Tides Change For Arsenal At Newcastle
St James’ Park has done strange things to Arsenal. It had become Mikel Arteta’s bogey ground, defeats the last three visits, his team unable to score.
Each time, bright beginnings had given way to becoming bogged down by refereeing controversy, Arsenal pulled into the rolling maul football that better suits Newcastle’s muscle.
Sunday’s attacking team selection and Arteta throwing the kitchen sink in chasing a win when a point had already been rescued, hinted at a change in mentality.
Arteta’s team eventually wrested control of the physical battle to push for three. If the dimensions that Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres have added failed to pay off, the Premier League’s deepest squad found the aerial power within itself, via Arteta’s attacking substitutions.
An early overturned penalty and missed chances felt all too familiar. Arsenal’s response to those reverses, overturning their St James’ mental block, suggested a fresh determination that will serve them well in the title hunt.
Match report: Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal.
Kayode Launches Brentford To Victory
Long throws aren’t just back, they’re bigger than ever – and Brentford’s Michael Kayode is surely the best ball-slinger in the league.
His first after three minutes against Manchester United was a jaw-dropper, hard and flat and howling like a V2 rocket to the goalline.
His second was like smashing a penalty towards the top corner, while simultaneously being fired out of a cannon. It almost went straight in.
Watching Kayode do this off both touchlines, you waited to see if his later throws would lose energy (they didn’t).
Can he maintain his speeds? Come back for a third spell? Should we manage his workload? It isn’t hard to see why this has happened. There is so little coaching time now. More complex attacking patterns take longer. Get it launched.
Two things occur: will we see players signed now on the strength of their throws in a data-driven game?
And why did Manchester United look so surprised by this, Ruben Amorim so offended by the use of a highly telegraphed tactic? Apart from the obvious reasons.
Match report: Brentford 3-1 Manchester United.
Palace Nketiah Investment Pays Off Vs Liverpool
As Arsenal supporters will no doubt have noted as they celebrated Liverpool’s demise on Saturday evening, the coup de grâce being delivered by one of their academy graduates made Crystal Palace’s victory taste even sweeter.
The Brockley-born Eddie Nketiah has been forced to play second fiddle to the immense Jean-Philippe Mateta since he moved south of the river last year, and he missed the first month of the new season after suffering a hamstring injury.
Having returned in style against Liverpool, the striker should get plenty of opportunities this season with Palace to begin their Conference League campaign on Thursday against Dynamo Kyiv.
“One of our slogans is: if you invest, you get something back. It’s one of the credences in my life,” said the Palace manager, Oliver Glasner. “Eddie is investing so much and he got the reward with the match-winner in front of our fans.”
Match report: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool.
Rodri May Not Be Risked On Monaco Trip
While Manchester City remain an enigmatic blend of a soft centre and mean attacking edge led by Jérémy Doku, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola is fearful of further injury problems for Rodri.
The Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder did not feature in the win over Burnley, after reporting “a lot of pain” in the knee that suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage last season.
”Rodri said: ‘I’m not able to play. I have a lot of pain in my knee. I cannot play, I cannot play,’ said the City manager.
“I don’t know yet,” was Guardiola’s response when asked if Rodri would return for Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Monaco, with a league visit to Brentford also due before the next international break.
Match report: Manchester City 5-1 Burnley.
Woltemade Headed For Newcastle Cult-hero Status
Newcastle fans are going to have plenty of fun watching Nick Woltemade. His 6ft 6in height was used to its fullest extent in nodding in his first-half goal. Not bad for a player for whom the advanced notices were that heading is not actually his specialism.
Against Arsenal, he showed off the requisite decent touches for a big man. Blushes were spared when a bad miss against the bar was followed by an offside flag but Arsenal’s defence, the best by reputation in the English game, was constantly troubled by his movement and hustle.
Gabriel’s attempt to claim a foul as Woltemade scored was an acknowledgment that the Brazilian had been beaten to the punch and thus needed to take preventive – and failed – measures.
St James’ Park has always warmed to its cult heroes, and Woltemade left the field to a standing ovation with 25 fateful minutes to play. Alexander who?
Spurs Attack Looks Frankly Predictable
A second consecutive Premier League draw for Tottenham, and another rescue mission required. Thomas Frank has at least installed a determination that Spurs only displayed in the Europa League last season.
Against Wolves, as at Brighton, Frank’s side were dominant but did not create enough quality chances. Richarlison remains a handful for defenders but lacks consistent goal threat.
The manager is keenly awaiting the return of Dominic Solanke and for Randal Kolo Muani, laid up with a dead leg, to play more than his 13 minutes so far.
Lucas Bergvall played closest to Richarlison over the course of the two draws and fluffed a number of chances.
Mostly by dint of his being anonymous off the left, there is a growing clamour for Xavi Simons to assume the playmaker role.
Beyond the speed down the flanks of Mohamed Kudus and Destiny Udogie’s overlapping surges, there is a predictability about Frank’s new Tottenham. Wolves’ Vítor Pereira had them worked out soon enough and his team almost took full advantage.
Match report: Tottenham 1-1 Wolves.
