The optimism is getting high… Eddie’s Mags, back in business

The Mag

·8 de enero de 2025

The optimism is getting high… Eddie’s Mags, back in business

Well, here’s one to throw a spoke in the wheels of your post Christmas diet.

A midweek away game in the first full week of the year, making my way down to Central early in the morning with a clanky bag of cans and idly wondering if Greggs are still doing Festive Bakes.

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But that’s what we’re here for folks, these are the big events we dreamt of when that whole takeover business occurred.

After winning in North London on Saturday dinner time it was back to the other, slightly more challenging ground in that parish for our second league cup semi final in three years, or our third ever in the history of the competition, however you want to look at it.

I sometimes ask myself if optimism is something that will ever really sit right with the Newcastle United fanbase?

With six straight wins behind us and a pair of “big six” rivals beaten on their own grounds in the last ten days, you could be forgiven for heading to the Emirates with a modicum of hope. Arsenal have a fanbase and ownership that wants (expects) them to win the Premier League and challenge for the Champions League.

With crucial games in both competitions in the month ahead, the EFL cup would maybe not be a priority, even given the advanced stage we’re talking about. Given they also have Man Utd in the FA Cup this weekend, whereas we can maybe be more relaxed about a home tie with Bromley, it’s fair to say the fixture situation made it feasible that Arsenal might choose to undercook this one a bit. Add in long-term injuries to Saka and Sterling and the fact that our friend the North London Sickness Bug seemed to rob them of Havertz and limit the involvement of Odegaard and Martinelli at the weekend, I was feeling confident enough to voice some hope that United would have a stronger XI that was capable of bringing a result back tonight.

On the other hand, we weren’t unaffected by outside factors. Schar’s suspension has prompted the welcome return of Botman, but it remained to be seen if he’d be sharp enough after exiting with cramp at Spurs. A bigger miss seemed likely in Bruno, who has been back to his excellent old self in the past few weeks and the question of how to replace him in midfield was one I eagerly awaited the answer to, along with what sort of team the Gunners would field.

Furthermore, this was still a semi-final against a top squad on their own patch. Even if Arsenal fielded a mixed up side, chances are it was going to be a challenge against a team that was unbeaten since early November, when Inter beat them at the San Siro, four days after their last domestic defeat at, errr, St James’ Park actually.

Anyhow, I made it to me early morning train despite some excessive traffic created by everyone going back to school/work, the threat of some slightly inclement weather doing its usual job of grinding Britain to a standstill and the permanent chaos created in Newcastle by the Tyne Bridge and Gateshead flyover malarkey. Still, leaving adequate time and approaching the situation like an adult meant I got the train efficiently.

My mate Martin was not as capable of such advanced level thinking and preparation unfortunately and was somewhere on Gosforth high street when the 8:58 pulled out of Central. Daft lad alert. Martin subsequently arrived at the station and burst into tears at the information desk, where a kindly lady took pity upon him. If anyone is wondering why a grown man was being led over the bridge holding the hand of a nice LNER representative while carrying a bag of cans and sucking a lollipop, you’ve met Martin. The train guard had no response to being told “you’ve to let this lad on the train, he’s a game to get to!” and hey presto! A mere hour of standing around Kings Cross like plums was all it took for the rest of us to be reunited with Marty the unstoppable liability.

A few beers around London and everything was going swimmingly, until it felt like time to head for the Emirates and Kings Cross underground was shut down due to an “incident” which is something you always love to hear in this day and age, especially when your wife hammers the true crime documentaries. No matter, it’s a short walk to Euston, and it was on this stroll that the teams came through and revealed that Arsenal were in fact going full strength. Shows what I know but Willock in for the suspended Bruno suggested United were here for a game.

Into the Emirates then, which is a ground I’ve always liked, and even look at in a new light given that we may be considering a big move to a similar ready made stadium. A big modern ground that retains it’s own character is the goal, and this place does that better than most. Shame our record here stinks, maybe we were set to improve that slightly.

The opening moments gave a few opportunities to do that, as flowing moves ended with wild shots over the bar from Joelinton and Tonali. To be honest, if you watched it on TV, you’ll have had a better idea than me of how this played out as the opposite goal seems absolutely miles away from the away end. Said away end was a magnificent sight by the way, with the entire bottom tier of the clock end filled with mags who greeted the side with a vista of scarves-a-twirling. Once again, well done to the peerless Wor Flags for co-ordinating.

Those attacks were relative blips in an Arsenal onslaught, but United were clearly set up with a solid, well-drilled game plan. It seems baffling that there was any concern about the left footed pairing of Burn and Botman, as both were imposing colossuses tonight. If I still had to do marks like the days of the old Mag, I would be dishing out a pair of 10/10s here. It felt like every cross, corner or second ball was met by a towering power header from one or the other, with Botman displaying his brilliant ability to stand up to attackers and force them wide or into inaction, I left here with real belief our Rolls Royce is very much back in the fleet.

Arsenal were always going to threaten though, and while most attacks ended in wild shots, one Saliba effort was blocked by the heroic Burn and Dubravka out sharp to smother at the feet of Havertz. Then the collective hearts sank as Martinelli was released on the halfway line and had a clear run at goal. Dubravka stood up and didn’t panic and Botman’s desperate attentions were enough to force a shot that cannoned off the post in a moment that could be pivotal to the outcome of our whole entire season. Let off.

The next major development was the big one. Dubravka sent a long free kick forward and Botman seemed to win a header up against three Arsenal players. His flick found Murphy, who was similarly marshalled by a regiment of Gunners, but somehow managed to produce one of his deft flicks to utilise his telepathic understanding with Isak. It looked like Wor Alex had gone a bit wide in taking it past Raya but he produced one of his thunderbolts and butter my backside if we hadn’t scorched into a magnificent lead.

