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Arsenal kicked off their 2019/20 campaign in solid fashion, beating Newcastle United 1-0 at St. James Park. The Gunners were able to lay a marker on their quest for a top 4 finish by sealing a first away win of the campaign, a feeling they hope won’t be a collector’s item this season. This was the first time the Gunners had kept a clean sheet and won an opening game since the 2008/09 campaign.
The game was decided by a 58th-minute strike from last season’s top scorer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Latching onto a perfectly weighted pass from Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the Gabonese international dinked past a rushing out Dubravka.
The victory sees Arsenal win only their third opening weekend game in a decade. While for the Magpies, they now haven’t won an opening game in the Premier League in their last six attempts.
Here are 5 talking points from Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
#5 Calum Chambers' MOTM performance
Throughout the summer, Arsenal fans were losing sleep at the prospect of the Gunners not signing a centre-back. In the end, they purchased David Luiz on deadline day for a measly £8m. But no one seemed to remember that Fulham’s 2018/19 player of the season had returned to North London.
As seen in pre-season, Chambers partnered Sokratis, as Unai Emery promised he’d only be picking players he knew were 100% ready.
Calum Chambers repaid the boss’s faith with an exceptional performance. Up against a physical Joelinton, Chambers stood his ground not showing any sign of weakness. The 24-year-old was never seen out of position, neither did he lose any aerial duels.
Newcastle opted to play in a direct style, forcing the Englishman to make three clearances and win three aerials. Calum Chambers has played over 50 PL games and today his experience at a young age shone through.
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#4 Miguel Almirón is Newcastle’s creative spark
Having arrived in Tyneside during the winter window, Miguel Almirón has struggled to find his feet at St James’ Park. The Paraguayan arrived in England with ample amounts of hype after dazzling in the MLS. With a £21m price tag slapped to his name, the rest of the Premier League were eager to see what he could do in the black & white shirt.
Against Arsenal, it wasn’t the 25-year-old’s skillful dribbling that wowed the fans the most, it was his tireless work rate. Almirón pressed Arsenal’s defence throughout the match, even when his teammates wouldn’t join him. If the Magpies were to ever score today, it would have been through the workings of Miguel Almirón.
Steve Bruce seemingly set up his team to play in a direct manner, looking to feed Joelinton with long balls. This style of play left Almirón feeding off scraps, but even so, he mustered two shots on goal, whilst completing two successful take-ons.
#3 Henrikh Mkhitaryan disaster class
With Nicolas Pépé waiting in the wings, Henrikh Mkhitaryan can count his days as a starter coming to an end. Many an Arsenal fan was disappointed Alex Iwobi was sold this summer, instead of the Armenian. The 30-year-old didn’t do much in this game to rebuttal their complaints. He was meant to be the transition player for today’s team, acting as the link between midfield and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Instead, Joe Willock played that role much more effectively.
The right-winger gave away the ball on countless separate occasions. Come half time, no player had lost the ball more times (15) than him. Add to that, he blazed a relatively clear-cut chance over the bar, and you have a disastrous performance. The 30year-old maintained an abysmal 73% pass accuracy, while his team managed an 85% pass accuracy.
#2 Nicolas Pépé debut
Arsenal broke their transfer record this summer with the £72million acquisition of Nicolas Pépé. Having fought off the likes of Napoli and Liverpool, the Gunners were ecstatic to land the flashy winger and bolster their already star-studded attack. It’s said that the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain were also monitoring him throughout last season, but it was Arsenal’s record bid that sealed the deal.
The Ivorian came on in the 71st minute for another player trying to make their mark in the team, Reiss Nelson. Pépé’s first few touches were that of a man looking to adjust to the pace of the Premier League.
As he grew into the game, his silky and skillful nature began to shine through, as he shimmied and dummied his way past the powerless Newcastle players. In his 19 minutes on the pitch, the 24-year-old made 15 passes and attempted 1 take-on with the ball. The best is yet to come from the Ivorian winger.
#1 Academy graduates starting
For the first time in over 20 years, the Gunners named two English teenagers in their starting line-up. Despite signing over £100million worth of talent, Unai Emery decided to give two academy graduates starting roles on the first day of the season. Both aged 19, the duo didn’t look out of place amongst a team of senior players.
In his first start in the Premier League, Reiss Nelson played it safe, looking to keep the ball rather than commit players. During pre-season, we became accustomed to the youngster flying past players courtesy his lightning pace and tricky feet. In his 71 minutes on the pitch, Nelson managed to successfully complete 3 take-ons, create 2 chances and completed 38 passes.
In contrast, Joe Willock exuded much more confidence on the pitch. In fact, Willock looked the most polished of the midfield three, confidently driving the team up the pitch on the counter especially. When his team faced any ounce of pressure, Willock simply drove up the pitch himself, dragging his teammates with him. If you’re an Arsenal fan, you’ll be looking to see more of Willock in the Premier League this season.
