And so to St James’ Park, where Geordie Arabia will host us for the second of Sunday’s Premier League fixtures.
It has not been a happy hunting ground for Arteta. The only away ground where he has lost more games as a manager is the Oilands. The solitary victory in our last five visits came on the day after Coronation Day in May 2023. It was also the only one of the five in which we scored: Martin Ødegaard in the 14th minute from 30 yards out, and a Fabian Schär own goal in the 71st.
The skipper’s goal took him to 15 league goals for the season. With Gabriel Martinelli already having put that notch in his tally stick, it was, remarkably, the first time that two players had scored at least 15 league goals for the club in a season since John Radford and Ray Kennedy for the 1970-71 double-winning side.
Woolwich Arsenal’s first trip up north ended in a 6-0 thrashing by a Newcastle team still smarting from being put in the Second Division of the Football League despite applying to go straight into the First.
On a showery final day of September 1893, in what was their third and our fourth league game, Toon’s centre forward, Willie Thompson, and inside left, Joe Wallace, scored hat-tricks for the hosts. ‘The Woolwich team were no match for their rivals’, reported the Sporting Life. St James’ Park had a notorious slope in those days. Four of Newcastle’s goals came in the second half when they were attacking ‘down the hill’.
We have visited the history of our hosts, their ground and their hinterland on several previous occasions. I would particularly commend you to Bath’s previews of the corresponding fixtures from last season, and the one before that.
I will add only that, when St James’ Park had opened 13 years earlier on a patch of Town Moor, then much larger than it is today, local butchers still grazed their future sales on the pitch, which was near the city’s gallows, hence the stadium’s Gallowgate end.
Speculation about relocating to a new 70,000-seat stadium in Leazes Park, which sits on the land between St James’ Park and the remaining part of Town Moor, has resurfaced. New chief executive David Hopkinson, who is replacing cancer-struck Darren Eales, has reportedly been discussing funding options with the club’s owners, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (80%) and the Reuben brothers (20%). The Bloomberg financial news service reported on Wednesday that the club had also been talking to potential external investors about a £1 billion debt and equity package, aiming to move into a new home by 2028, a somewhat optimistic target.
The opposition
They are brutes. Other b words are available.
Howe’s heavies
Eddie Howe has stuck with his preferred 4-3-3 at home this season despite switching to 5-3-2 for away games. In the glove-buttling department, Nick Pope is likely to continue to keep Aaron Ramsdale, formerly of this parish, on the bench. In front of him, it gets ugly: Trippier and Livramento at full back and Dan Burn and, in the absence of the injured Schär, one of Sven Botman, the bad boy from Badhoevedorp, or Malick Thiaw, bought from AC Milan in the summer for €35 million. The midfield should be Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães: Uglier yet.
The recently acquired 6′ 6″ £69 million man, Nick Woltemade, who, given a crimson cape, looks as if he could do a decent impression of a cardinal from Monty Python’s ‘Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition’ sketch, will lead the line in Yoane Wissa’s enforced absence through injury. However, he is more of a number 10 than a number 9, and like our own VG and Sesko at the Red Mancs, he is still finding his place among his new teammates.
Woltemade will be flanked to his left by Anthony Gordon, returning from suspension, and, on the opposite wing, Anthony Elanga, signed from Forest in the summer, partly in anticipation of Alexander Isak’s departure, or Jacob Murphy, who is nursing an Achilles heel problem but is available for this game.
Among those likely to get walk-on parts as the game progresses are Harvey Barnes, the two Lewises, Hall and Miley, a local lad who received good notices for his performances against Bournemouth and Bradford City over the past week, and Joe Wllock, another formerly of this parish. Howe will also have two more defenders, Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth, to bring on when he decides to go full Pep with a back five or six.
Jacob Ramsey, who arrived from Villa in the summer in exchange for £43 million, also has a sick note from Matron. Nor will another summer recruit, Martin Mark, be on the pitch. Yet he will be heavily involved. He is the highly regarded set-piece coach hired from FC Midtjylland. His match-up with Nicolas Jover could decide the game, especially as Newcastle, for all their defensive — how shall we put it, sinew — have struggled to score this term with Isak gone and Gordon suspended for three of the five league games.
