Arsenal faced a sobering reality check in their recent encounters with Newcastle United, highlighting pressing issues within the squad. Over two games, Newcastle emerged as the superior side, showcasing tactical astuteness and exploiting Arsenal's vulnerabilities. Alexander Isak's performance underscored Arsenal's inefficacy, as he registered only one shot and created no chances, while his passing accuracy in the final third stood at a mere 37.5 percent. The Gunners, under Mikel Arteta, have not claimed a major trophy since the 2020 FA Cup victory and have been eliminated from 13 cup competitions since then. This lack of silverware raises questions about the team's current trajectory.
Gary Neville offered a critical assessment of Arsenal's attack, citing Isak's display as evidence of their tame forward areas. Mikel Arteta's side struggled to penetrate Newcastle's defense, with their efforts described as "toothless." Kai Havertz failed to make an impact with his hold-up play, often crowded out by Newcastle's defense. The absence of Bukayo Saka highlighted a lack of pace and creativity, leaving Arteta with few options to change the game's dynamics from the bench.
"When you want to win trophies you need to be effective in the boxes. We have played two games against them and haven't [been effective]. Overall that was the main difference. Today we were a little unsettled when the game became more chaotic we are normally more composed but we lacked a bit of that." – Mikel Arteta
Arsenal's dominant defensive pairing, Gabriel and William Saliba, faced challenges containing Alexander Isak. The team's expected goals tally stood at just 0.94, reflecting their struggles in creating meaningful opportunities. In two legs of the semi-final, Arsenal failed to score, reinforcing Neville's "toothless" label for their attack.
The tactical prowess of Newcastle stood out as they capitalized on Arsenal's shortcomings. Despite having some promising moments in the first half, Arsenal could not seize control or gain momentum.
"We had so many expectations to turn this around but we didn't get any momentum despite having some big moments in the first half. We didn't capitalize and the next action they scored. The game then shifted. We then needed to stay cool to score a goal but we didn't manage to do that. Then in the second half we struggled as the game went by and the game went away from us." – Mikel Arteta
Jamie Redknapp further highlighted Arsenal's attacking woes, pointing to their interest in Ollie Watkins as an indication of dissatisfaction with current forwards.
"But when the bid went in for Ollie Watkins, they are sending a message to the rest of the squad, the ones up front aren't good enough… this game confirms it." – Jamie Redknapp
Arsenal's performance reflected a broader issue of lacking guile and inspiration from open play, compounded by Newcastle's resolute defense. The Gunners appeared unable to match Newcastle's tactical discipline and efficiency.
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