another step this team needs to take to progress. Turning comfortable 2-0 wins into three or four goal margins can spark a shift in the mentality both in the players and the opposition.

Arteta said as much after the match:

"“Yeah, after the 2-0 we know we have to go to a different level as a team,” he said. “We gave too many sloppy balls away and weren’t organised in the press and we allowed them to run a few times and it created a different feeling. “That’s the moment that we have to give even more, and go for the third or the fourth and make another step forward.”"

He’s spot on. The trend this season has been Arsenal taking their foot off the pedal when the scoreline is in their favour and they’ve yet to transform that mentality that into killer instinct.

It’s Newcastle at home. Go out there and pummel them. Don’t conserve energy for the European football you don’t have. Pin them back in and force them into damage limitation.

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