The Arsenal
I can’t see Arteta doing anything but start his strongest available starters. Gabriel Jesùs, Kai Havertz, Noni Manduke and Piero Hincapié are definitely out. Ødegaard is a maybe, but Bukayo Saka will be available, Arteta says. I suspect the skipper may come off the bench rather than have his shoulder ripped apart early doors by what one local newspaper columnist euphemistically calls Newcastle’s ‘tall strapping lads’. Thus
Raya
Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori
Merino, Zubimendi, Rice
Saka, Gyökeres, Eze
Howe rotated heavily for the League Cup in midweek. Only two of the team that won the trophy last season started against Bradford City on Wednesday. The holders breezed past the League One side more easily than we dispatched Port Vale.
Yet, Carabao Cup form is an unreliable guide. Overall, it has not been a sparkling start to the season for the Geordies — one win in five, three draws and a loss to the Scousers. However, St James’ Park is always a tricky trip. The Toon Army, having been taunted by Bradford’s travelling faithful — ‘2-0 up and still you don’t sing’ and ‘where’s your famous atmosphere’ wafted down from the clouds where the away fans are put — will be up for our visit. And they really don’t like Arteta.
My general theory on how to win the league (beat the bottom half home and away, and the other nine at home, and secure at least a draw away) suggests that a point on Sunday would be a satisfactory, if not optimal, late afternoon’s work. However, having lost at Anfield and drawn at home with City, bringing all three points back down South is now the order of the day.
That’s doable — if we get 90 minutes of football rather than wrestling. Howe has told his team to bring their ‘edge’ to the game. An intense and fiery match is in prospect: a hard-fought, classic 1-0 to the Arsenal, I reckon.
Enjoy the game, ‘holics, far and wide.
Good stuff, Ned.
1-0 wil do me. Just win, baby.
COYG
A typically interesting and informative preview Ned . Thankyou for setting the game u0 so well. I rather get the impression you expect Newcastle to be a bit physical ! Actually so do I! My only potential query about the likely side is whether Eze might play centrally with Martinelli wide but I think Mikel will go to our default midfield of recent weeks .
I suspect it may be an attritional game but Liverpool’s defeat today has given us a chance to close the gap at the top, A draw wouldn’t be a disaster but a plucky 1-0 would be terrific and is well within our compass. Safe travel to the Countrymen
A great preview to read with my Saturday afternoon mug of tea.
I see we have the Liverpool supporting referee in charge of yet another of our games. Hopefully he won’t be noticed.
If Martin is fit, and I assume he is, I would expect him to start. I can’t see us conceding so a 2 nil victory looks on the cards.
Thanks Ned, an enjoyable preview of what
hasn’t been an enjoyable game the last couple
of times. I hope Ode can play and we can
get the three points any old how. Eddie and
Welbz have done their part, it’s over to Bukayo
now.
Cheers Ned. Excellent preview and well done for pointing towards previous ones. A fine art to not repeat stuff when we play most of the same teams season after season.
I too think he will go with this line-up, and will be happy with an injury-free hard-fought 1-0.
Nice one Ned. I love the city of Newcastle but dislike going to SJP because of the rancid fans who have got far worse since they got money. Still we’ll be there tomorrow, up in the flight path to Newcastle airport. I was there in 2023 referenced by Ned above and it’s astonishing how their famous atmosphere vanishes when the opposition goes ahead.
As things stand (before the late Spurs game and of course the Sunday games) the league table looks like this
Liverpool
Crystal Palace
Sunderland
Bournemouth
I bet no one had that in the Predicathon
Gallowgate stand?! Suitably macabre name I suppose.
Enjoyable preview Ned, and what won’t we give to see Gabi and Martin back in that kind of scoring form. But do you know why do most of the Toon fans take off their shirts, irrespective of the temperature or the location? Is that some kind of a local mating ritual?
