Arsenal had hoped to extend their unbeaten streak, but in their game against Newcastle, different forces conspired to halt it, with the Magpies winning 1-0. Though most complaints were directed at the refereeing decisions of that game, various players were also blamed for their poor performance.
Eddie Nketiah and David Raya were two players that fell short of the expectations Arteta had for them. Raya’s performance was scrutinised in a game in which Newcastle won with a single goal. He failed to make a single save throughout the game, adding to the frustration of some Gooners.
Though it is unfair to say so, don’t you think if the Spaniard had been more attentive, he would have prevented Gordon from tapping the ball in? Imagine if he threw himself in front of the Newcastle man. That said, his initial positioning before the cross was played into the box was poor, identical to his positioning when Mudryk scored the other week.
Rewatching the goal, I believe he should have even caught the cross before it passed to Joelinton. He seemed to be all over the place. Do you think the outcome of the match would have been different if he had been at his best?
Eddie Nketiah, the talented striker who had just scored a hattrick the previous weekend, was also heavily scrutinized. He was expected to contribute in important moments as a forward, but he failed to register a single shot on target in this encounter. Fans were left wondering what had happened to Nketiah, who had been in such good form only last week.
Arsenal’s overall inefficient performance, both offensively and defensively, cannot be blamed solely on Raya and Nketiah’s problems. The loss was the result of the entire team’s not-so-good performance. Whether it was the inability to create chances up front or the defensive lapses, it was evident that Arsenal needed to elevate their game all over the pitch..
Darren N
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