EPL: Newcastle v Arsenal
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After suffering their third league defeat in a row, Arsenal will be desperate to get back to winning ways and cement their hold on fourth place when they visit Newcastle on Easter Monday,
Saturday's undeserved 1-0 defeat to West Ham was their first at Emirates Stadium, and even more worryingly for The Gunners it allowed Bolton to move to within two points of a UEFA Champions League place.
However, with a game in hand, Arsene Wenger's side will be looking up the table rather than down and still harbour hopes of making up a five-point gap and beating Liverpool to third place.
Newcastle defeated Sheffield United on Saturday to move into tenth and even though a European finish may be slightly unrealistic, many of Glenn Roeder's side will be playing for their futures and will be hopeful of securing a result against an Arsenal side struggling for form.
Wenger's main problems reside in attack as his side proved to be hugely wasteful on Saturday with key men Thierry Henry (stomach and groin) and Robin van Persie (metatarsal) sidelined.
Theo Walcott is also out for the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, so the Frenchman must decide whether to use Freddie Ljungberg behind Emmanuel Adebayor or play Julio Baptista or Jeremie Aliadiere in an advanced role alongside the Togolese striker.
Young Brazilian midfielder Denilson will be brought back into the fold after being rested for the defeat against The Hammers, but Cesc Fabregas and Gilberto are likely to continue in central roles.
Newcastle captain Scott Parker may not line up against them though as he was forced off during the win over Sheffield United due to an ankle injury, so Turkish schemer Emre could fill in again.
French forward Antoine Sibierski was also withdrawn with a similar problem against The Blades and Roeder will assess both players on Sunday.
Player to watch: Adebayor -
I'm not trying to be pessimistic,but im afraid it might be another undeserving lost for Arsenal. haisssh. i hope i am proved wrong.
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boring 1st half... hope wenger stop the negative approach cos they got no one good enuff to use to counterattack... jz play a straight 4-4-2 with either jeremie or the beast as partner to adebayor...
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0-0 final score... poor display from gunners n the ref... gunners is toothless... wenger put such a negative team so they ready to jz draw... ref is cmi cos all the bad decisions... too bad didnt buy 0 ball from sgpool...
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Wad a dull match. and solano,oh man. if only he wasnt that alert...... nxt match bolton rite? oh shit.
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Player to watch: Adebayor
why is that so?
he cant score
and arsenal deserve to draw
actually i hope they lose
perhaps a few more games lose will finally make them spend on this summer
rather than a few win, then they will say things like
squad is gd, no need add players, as youngster are coming up
or we turn a corner -
They cant afford to lose. Like i said bolton lurking behind.they drew with everton.Win,lose or draw the boss MUST by a quality striker and a winger. Ive change my mind saying that arsenal do not need any strikers.Originally posted by pierre^^:Player to watch: Adebayor
why is that so?
he cant score
and arsenal deserve to draw
actually i hope they lose
perhaps a few more games lose will finally make them spend on this summer
rather than a few win, then they will say things like
squad is gd, no need add players, as youngster are coming up
or we turn a corner
One thing abt adebayor,he tried to play Henry's style of play...but only 0.5% of it works. -
Originally posted by pierre^^:Player to watch: Adebayor
why is that so?
he cant score
and arsenal deserve to draw
actually i hope they lose
perhaps a few more games lose will finally make them spend on this summer
rather than a few win, then they will say things like
squad is gd, no need add players, as youngster are coming up
or we turn a corner
without henry or van persie, he cannot make it... wenger reali no heart to win tis game also... play 1 striker... he tink adebayor is jan koller or ronaldo(real)... but still they cannot afford to lose the UCL place cos no striker will wan to come if they cant offer europe's top competition... they need to buy striker n winger(left n right)... -
Stalemate on Tyneside
Newcastle and Arsenal served up a lacklustre affair on Easter Monday, as the two sides cancelled each other out in a disappointing 0-0 draw.
There was no lack of commitment from the two sides, but that touch of magic was sadly missing on Tyneside as Arsenal were involved in their first 0-0 draw in the Premiership for 15 months.
On this showing, the end of the season cannot come quick enough for Newcastle, while Arsenal will have to raise their game substantially if they are to fend off the attentions of Bolton for the final UEFA Champions League berth.
Alexander Hleb carved out the first chance of contest when cutting inside from the right on eight minutes, but his low shot was comfortably saved by Shay Given.
The right flank was an early source of success for Newcastle and James Milner and Nolberto Solano worked a good opening, but Arsenal were able to scramble the Peruvian's cross to safety.
Jens Lehmann is keen to win a new deal at Arsenal and he did his cause no harm at all on 18 minutes when pulling off a superb reaction save.
The German was momentarily wrong-footed as Emre's weak free-kick was deflected into Oguchi Onyewu's path, but he was able to readjust and dive to his right to gather the American's low drive.
Arsenal have endured a season of frustration and their campaign's efforts were summed up in an instant shortly before the half-hour mark.
Abou Diaby did brilliantly to skip past Emre in the middle of the park and a neat one-two with Cesc Fabregas created space 25 yards from goal. Diaby had a number of options, but his pass to Freddie Ljungberg was terribly misplaced and drifted out of play.
Newcastle were dealt a blow on the half-hour mark as Given was forced off with what appeared to be a groin complaint, with Steve Harper coming on in his place.
Harper was called into action immediately, as he had to be alert to gather a wicked free-kick from Fabregas.
Arsenal were left incensed shortly afterwards, as Ljungberg appeared to be tripped by Solano when latching onto a clever back-heel from Emmanuel Adebayor, but referee Howard Webb waved play on.
Adebayor squandered Arsenal's best chance of the first half when heading wide from six yards, having climbed high above Nicky Butt at a corner.
Newcastle were happy to trade attacks with Arsenal and after Milner had fired over following excellent work from Obafemi Martins, Hleb had to be on hand to charge down a shot from Damien Duff who had been teed-up by some excellent foraging from Butt.
Arsenal have leaked goals of late and they gifted Newcastle a gilt-edged chance a minute before the break, as Gael Clichy headed straight to Duff but the Irishman snatched his shot like a player who has scored just one goal this term as his effort drifted wide from six yards.
Newcastle came within a whisker of snatching the lead a minute after the restart, as Milner's sliced cross caught out Lehmann only to rattle the crossbar.
Emmanuel Eboue found himself in an advanced position just before the hour, but he could not do justice to the excellent work of Hleb as he fired wide from the edge of the box.
For all the endeavour, the approach play far outstripped the final moments as the two keepers were rarely called into action.
However, after Steven Taylor and Jens Lehmann had got involved in a barging match, Solano came to Newcastle's rescue.
Steven Carr went to sleep and allowed Ljungberg to carve out a great opening. Gilberto fired a shot on goal but Solano was on hand to scramble the ball off the line. Arsenal retained possession and Solano was the man on the spot again as he leapt to head the Brazilian's second shot over the bar.
Newcastle's had decent claims for a penalty waved away in the dying moments, as Onyewu felt he had been pulled back, but Webb turned away their protests as both sides had to settle for a point. -
NUFC lucky to grab a draw @ home to AFC. The Gunners may be down on luck these days, but they are still tough otherwise.
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arse out of champions league nexxt season
tottenham will be 4th in premierleague