Ned & TTG, Junior sends his thanks for acknowledging his nearly success (would have made it twice successful in three years!) in naming the Tin-Tack award winner. 🙂
The team looks fine, but I think Ødegaard will start, with Eze and Saka flanking Gyökeres, Gabigoal coming on later in the second half for one more crucial cameo.
Let’s hope we play to our strengths, and the officiating happens to at least an unbiased standard without any more howling “errors”. We haven’t won there for a while and we are due one. 3-1? Or 1-0?
Three points would be very welcome indeed. And no one being injured by the thugs.
Come on Arsenal!
Nicely set up Ned. Now let’s see if we can knock ’em down. Three points from up there would be very nice indeed. I don’t care what the score is if we can take all three points home without any more injuries. If Ødegaard is fit he will start and Eze will start on the left. If he’s not fit, I suspect we will see Merino start. The rest of the team is predictable. Whoever starts we need to silence the feral crowd and stand up to their physicality. We can do this.
COYG
Informative and entertaining preview as always, Ned. I’m expecting our captain and Martinelli to start today’s game. Elanga and Livremento represent a not insignificant threat down our left. Calafiori will need to be on his toes and Gabi will need to both threaten and defend. A win of any hue or magnitude please, Arsenal.
Cheers Ned!
Thanks for the kind words, all.
Dr F. @7: I hope their shirt removal isn’t a mating ritual. The mental images of the offspring of any such pairings are not pleasant ones.
Nice one, Ned.
Tough game. They’re always up for it against us. Let’s see how we go.
UTA!
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres
Saliba, Martin. Martinelli on bench.
Newcastle: Pope, Botman, Joelinton, Tonali, Gordon, Thiaw, Livramento, Murphy, Woltemade, Burn, Guimaraes
Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Willock, Miley
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres
Subs: Kepa, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, White, Odegaard, Norgaard, Merino, Martinelli, Dowman
Looks like an XI chosen to outplay Riyadh Rovers.
And a very strong bench as situationally needed
Well we’re in. Only seen us win here once.
C100@17: I hope the air hostesses bring the trolley round soon — and that you get to see a second win.
Not sure what to make of that team — or how it will line up. I’m sure that OM@16 is right that there is.a cunning plan behind the selection. Mosquera is shorter than Saliba and Gabriel is shorter than both of them, so that bit of the team selection can’t be to counter the height of Burn and Woltemade. Does Willo still need to be nursed back from injury?
Thanks Ned, a good read as normal. We’ve played below par on our last few visits to Geordieland, often playing there at the wrong moment. No excuses of tiredness, execessive injuries this time (just look at our bench ). We know how they play so hopefully we are well prepared and show them who we are. Just win !!
COYRRR
Nwaneri is missing from the bench, too. Dowman now ahead in the pecking order or another unreported knock?
@ 17 Countryman
Hoping for another one! Lucky enough to have done 2 – 02 and 18.
Thanks, Ned – late to read today but your usual excellent stuff.
Come on you Reds !
Thanks Ned, excellent preview as always. But these orcs are not worth for it.
I hate them almost as much as Sp.rs.
COYG
Man that was something else!
WE ARE THE FUCKING ARSENAL!
There is a special satisfaction to be had in coming back from being one-nil down with six minutes of normal time remaining to winning two-one — doubly so when it is done at St James’ Park.
I look forward to C100’s away day report with relish — once he comes down from the clouds both physically and emotionally.
Esso@24: 👍
Esso@24 well said! 😉
Thank you very much for the three points Geordies…and Jason Tindall you Mile End wanker.
Yeah, I can’t compare that to anything I should be writing
on a family blog but fuck I’m enjoying the post game calvados
with some locals who have no idea why I am looking so happy
Ryder Cup laughs next up……
Edge it we certainly did!
And if we anyone says we didn’t fully deserve that winner then fuck ‘em.
The depth of our squad was a very big reason for our success today I think,
not just becáis he Merino came on and scored and Ode assisted for the winner
but the level we could maintain throughout was very high.
Ollie@30: Eileen Dover could write a book about it.
I’ll get my coat…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>