Arsenal win their first match of 2014 and keep their leading position in the Premier League.
Nicklas Bendtner scored the first goal (88′) from a close range after Sagna’s header was saved by Marshall.
Theo Walcott sealed the game’s score with a beautiful kick above David Marshall (92′) following a great pass from Jack Wilshere.
Add your comments on The Gunners performance today.
Giroud’s first goal in weeks sealed the Gunners second successive away win and the seventh win of the season. In a fixture that was scarce of chances, the Magpies were the first team to show real threat late into the first half when Szczesny was called into action and denied Moussa Sissoko a goal.
Arsenal had a tough first half due to a solid Newcastle back line. Many are the times when the Gunners were forced to try long-range shots with Santi Carzola, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere having their shots comfortably stopped by Tim Krul. The same cannot be said for Szczesny who was kept busy by Magpie defender Mathieu Debuchy and Moussa Sissoko.
Defenders Fabricio Coliccini and Williamson ensured that Olivier Giroud was kept at bay during the first half. Giroud gave fantasy football managers a hard time when he picked up a yellow card before firing his 11th goal of the season in the 65th minute. Giroud headed the ball home from a Theo Walcott free kick after he lost his marker ending his one month goal drought. Newcastle failed to mount a significant response as Arsenal had what seemed as an easy last quarter although Loic Remy would have taken advantage of a Szczesny miss calculated clearance but the balled rolled wide off the goal. In what seemed like the last kicks of a dying horse, Newcastle sent Tim Krul forward in a bid to force a late equalizer but Ben Arfa wasted what seemed as a real chance.
It was the first time this season that Arsenal have played without both Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey who are both nursing injuries. Arsenal lost Mesut Ozil to a shoulder injury but he is expected to be back in “two-three” games. Arsenal also go into the new year without Captain Thomas Vermaelen and Nacho Monreal who are both ill.
Arsenal will be hoping to repeat their 7-3 thrashing of Newcastle when their visit the Magpies at St. James Park exactly a year later. A win at St. James Park will see the Gunners go into the New Year as the league leaders. On the other hand, Newcastle can go into 2014 in a Champions League position if they manage to spoil Arsenal’s party and hope that Everton will drop points at home against Soton.
Both sides will go into this fixture full of confidence after both team bagged maximum points in their Boxing Day fixtures. Resilient Arsenal welcomed back Podolski in a 3-1 comeback win against the defiant West Ham that saw the German score one and setup another one. Podolski’s fitness is welcome news to both the fans and Wenger who now has a backup for the misfiring Giroud. Wenger will also be happy to welcome back Jack Wilshere from a two match suspension but will be without Koscielny and on-form Aaron Ramsey who limped off at West Ham. Nevertheless, Arsenal will be hoping that The Walcott can repeat his December 29th 2012 Hat trick this year. Although Alan Pardew’s boys are in great form (bagged 22 points out of the possible 27 points in their last 9 games) they should be very wary of the on-form gunners. Newcastle welcome back Tiote and hope that Remy will continue with his impressive form.
Wilshere and Koscielny returned to the Arsenal line-up, Mesut Ozil will not be playing due to shoulder injured.
Line-up: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Rosicky, Wilshere, Walcott, Cazorla, Giroud.
Subs: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Arteta, Ryo, Bendtner, Gnabry, Podolski.
173 – Sunday’s meeting will be the 173rd game and the 159th league meeting between the two sides
79 – Arsenal have scored a record 79 points in 2013. This record cannot be surpassed.
19 – Arsenal have scored 19 away points this season (the most away points this campaign). Arsenal last played Newcastle on 19th May 2013 and won by a solitary goal to finish fourth on the league
13 – Aaron Ramsey is the leading goal scorer at the Emirates with 13 goals while Loic Remey is the leading goal scorer at St. James Park with 10 goals.
11- There were 11 (7-3 and 1-0) goals scored in the same fixture last season bur only one goal scored at St. James Park
7 – The Magpies have scored maximum points in 7 of their last 9 games
Arsenal arrives at this game, after losing its first place spot to Liverpool. We are sure they will do their very best to regain the leadership in the Premier League. West Ham, on the other hand are struggling at the bottom of the table and will give a huge fight to get these precious points, they need so bad.
Arsenal is the favorite in the game having won 8 of the last 10 Premier League games against West Ham but has not won in its last games. Will this be the turning point for Arsene Wenger and the Gunners?
Arsenal failed to reclaim their “Top of the league” position after a barren draw with London rivals, Chelsea, at the Emirates last night. The draw means that Arsenal are level on points with Liverpool who have a superior goal difference. Liverpool will spend Christmas as the League leaders.
It was a windy and wet affair at the Emirates which saw Arsenal fail to register a shot on target until late into the second half. Chelsea drew first blood when Frank Lampard’s shot hit the woodwork in the first half. Chelsea continued their attacking football with Willian’s low shot comfortably saved by Szcesny. In the 36th minute, Theo Walcott appeared to have been brought down in the box by Willian, but Mike Dean would hear none of it. This didn’t go down well with the fans as well as Wenger. A furious Wenger said “It was 100% a penalty”. In another incident, Mikel appeared to have hit Arteta on the ankle in a sliding tackle but luckily for Mikel, he got away with it. Chelsea were unfortunate not to take the lead into the break since Arsenal were playing into the wind for the better part of the half. After the break, Arsenal showed some improvements as it was expected of them but Olivier Giroud wasted a handful of chances that would have seen Arsenal fire one past Cech to go top of the league and five points clear off Chelsea. Tensions and frustrations threatened to change the mood of the game when the ever calm Ozil was involved in a push and pull with defender Ivanovich but it was luckily contained by Mike Dean. Arsenal made several promising attacks for the better part of the last quarter but it was unlucky that they didn’t fire one past Cech.
Arsenal can reclaim their “Top of the League” status before the year closes with their next games, away at West Ham and Newcastle and hope that Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man City will drop points.
Santiago Cazorla González, “Santi”, born 13 December 1984, is a versatile and ambidextrous winger, he can play on either flank as well as in the attacking midfielder position. He is noted for his speed, shooting accuracy, capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay and excellent close control, being ranked as the tenth-best footballer in the world by Bloomberg in 2013.
He spent most of his professional career with Villarreal, amassing La Liga totals of 253 games and 39 goals over the course of nine seasons. In 2012 he signed with Arsenal from Málaga – he also represented in his country Recreativo, where he won the Spanish Footballer of the Year award for the 2006–07 campaign – quickly making an impact and scoring 12 goals in his first year with 15 assists, after which he was voted Team Player of the Year.
Cazorla represented Spain at Euro 2008 and 2012, winning both tournaments and gaining more than 60 caps.
This is the time and place to wish Santi Happy Birthday!
| Pos | Teams | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | B. Dortmund | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
| 3 | Napoli | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| 4 | Marseille | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -9 | 0 |
Napoli is the first team that fail to reach the knockout stage in the UEFA Champions League after gaining 12 points!
Arsenal did the bare minimum. They need to forget that match ever happened and prepare for a tough match in The Etihad this weekend.
Scored for Napoli: Higuain 74′ min, Callejon 92′ min.
76′ min – Arteta gets his second yellow card.
According to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Arsenal made less mistakes so far and deserve to lead the premier league.
“Arsenal Are Better”, he said, and we want to hear the same words again in May.
Beating Hull City at home is part of a routine – a trend of victories.
Most of the game resembled more to a training exercise. Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Özil were superb and both Arsenal’s goals were of the highest class. In such a day even Nicklas Bendtner scored.
