Written by Mean Lean on Sunday, 07 November 2010 08:17

The complacency in Donetsk will hopefully give us one guarantee for the upcoming game with Newcastle United.

Whilst the Arsenal squad may not always remember the correct amount of commitment to reproduce in every game for the whole entire season, we often witness a hearty performance following a disappointment. With Newcastle United coming to the Emirates hot off the back of an impressive derby mauling of their nearest and not so dearest neighbours Sunderland last weekend, a below par display from our boys could leave the Gunners West Brommed.

To be fair to our players, it was very much a mix and match patched together team away to a side who have forgotten what it is like to lose amongst their home support so tarring this afternoon's line up with the same brush is a little unfair.

The injury crisis of a few days ago has vanished into thin air which may actually indicate that Arsene was more willing to rest heavy legs rather than protecting actual injuries, or it could well be a bit of both. Either way Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas who almost certainly carried a little hamstring strain around with him against West Ham and Denilson are all back to compete for midfield spaces whilst Andrey Arshavin has gotten over his virus.

With Jack Wilshere one of the brighter performers in the Ukraine, it gives Arsene somewhat of a selection headache (why always a headache?) With Theo Walcott keeping up his impressive goal scoring record in midweek, someone will have to be left out of the starting eleven.

Assuming that our goal scoring defensive midfield maestro Alex Song comes back into the team ahead of Eastmond, and the captain will come back into the team and possibly Wilshere who was one of our better players in midweek will challenge Denilson for the secondary midfield position but it is further afield that Arsene will have to conjure up an answer.

Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Samir Nasri are the three likely candidates for two positions either side of Marouane Chamakh. That is not including the likes of Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Eboue and even Nicklas Bendtner who has played on the right for Arsenal last season.

My gut feeling tells me that Theo Walcott will go back to sitting on the bench and Arshavin will come back on the left hand side but I am hoping for Nasri to be moved onto the left and Theo to start but I am not so sure that will happen.

Whisperings around the twitter scene seems to suggest that Robin Van Persie will take his place on the bench after having completed a sucessful training session. That would be most welcome but I would hope that we see less of Robin in the short term, as in a sprinkling of substute appearences until he is 100% fit and strong. The last thing we want to see is Van Persie break down due to pushing that little too far, too soon.

However watching Robin standing on the sidelines limbering up with ten minutes to go waiting for the ball to go out of play and replace Chamakh would be very exciting to say the least.

I usually try and predict what our manager will do but today I am going to go with what I would like to see.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

One to watch: Jack Wilshere

With his domestic ban over and done with I think Jack Wilshere could well be key figure in his first domestic game since we put Birmingham City to the sword. He will have his work cut out with the likes of Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan going in for 50-50's. I expect it to be a very physical game this afternoon and I think Wilshere will play his part in that contest. Hopefully he can get on the ball and show Newcastle his full range of skills and passing.

Mean Lean's Match Prediction

Arsenal 2 (Cesc, Chamakh) Newcastle 1

I cannot imagine Arsenal running away with this game, it could well be a very tight game. Barton impressed me against Sunderland last weekend, a better footballer than I previously gave him credit for but this game will be a different game all together for the away team. It could be a game won and lost in midfield the rest will be down to our efficiency in front of goal and our defensive team display.

With Chelsea playing later at Anfield, we have to bank the three points and hope that Liverpool can do us a favour in front of their fans.

COME ON YOU REDS!

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Comments (6)

• 07-Nov-2010 13:06 | | podge
  

  Doubt Nasri will start on left he is nowhere near as effective there central or right he is the form player in the premiership.Some fans have been talking about a 4-2-2-2 formation it certainly suits our personel but we would really lack width. Nasri might be due a rest and Walcott should start as Newcastle play with a high line and Enrique is their only defender with serious pace if Walcott plays centrally he will score more than 1. we have won the last 3 home games against newcastle 3-0 for a reason and i expect that to continue 3-0 Arsenal (Walcott x2 Chamakh)

• 07-Nov-2010 15:29 | | dkgooner
  

  Don't want to be too pessimistic, but after the showings against West Ham, Shaktar and today, I have to say the wheels have fallen off.

• 07-Nov-2010 15:33 | | MeanLean
  

  Not good enough today, I am bloody frustrated. Our strongest squad for some time and we just could not play our game. Too many players below par today.

• 07-Nov-2010 16:39 | | GW  - Goal keeper again
  

  If we had only bought Given we would be top of the league at this point.
  
  He wouldn't have come for the ball today and made a total idiot of himself out of it and he has the really useful skill of knowing where his near post is and not being beaten at it time and again like Almunia and all the points he has cost us.
  
  Still, Arsene knows best and this wonderful crop of young players who are almost all well into there 20's and full internationals still don't produce the goods. But at least we play nice football

• 07-Nov-2010 21:51 | | dkgooner
  

  I think blaming today on Fabianski is a bit rich and all the other times on Almunia. Today was a collective failure. Even the goal - Chamakh failed to stay with Carroll and put pressure on him - Koscielny sort of half went for it, then stood off - whether because of a shout from his keeper or not, I don't know. But it's the sort of goal we've been giving away for the last many seasons. It's unbelieveable that we haven't got to grips with it yet.
  Worst game I've seen Cesc play. As ML says, too many players below par. Walcott back to his ineffective worst, apart from the shot against the crossbar. Just generally dreadful and, as I said earlier, it's not only this one match.
  Fortunately Liverpool stuffed Chelsea so we haven't lost ground, but it's yet another missed opportunity to reduce the gap. Now we have 2 away games and then Spuds at home, with Braga away to follow.
  At the moment, I feel there's something basic not working and it needs to be sorted PDQ.
  Very depressing.

• 08-Nov-2010 02:01 | | richie  - GK Error & Misfiring Engine
  

  Sorry Guys I don't like jumping on the bandwagon but Fabski's mistake was school boyish. If he'd really come out and missed it I wouldn't be on his back but he didn't. He started to come hesitated then finally commited when he had little chance to claim it! Very disappointing! It was all he had to do in the 1st 45.
  
  Likewise our defense needs to hold their hands up coz everyone in football should've seen that goal coming from miles away. Surely someone amoungst our staff could have drilled our boys on what to expect, coz that was an early christmas caroll of a gift. Its Carolls bread & butter pudding he eats those up week in week out.
  No one really tracked him, and none of our boys offered Fabski protection. Shocking!!! I had hope that AW had been proven right yet again and Fabski had cut out the unforced error's and we didn't /don't need another GK but uncertainty is back with me now like a middle name. I wish I prayed coz I'd be praying Im wrong.
  
  Previously our mid & attack could normally be relied on to redress and level things. But with Cesc (our heart beat) misfiring no one stepped up to take his mantle Nas was off. Shava did little. JW & Song ineffective for whatever reason. Too late to right off our title chances? Possibly? but its fast approaching the point of no return already & we ain't halfway yet.

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