{"id":2193,"date":"2021-01-17T16:10:34","date_gmt":"2021-01-17T16:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=2193"},"modified":"2021-01-19T10:54:37","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T10:54:37","slug":"will-arsenal-extend-the-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=2193","title":{"rendered":"Will Arsenal Extend the Run?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A sign of what’s to come? (David Price\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Being from America, my youthful exposure to things Newcastle was limited to two things: coals, and brown ale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the former was always presented by my Scottish grandmother in the form of “like coals to Newcastle”, and for years I couldn’t figure out what the heck it meant (given her outspokenness what she<\/strong> meant was never in doubt!). Finally I pulled out our trusty World Book encyclopedia and found out about coal’s relationship to Newcastle. As for the latter, Newcastle Brown Ale was my tipple of choice for my college years; where most were drinking Heineken or a small variety of “light beers” I found the brown stuff available in quantities of lovely clear bottles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I admit that’s poor knowledge, and a rather mundane opening to what will be a short preview of Arsenal’s match with Newcastle’s Magpies on Monday evening. They arrive at the Grove after a loss to bottom dwellers Sheffield United last Tuesday, and are on a run of form inverted from ours, with four losses and a draw in their last five games. Over the past decade or so we’ve pretty much had their number, losing twice and drawing twice in 18 Premier League games over that span.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under Steve Bruce they’ve not been a squad that wins much, not quite one in three. “Brucey” has not had the production from his team he could have imagined, having seen them score only once in those last five games, with Callum Wilson and Joelinton flattering to deceive. It’s unsurprising, though: Newcastle have played 5-4-1 at the back over recent months, with infrequent success at either end of the pitch. Reports are that Bruce might be considering a back 4, so they might line up in more of a 4-4-1-1, with either Joelinton or Saint-Maximin in support of Wilson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So all the portents are favorable. Our setback against Palace broke our 4-game winning streak, but we’re still undefeated in five on the strength of a quartet of clean sheets. We are without Mar\u00ed (calf), but Gabigol is available for Mikel Arteta again to choose after his ankle scare; KT3 will be assessed on Monday ahead of the match. While we missed his creativity down the left on Thursday, I’d prefer to rest him again if possible so he heals properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I expect to see the following team, largely dissimilar from the one that put Newcastle to the sword in the FA Cup tie less than a fortnight ago. I don’t see how we can get around playing Saka, ESR, and Gabi for this one, and expect Partey to pair with Mo’Neny ahead of the defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leno<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bellerin – Holding – Gabriel – Maitland-Niles<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elneny – Partey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka – Smith Rowe – Gabigol<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aubameyang<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holic Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with the Palace game, this is a game we must (and should) win. I think we can manage another 2-0 win against these Magpies, with Gabigol and Auba getting on the scoresheet. That’s available at about 6\/1. If you think our defense will give up its scoreless streak you can get 12\/1 on a 3-1 Arsenal victory. And if you really think we’re going to be wearing our scoring boots on what’s to be a chilly, wet London evening, 4-0 is available at 18s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COYG!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Being from America, my youthful exposure to things Newcastle was limited to two things: coals, and brown ale. Now, the former was always presented by my Scottish grandmother in the form of “like coals to Newcastle”, and for years I couldn’t figure out what the heck it meant (given her outspokenness what she meant was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2193"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2193"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2204,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2193\/revisions\/2204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}