Gunners darken the gloom for Bruce and Magpies
ALARM BELLS RINGING LOUDLY AS WOEFUL UNITED ARE ALL TOO EASILY OUTGUNNED ON YET ANOTHER PAINFUL NIGHT
NEWCASTLE United’s winless run goes on after the Magpies suffered a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates last night to increase the pressure on boss Steve Bruce.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Steve Bruce’s way does not feel
very different
Eighteen months after his appointment, Bruce vowed ‘the gloves were off’ and he was going to do things his way.
While the absence of Federico Fernandez, Fabian Schar and Paul Dummett influenced his selection, tellingly Bruce abandoned the 5-4-1 which has been anything but solid of late and switched to a 4-4-2.
Newcastle were back to where they started this season - Bruce used a 4-4-2 against West Ham and Brighton before changing it up again - as Callum Wilson and Andy Carroll were included in the same starting line-up for the first time since September.
While Newcastle pushed more bodies forward in the first half and attempted to press a little higher up the field, that is the least you expect from a top-flight outfit.
Despite having four forwards on the pitch, they failed to test Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno and Wilson was again feeding off scraps.
United’s final pass and decisionmaking in the final third repeatedly let them down despite the lively Miguel Almiron taking his side up the pitch quickly in the first half.
Concerning body language for second goal
Given everything Bruce said ahead of the trip to the Emirates from blasting his side’s ‘absolutely s **** ’ performance to revealing he tries not to read criticism so he is not ‘as low as a snake’s belly’ to pick up his squad, his players’ response was always going to be telling.
Bruce told reporters to ask the players themselves if he had lost the dressing room but the head coach believed they had shown they were fighting for him with battling displays against Liverpool, Arsenal (in the FA Cup) and Leicester in recent weeks.
There was no evidence of Newcastle dramatically downing tools at the Emirates - the way the diligent Almiron tracked back tells you that - but the manner of Arsenal’s second goal was a concern.
Following a rare foray forward Emil Krafth’s poor cross was claimed by Leno - Arsenal broke with pace and, unforgivably, some Newcastle players were not busting a gut to get back.
It was just far too easy for Emile Smith Rowe to find space and pull the ball back to Bukayo Saka, who did the rest to put the Gunners 2-0 up on the hour mark.
Jonjo Shelvey moment proves costly
Newcastle won just two corners at the Emirates and both of Jonjo Shelvey’s deliveries failed to beat the first man.
It is criminal for that to happen at this level and the Magpies were ruthlessly punished just five minutes into the second half.
After Shelvey could not pick out a team-mate, Arsenal eventually won the ball back and countered as Thomas Partey took a handful of Newcastle players out of the game with his ball over the top to PierreEmerick Aubameyang.
He had Krafth for company but the Arsenal forward stood the Swede up before cutting on to his left foot and lashing the ball home. Karl Darlow left with a thankless task
Newcastle may have lost 3-0 against Arsenal but it would have been so much worse but for Darlow - the shot-stopper made two important saves to keep out Alexandre Lacazaette in the second half.
Goalkeepers prefer to be busy but you do feel for Darlow at the moment. Time and time again the goalkeeper is being left exposed.
Where is the next win coming from?
Newcastle may remain seven points clear of the relegation zone but the Magpies are rock bottom in the Premier League’s form table.
Now without a win in nine games in all competitions, United are looking over their shoulder rather than looking up the table.
With three huge games against Aston Villa, Leeds and Everton to come before the month is out, it is hard to see where the next win is coming from.
This awful run just cannot go on.