It felt important to get to half time now and Arsenal helped immensely with this by running the clock down in the preamble to a terrible free kick. The mood in the concourse was giddy, but you don’t half need to overthink things when it’s a two legged business, basically leading a quarter of the way through, but this was a great set up for any kind of result and there was a hope that any sick or wounded home players might flag a bit as time wore on.

I’m not gonna lie, I spent a decent portion of this second half looking at the game clock on the big screen opposite. Keeping things steady for the opening exchanges of the second half felt important to preserve the advantage and Dubravka was alert to smother when the ball fell to Gabriel from one of Arsenal’s plethora of corners. Before we navigated the first ten minutes of the half, United went one better than mere containment.

The creation was once again from that Murphy-Isak tandem, with an innocuous enough pass from Tonali to Isak seeing him ping it wide to Murphy. He went wide before pinging the ball back into the Swede, who had found enough space to fashion a shot. Raya did well to react and push away at full stretch only for Gordon to steam in ahead of Timber and smash the ball in. This was different gravy, 2-0 up with the home leg to come and the away end went appropriately delirious as AG mimicked Thierry Henry’s famous corner flag celebration right in front of me.

For a game that will live so long in the memory I did not enjoy the final half hour. A deflected cross wrongfooted the defence and left Havertz with a free header. He made a hash of it and it looped off his shoulder but the ball seemed to take an eternity to drop narrowly wide. The atmosphere was rocking among the travelling fans but I was just gripped with tension. If we could keep a clean sheet here, the position for the second leg was very strong.

Eddie Howe then made his move to lock the door.

The change on 65 minutes to replace Willock, Isak and Murphy with Kelly, Longstaff and Barnes, gave respite to our attacking force ahead of a busy few weeks, but also formed a battalion of defence designed to keep Arsenal out five at the back and a deep lying midfield meant total defiance as the home side had no clue how to get past the absolute wall they faced. Almiron subsequently replacing Gordon meant we went 5-5-0 and the only semblance of ventures into attacking territory saw Barnes and Miggy miscontrol half chances.

It worked an absolute treat and the two goal advantage carries over to St James’ in four weeks time. By the time this game rolls around my paranoia will have regrown itself into a prominent fear of Arsenal launching a comeback win but the reality is way more positive.

United under Eddie Howe do not commonly concede multiple goals at home and the set up will undoubtedly be geared towards defending this strong lead. I would reiterate that Arsenal’s punishing schedule will take even higher priority in the weeks ahead, to the extent Arteta may even see this as a lost cause. Regardless of how the opposition approach it, a rocking night under the lights will be a massive event and give United every chance to not only finish the job but do it in some style.

To put a bit of context around this result, this was Arsenal’s fourth loss of the season, with 50% of those defeats now coming at the hands of Newcastle United. It was their first loss at the Emirates and only the second shut out after Everton somehow managed to snatch a goalless draw there.

Beating these always has an added post-match element of seeing what tantrums and tummy rubbish Arteta will spout in the latest episode of North London graceless losing (following fast from Saturday’s edition). I defy anyone to have predicted this example of wild blithering as the opposition manager chose to blame, I kid you not, the ball.

Ok it wasn’t a meltdown of his previous standards, more of a passing remark, but the picture he conjured of some kind of unkickable dodecahedron bouncing around a wild angles at unpredictable heights while his baffled players stumbled and staggered around, whilst our players took advantage of the fact that the different ball we were apparently playing with seemed to be directly suited to our needs and scored two goals that almost certainly wouldn’t have counted with a proper ball. I honestly don’t know how the Arsenal fans aren’t embarrassed of this kind of rank lunacy and I’d call the bloke a disgracio but it might get lost in translation.

Credit to the Arsenal fans (present at the match) on the whole who I found to be generously accepting of their defeat and even amused as the delirious hordes spilled out into the night singing, celebrating and contemplating the reality of a return trip to the capital in nine weeks time for the next opportunity at a generation defining event. Even the infamous Arsenal fan TV had a laugh as raucous United fans took over their post-match over-reaction.

So, there it is, a result that could go on to live in legend.

A second ever win at this trickiest of venues and a first in 14 years, showing we can win without Bruno and what looks like a return to our very best form. An incredible run continued as wins at Man Utd, Spurs and Arsenal in a heady 9-day period is the stuff of dreams, with the defence looking back to 22/23 levels.

A special word for Martin Dubravka, who has been amazing in his recent run in the team. As the team took the deserved applause at the end, he took a moment to respond to the chants of his name that may very well be a goodbye. I’ll get to him in a bit more detail if and when it happens.

After a rocky patch not so long ago, all seems more than right in the world and the feeling that this season could turn our special is burning strong. No time to dwell though, I reckon we have a decent chance of doing something against Bromley on Sunday. The optimism is getting high…

Eddie’s Mags, back in business.

Arsenal 0 Newcastle 2 – Tuesday 7 January 2025 8pm

Newcastle United:

Isak 37, Gordon 51

Arsenal:

Possession was Newcastle 31% (42%) Arsenal 69% (58%)

Total shots were Newcastle 7 (5) Arsenal 23 (14)

Shots on target were Newcastle 4 (2) Arsenal 3 (3)

Corners were Newcastle 1 (1) Arsenal 11 (4)

Touches in the box Newcastle 15 (10) Arsenal 47 (19)

Newcastle team v Arsenal:

Dubravka, Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Willock (Longstaff 65), Joelinton, Murphy (Kelly 65), Isak (Barnes 65), Gordon (Almiron 76)