their title-challenging pedigree.
With the season at the halfway point, Arsene
Wenger’s side regained top spot in a hard-fought
scrap at St James’ Park.
The Gunners finish 2013 with a points haul of 82 –
five more than any other club in the calendar year
– a warning to Manchester City and Chelsea that
they may be sticking around in the race longer than
many anticipated.
And they leaped back above City without injured
top-scorer Aaron Ramsey and crocked chief goal-
maker Mesut Ozil by showing characteristics not
often associated with the technical, passing
brilliance of Wenger teams.
Their fight and appetite for the physical battle was
typified by the bite in midfield provided by Mathieu
Flamini, but also matched by the likes of Per
Mertesacker, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere.
The relish with which Wenger’s men celebrated
victory over the Magpies – courtesy of a 65th-
minute Olivier Giroud header – suggested this was
worth more than three points in terms of belief,
overcoming adversity and longevity of their
challenge.
Wenger said: “It was a very intense game against a
good Newcastle team who made it very big
challenge, a big physical challenge today.
“We were in control of the game until we scored
but in the last 15 minutes we’ve shown another
aspect of our team – the resilience and fight.
“We threw our bodies in the box. The technical
aspect of the team was quite good but we had the
mental aspect that was needed in a game of that
stature. There is something in the team which is
special on the mental front, when many times we
have been questioned.”
Asked if his team could top the league at the end of
the second half of the season, he added: “We
believe in ourselves and are determined to give our
best absolutely and to look back at the end of the
season and think we’ve given our best.
“I hope it will be enough, of course, but it’s long
way to go and it’s early to say that.”
A year ago to the day Arsenal beat Newcastle 7-3,
and three years ago it was 4-4, Alan Pardew’s side
conjuring up the Premier League’s only four-goal
comeback.
This was a much tighter affair.
Arsenal had been flat and unthreatening until
Giroud’s 11th goal of the season, when he flicked
home with ease, ended a seven-game barren spell.
Cheick Tiote was penalised for fouling Santi Cazorla
and Theo Walcott dinked the dead ball towards the
penalty spot where Giroud ghosted between
Fabricio Coloccini and Davide Santon.
The visitors came close to a second minutes later
when Walcott’s lob was brilliantly headed off the
line by Mathieu Debuchy, and Giroud had a great
chance to fire in the rebound but pulled his effort
across goal.
Pardew tried a repeat of the tactics that squeezed
narrow wins against Manchester United, Spurs and
Chelsea by gradually cranking up the attacking
momentum as the game progressed.
Loic Remy came close when he chased down a
backpass with nine minutes to go. Wojciech
Szczesny’s clearance thumped into his face,
rebounded back past the Arsenal keeper and
trickled wide. But there were very few real chances
in the second half, with the Gunners bossing
possession.
Newcastle lived comfortably with the visitors in the
first half and had the best chance in injury time.
Yohan Cabaye’s corner was met by Debuchy at the
back post and scuffed the underside of the bar,
before dribbling clear via Wilshere’s face.
Moments earlier Laurent Koscielny gave the ball to
Vurnon Anita who played in Cabaye. His shot
deflected to Moussa Sissoko, who forced a fine tip
over from Szczesny.
Toon could just not find a way through and more
adventurous tactics early on would have seized the
initiative.
source: www.mirrorr.co.uk
