Arsenal vs Newcastle United. 03/05/97

Arsenal (0) 0 - 1 (1) Newcastle Utd

Highbury, Saturday 3rd May 1997

FA Carling Premiership

FA Carling Premiership
Arsenal vs Newcastle United                            Sat May  3 1997

Result : Arsenal               (0) 0   Newcastle               (1) 1
Scorers:                               Elliott 45

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Bould, Adams, Keown, Winterburn, Platt,
         Vieira, Merson, Bergkamp, Wright
         Subs: Parlour (Adams h-t), Anelka (Platt 59),
               Marshall, Hughes, Lukic
         Booked: Wright, Bergkamp, Vieira, Dixon

Newcastle: Srnicek, Barton, Peacock, Watson, Beresford, Batty, Lee,
           Elliott, Shearer, Ferdinand, Asprilla, 
         Subs: Clark (Lee 28), Gillespie (Asprilla 52), 
               Beardsley, Ginola, Hislop
         Sent Off: Gillespie (79)
         Booked: Watson, Ferdinand, Asprilla, Gillespie, Batty

Att: 38179
Ref: M J Bodenham (East Looe)

Another disappointing home game against a Newcastle side with a makeshift defence which performed uncharacteristically well. Even when Gillespie received his second yellow card with 10 minutes remaining, and Ferdinand moved back to supplement Peacock and Watson, Arsenal couldn't find the breakthrough. It was rather a niggly game, not helped by a ref who seemed intent on raising his card average for the season, and it was one of those days where things resolutely refused to go Arsenal's way.

Arsenal's best moment in the first half was due to Dixon, who went on a mazy run from his own half, swerving past a couple of challenges before laying off a pass into Bergkamp's path as the Dutchman made a run unmarked down the left channel. He elected to hit a first time sidefoot shot from just outside the box with his right foot which Srnicek saved spectacularly, though reasonably comfortably I suspect.

The Gunners' best other chance before half time came from a more predictable source, though a rarity on the day itself, an error in the Newcastle defence. Srnicek failed to hold onto a Bergkamp shot, but his defenders had time to have comfortably cleared. I think it was Beresford who tried a risky pass inside the area which eventually broke to Wright in space with only the keeper to beat. He stabbed a shot goalwards from about 10 yards, but Srnicek redeemed himself charging quickly off his line to block brilliantly.

At the other end Newcastle broke occasionally to create their own chances. Lee had a shot from outside the area turned over the bar by Seaman after Bergkamp had given the ball away, and later was allowed to run through the Arsenal defence before shaving the outside of the near post with his angled shot from 10 yards. Elliott also missed a reasonable chance set up for him by Asprilla.

The goal came in the 3rd minute of injury time, most of it for the stoppage when Adams was kicked in the head by Asprilla, probably accidentally. It followed a corner which Seaman conceded with an absolutely stunning save from a Clark shot, which he must have seen late due to Shearer standing in front of him (in an offside position and patently interfering with play, while I'm in whinging mode). Anyway, the corner was half cleared to Peacock just outside the box, he hooked the ball back in and the Arsenal defence stood and watched as Elliott nipped in to head it home.

It did seem rather a strange decision by Wenger at half time, when Adams had to come off, to bring Parlour on as right wing back and move Dixon into the middle as sweeper, especially as Dixon had been our best attacker in the first half. A more obvious move would have been a straight swap with Marshall, or to switch to 4-4-2 as he has done in some recent matches when Arsenal have needed to chase the game.

Arsenal had all the possession in the second half but struggled the break down the resolute Toon defence in which Srnicek was outstanding, making some good saves and in particular some good catches from crosses. Wenger made a positive move by replacing Platt with Anelka, though I would also have liked to have seen Hughes coming on for Merson. Anelka almost scored with his first touch - Bergkamp played him through into the area on the left, and the young Frenchman fired in a left foot shot which Srnicek parried superbly.

Bergkamp also tested the keeper with a snap shot as he cut across the area, Wright missed possibly the best chance of the half when a Keown cross was deflected to find him in space in the middle of goal about 10 yards out. However his header from the looping cross was too close to Srnicek and the keeper was able to make a good save. In the final minute Bergkamp missed an equally good chance when Vieira cleverly flicked on a cross from the left, but the Dutch master mishit his left foot volley from about 8 yards and the shot went tamely straight into the keeper's arms.

At the other end, on one of Newcastle's rare breaks, Gillespie was put clean through but Seaman came out brilliantly to half block his shot, and Dixon completed the save, clearing from in front of goal.

A disappointing end to our home league schedule. I think we suffered from not having enough ideas, in midfield particularly with Merson and Platt both off form. I thought Vieira had a good game, particularly in the first half, but in the second he was perhaps inhibited by dropping back too far to protect Dixon, unnecessarily methinks. Wrighty had one of those frustrating games where little seemed to go right for him, and Bergkamp wasn't quite in recent form either.

Seaman     7.5  A couple of absolutely brilliant saves.

Dixon      7.5  Probably my choice for man of the match, back to his 
                early season form.

Winterburn 7.0  Fairly typical performance.
            
Adams      7.0  

Keown      7.5  Kept Shearer virtually out of the game.

Bould      7.0  

Platt      5.0  

Vieira     7.5  With him in the side, I definitely think we don't need
                Ince.

Merson     5.5  Still not regained his touch, though there were a couple 
                of lovely long passes in the first half.

Bergkamp   6.5

Wright     6.0  Still seems out of sorts. 

Anelka     7.0

Parlour    6.5

Report by Derek Brownjohn

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