3 things we learnt about Jorginho against Newcastle

2. The physical side isn’t an issue

The midfield battle was going to define the game yesterday, and in the end, it was Arsenal who dominated Newcastle and controlled the key periods of the game, with Odegaard, Jorginho and Xhaka winning the key duels and creating the better chances.

Newcastle have one of the most physical midfield trios in the league, with Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton all possessing huge running power. However, that didn’t phase Jorginho, who used his intelligence to outwit them on the ball while winning 6/11 ground duels.

With their midfield power, many had suggested reverting to Thomas Partey, who despite his drop in form, has the physicality to shrug off big players, and can cover the ground better than Jorginho, but Arteta went with the Italian, and he showed why he has thrived at Chelsea for almost five years.

That experience is something that Arteta and the fans need to trust. Jorginho isn’t a midfielder who will cover huge amounts of space or fly into tackles, but he is a clever technician who has come up against the very best and passed those tests, and at 31 he still has a lot left in the tank.

Continued on the next slide…