Newcastle 2-0 Arsenal: 3 talking points as Gunners blow top four

Arsenal has suffered an embarrassing 2-0 defeat to Newcastle that leaves their Champions League dreams all but over. A second-half own goal from Benjamin White and a Bruno Guimaraes strike were enough to secure the three points.

Mikel Arteta made a couple of changes to the side that lost 3-0 to Tottenham last time out. White returned, Nuno Tavares replaced Cedric, and Emile Smith Rowe came into the starting XI at the expense of Gabriel Martinelli. Arsenal started the game horribly, barely about to string two passes together in the opening 20 minutes as Newcastle dominated every facet of the game.

Corner after corner and attack after attack, Arsenal could not get on the ball as Eddie Nketiah, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Emile Smith Rowe were all starved of opportunities as the home side recorded 66.6% possession.

It was tough going for Arsenal as Newcastle dominated the opening 45 minutes. However, if there was one positive at half-time, it was that the Gunners didn’t concede.

Newcastle 2-0 Arsenal: 3 talking points as Mikel Arteta’s side hand Premier League top four initiative over to Tottenham

Sadly, the second half started in the same manner as the first, with Arteta not wasting time making a change with Smith Rowe making way for Gabriel Martinelli with just 52 minutes gone.

Newcastle eventually got their goal just minutes later, with Callum Wilson seeming to poke home from close range after a delightful cross from Joelinton. It was then soon changed to a White own goal as it turned out the defender got the crucial touch.

It was a horrendous all-round performance from Arsenal and, with six minutes to go, Newcastle doubled their lead. Guimaraes lashed home his shot after Aaron Ramsdale denied Wilson again to leave Arsenal’s Champions League hopes in tatters.

In a game where the Gunners deserved nothing, they got nothing. Here are the talking points.

Champions League Dream Over

A couple of days ago Arsenal had it all in their own hands. They headed into the north London derby four points clear of their bitter rivals. But after two embarrassing defeats, the dream of returning to the Champions League is all but over just days later.

With the loss to Newcastle, Arsenal is now two points behind Tottenham with a single game to play. Spurs are away at Norwich while the Gunners host Everton.

Yes, that means that bottom of the table Norwich, with just five wins all season, need to beat Tottenham in order for Arsenal to stand any chance. Not draw with them, actually beat them.

So much was expected of the run-in and Arsenal has failed – and failed miserably. It was all in their hands; win at Spurs to secure top four, they let is slip. Win at Newcastle to still have it in their hands, they let it slip.

In embarrassing fashion, too.

Now the club relies on Spurs losing to bottom-placed Norwich while needing a win over Everton, something also known as a miracle. It is still a possibility, but Arsenal’s hopes of returning to the promised land are all but over.

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Quiet January Bites Arsenal

Much was made of Arsenal’s January transfer business. In the mix for a top four finish, the Gunners decided to do away with several players and trim the wage budget. While that was a necessity, they did so without bringing in reinforcements.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac, Pablo Mari and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all left in some capacity.

This has come back to bite the club on the behind. With injuries to Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey, as well as not signing another striker, in Arsenal’s time of need, they were left with Mohamed Elneny, Alexandre Lacazette, Eddie Nketiah, and Rob Holding to play in games with immense importance.

That is not a knock on those players mentioned above, but if Arsenal gets into the top four and plays Champions League football, they should be on the bench rather than starting. There is a reason they were mere squad players for such a considerable length of time.

However, selecting them and not calling greater depth was forced on Mikel Arteta because of the lack of incomings during January.

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Growing Pains

Had you asked any Arsenal fan at the beginning of the season that the club would finish fifth, 100% of fans would have taken it. That is the lowest Arsenal can finish, but the fact that Champions League football was within reach feels like a huge missed opportunity.

At the end of the day, if we can be honest, Arsenal probably overachieved with the squad they have, and this season can still be seen as a sort of success even if it doesn’t seem like it now.

The Arsenal squad is the youngest in the league, and the inconsistencies that have plagued the club all season came home to roost at the most inopportune time. It is what it is.

While the disappointment is evident and the Arteta out brigade will be out in full force, as Ian Wright said, the club overachieved this season, and finishing fifth is still a good season.

Why fans are angry and won’t budge is because Arsenal had Champions League football within touching distance. But in the biggest games, the young squad fell apart. That is what happens when inexperience floods a team.

It is part of the growing process, and yes, many fans are livid, and rightly so, but given what the expectations were at the start of the season and then given the opening three games, to get where they have is a reasonable effort – even if it will fall on deaf ears for the next few months.