Analysis: Newcastle United

For the first competitive fixture of Steve Bruce’s reign as Newcastle United manager, he organised his team into a 3-5-2 led by new signing Joelinton alongside his predecessor as the club’s record buy, Miguel Almirón. The latter dribbled horizontally across the pitch in an attempt to tempt Arsenal’s defensive players out of position and create space, but while the compactness between Arsenal’s back four and double pivot screen remained consistent, the visitors’ wide players were drawn, creating more space for the Newcastle wing-backs – Matt Ritchie and Javier Manquillo – to deliver crosses. This also gave Joelinton sufficient time to advance, and attack behind Arsenal’s central defenders.

Without possession, Ritchie and Manquillo retreated into what became a 5-3-2; this began as a mid-block and became a lower block when Arsenal advanced and pushed their full-backs further forwards. Bruce’s three central midfielders responded by pressing wide, but the Arsenal full-backs would then combine inside into the space that had been created. Emery’s team created few chances, however, and rarely stretched the hosts’ three-strong defence, which remained organised and disciplined.

The depth of the Newcastle wing-backs meant they became ineffective during transitions, particularly when Joelinton and Almirón were blocked by Arsenal’s double pivot. Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff instead became their main transitional outlets by attempting to find space behind the visiting full-backs, but they rarely managed to penetrate further. Direct balls to Joelinton – supported by the two central midfield runners – still represented their greatest threat.

Arsenal’s width became harder for the hosts to contain during the second half, when the visitors built around the sides of Newcastle’s mid-block; their central midfield remained compact to block routes to Arsenal’s advanced attack, but the increasing width of Granit Xhaka and Mattéo Guendouzi from the double pivot contributed to building play around that block.

In the end, however, it was a Newcastle mistake that cost them the game. Substitute Jetro Willems waited too long to receive a pass, enabling Ainsley Maitland-Niles to intercept and play in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to produce a classy finish for the game’s only goal.

Bruce’s substitutions made his team more attacking, but the Magpies increasingly lacked structure, particularly in central midfield. The departures of Jonjo Shelvey and Longstaff left Ritchie and Almirón playing alongside Hayden – but this resulted in fewer options between the lines and too little support for Joelinton.

The visitors’ attack also changed during the second half; substitute Nicolas Pépé and Henrikh Mkhitaryan made regular runs in behind and forced Newcastle to retreat. The hosts thus struggled to launch counters, while the deeper positions taken up by Aubameyang improved Arsenal’s counter-press. The Gunners’ eventual reversion to a mid-block also frustrated Newcastle, who never really managed to get enough support up and around a frustrated Joelinton.