Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 [FA Cup Fourth Round]
A Newcastle based journalist, and fan said last Sunday that Newcastle fans were different to other fans in that they want the team to attack, have a go and cared less about winning. He didn’t know why or where it came from.
Something to do with King Charles favouring Newcastle with rights to coal and the town taking the side of the Cavaliers in the Civil War, mate. Sunderland backed the Roundheads – and love to win 1-0 despite how they play. Traditions are long lasting in the psyche’s of towns.
The away fans filled nearly two thirds of the lower section and made a lot of noise – mostly unintelligible in those wide Geordie accents, but which got interminably louder every time Kevin Keegan got up and bounced around like a genial grey haired Hobbit. At one point the whole ground sang: “There’s only one Kevin Keegan.”
Their team has individuals capable of turning games – Owen, Duff, N’Zogbia, Milner. But they aren’t playing as a cohesive unit, as yet.
This was an exercise of forgetting the immediate past for Arsenal. And with eight first team members and three ‘squad’ players in the starting line up, that looked like the intention.
Walcott, Hoyte and Diaby, who had stinkers against Tottenham started – and the sub plot to the game was their individual struggles to shake off the memories of that game.
Hoyte looked good in his natural position [as he did in the first Spurs game] coming in with a couple of timely interceptions.
Walcott and Diaby started poorly, giving the ball away or being caught in possession. But Diaby was first to shake off the shackles and grew in confidence during the first half, with the cresendo being a fine dribble and shot which had Given scurrying.
And Walcott‘s transformation shone through in the second, following his switch to the right wing, after Rosicky, and he gave Enrique a torrid time.
Senderos had one of his best games, and was rock solid.
Adebayor layed off two good balls early on, and Fabregas nearly got on the end of a long pass.
Injury jinx struck again for Rosicky. Is it that unbalanced structure the Czech team doctor highlighted?
Whatever it is frustrating for him and the fans. Nevertheless Eduardo raised hopes of a goal.
After 15 Newcastle started to play with Milner, Duff and N’Zogbia using the wide spaces.
From a corner and a Smith shot, Clichy headed it off the line.
At the other end, the ball bounced kindly for Eduardo, who shot nearside. But Given parried.
Another Newcastle attack saw Owen head over Lehmann, but onto the netting.
Fabregas and Diaby had shots to end the first half. Arsenal fans were suffering some slight angst at 0-0. Exiting two cups in four days. Surely not?
There was a subtle change in Arsenal’s play in the second half. Fabregas had more room and sent a first time ball to Eduardo, whose impromtu shot came back off the post. Adebayor fought to regain the rebound, beat a defender, steadied himself and fired into the top left hand corner.
From then on it was the Arsenal show with a series of flowing attacking moves, many involving Clichy.
Adebayor received the ball on the left, beat one player made his way across the area, with great physical strength and fired towards goal, with Taylor on the line, unable to clear.
The third, somewhat like Bendtner‘s own goal on Tuesday, but this time a Butt head, rather than a head butt, saw the ex-Man U player get to a Fabregas free kick, before Eduardo,and guide it past Given.
Adebayor nearly got his hat-trick, trying the walk the ball round the Newcastle defence. But Given saved.
A hat-trick after Tuesday would be a bit fantasy land. Nevertheless, the memory has been erased good and proper and now won’t impact other competitions.
Arsenal: Jens Lehmann, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy, Justin Hoyte, William Gallas, Abou Diaby (Gilberto 76), Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Theo Walcot (Alexander Hleb 76) Tomas Rosicky (Eduardo 9) Emmanuel Adebayor. Subs not used: Lukasz Fabianski, Nicklas Bendtner
Newcastle United: Alan Smith, Claudio Cacapa, Shay Given, Stephen Carr, Steven Taylor, Sanchez Jose Enrique (David Rozehnal 77) Charles N’Zogbia, Nicky Butt, James Milner, Damien Duff (Kazenga LuaLua 82) Michael Owen. Subs not used: Steve Harper, David Edgar Andrew Carroll
Referee: Martin Atkinson