Match Reaction: Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal

We will not be challenging this season in the PL or the CL.

Close that shit debate already. No need to pretend like its a suspense as to whats going to happen.

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Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn

"Who knows?" Surely you can't be serious? The point is - we do know. We have a decade to use as a measure and we also have a decade of the chavs to consider. Yes they have started badly but are you seriously telling me you don't know whether they will be competing for the title? If that's what you are saying then it's just wilful ignorance. Same applies when predicting what we'll do. We know. We can delude ourselves if we want but it won't change a thing.

How many seasons are you going to need before you can spot the blatant pattern?

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It's the same rationale every season. "No one has started well except for so and so". Well 1 team is all it takes to start well and before we know it we're out of it. These average, bare minimum performances are all too familiar for us and should have everyone's alarm bells ringing.

Newcastle came out to "let us know they are there", Sissoko booked very early on for a stamp (borderline red) so it was clear referee was on it yet they still went flying in dangerously. Red card was stonewall, they can have no complaints. Referee got one decision wrong all day and that was denying us a stonewall penalty. In the last two games, we have had to game changing decisions go against us. Ramsey offside and that penalty.

Coqualien did superbly today. Was the victim of several late and dangerous tackles and he didn't react. The newcastle crowd were putting pressure on the referee every decision and he didn't give the ref an excuse to book him or worse. Strong and disciplined.

The back four were superb. Solid, calm and dealt with everything

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Originally Posted by Ollie the Optimist

Newcastle came out to "let us know they are there", Sissoko booked very early on for a stamp (borderline red) so it was clear referee was on it yet they still went flying in dangerously. Red card was stonewall, they can have no complaints. Referee got one decision wrong all day and that was denying us a stonewall penalty. In the last two games, we have had to game changing decisions go against us. Ramsey offside and that penalty.

Coqualien did superbly today. Was the victim of several late and dangerous tackles and he didn't react. The newcastle crowd were putting pressure on the referee every decision and he didn't give the ref an excuse to book him or worse. Strong and disciplined.

The back four were superb. Solid, calm and dealt with everything

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Does that mean we have a chance?

Today simply sums this team up under Wenger. Let's just do enough, enough to win enough games to get out top 4 finish.
Theo was shit but a team with 10 men for 70 minutes are going to knackered & we take our fastest striker off. He has no tactical nous whatsoever. How about a change at half time for once. We knew they had to defend, by all means bring Giroud to maybe take his 1 chance in 10 but get Theo & Ox up alongside him. Take off 1 of the CM's, the 2nd half was never going to be a midfield battle. I want a manager that wants to beat 10 men by 4 goals, not to pub it & think all is good.

If Coquelin was a 6ft 4ins, square-jawed, square-shouldered brick shithouse and didn't play for foreign pussies Arsenal, every moron pundit would be falling over themselves to praise him and we'd be seeing United, City and Chelsea linked with a £40m move for him.

It's all about big names and reputations built on a few weeks of decent form, married to the myopic gushing from aforementioned moronic, small-minded pundits, rather than watching games and judging a player on what they actually do. His attempts to outdo Song in 2011/12 won't get him anywhere, but the rest of his game has been more than reliable.

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Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

It's the same rationale every season. "No one has started well except for so and so". Well 1 team is all it takes to start well and before we know it we're out of it. These average, bare minimum performances are all too familiar for us and should have everyone's alarm bells ringing.

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The performances have been worrying, the results have been ok. Not spectacular, it doesn't shout title contenders at you but Chelsea's don't either. Last season we were out of if 12 games in, it's only 4 games in now and we're certainly not yet. Some of the 'patterns' from the last 10 seasons (to answer NQ's point) have been broken in the last couple of years. I'm thinking our problem in 'big games', the trophy drought, the lack of big signings (although this summer has been disappointing).

If we're going to throw in the towel already then why are we all bothering? :shrug:

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Originally Posted by Letters

The performances have been worrying, the results have been ok. Not spectacular, it doesn't shout title contenders at you but Chelsea's don't either. Last season we were out of if 12 games in, it's only 4 games in now and we're certainly not yet. Some of the 'patterns' from the last 10 seasons (to answer NQ's point) have been broken in the last couple of years. I'm thinking our problem in 'big games', the trophy drought, the lack of big signings (although this summer has been disappointing).

If we're going to throw in the towel already then why are we all bothering? :shrug:

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Why are we all bothering - a very valid question

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Originally Posted by Letters

The performances have been worrying, the results have been ok. Not spectacular, it doesn't shout title contenders at you but Chelsea's don't either. Last season we were out of if 12 games in, it's only 4 games in now and we're certainly not yet. Some of the 'patterns' from the last 10 seasons (to answer NQ's point) have been broken in the last couple of years. I'm thinking our problem in 'big games', the trophy drought, the lack of big signings (although this summer has been disappointing).

If we're going to throw in the towel already then why are we all bothering? :shrug:

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Why are we all bothering - a very valid question

a win is a win after all. I suppose on the plus side we have played 3 of the top 7 already now... so the easier games should be ahead. we have won 8 in a row at Newcastle so nice to keep that going. And the Ox has to play. New signing Owen Gol doing well.