Looking to rectify yet another defeat away at Stoke, Arsenal looked full of energy and ambition as they comfortably beat an in form Newcastle side 4-1, who are currently the only team to beat leaders Chelsea this season in all competitions.
The first half started brightly with Arsenal dominating the play, having 78% possession 20 minutes of the game. The deadlock was broken 15 minutes in to the game, Giroud scoring past Alnwick with a powerful header following some good build up play and delightful cross from Alexis Sanchez.
Welbeck then thought he had doubled the Gunners lead, however the ref disallowed the goal for an alleged foul which looked very soft on the replay. Both sides had strong penalty appeals as Olivier Giroud was tripped inside the box and a Newcastle cross was blocked by the hand of Danny Welbeck, but neither were given.
Arsenal looked like they would go on to claim the three points easily as Cazorla chipped the ball brilliantly in to the corner after a clever through ball from Alexis. The third then came just minutes after the second as Giroud claimed his second of the evening with an intricate flick of the left boot seeing the ball fly in to the top corner.
Newcastle scored a goal through Ayoze Perez as they looked to stage a late fight back, however the Gunners held out well defensively and managed to grab another goal from the penalty spot, Santi Cazorla delicately chipping the ball down the middle.
Player ratings
Wojciech Szczesny- 6- Not an awfully busy game for Szczesny as Newcastle didn’t pose much of a threat on goal. Unable to stop the Newcastle goal which came as a result of poor marking, however made two fantastic first half reflex saves to help Arsenal to a first half lead.
Hector Bellerin- 8- Looked very confident bombing forward on the wing as he showed his devastating pace and almost grabbed himself a goal after a breath-taking run in the first half. Also, he got an assist following a well-placed cross for Giroud’s second and Arsenal’s third of the game.
Mathieu Debuchy- 7- Forced to play at centre back for the first time due to an injury picked up by first choice defender Laurent Koscielny. Looked a perfect fit at centre back and a great replacement as he performed brilliantly in his first league game back since his injury which saw three months on the side-line.
Per Mertesacker- 6.5- Held the line well and performed very well considering the make shift defence which forced Wenger to play a ninth different combination of the season. He came very close to getting his first goal of the season, however saw his header rebound off the crossbar.
Kieran Gibbs- 6.5- Another solid performance from Gibbs at left back as he continues his consistency. Won some vital tackles in the Arsenal half which contributed to starting attacks.
Mathieu Flamini- 6- A slightly quiet game from Flamini as Arsenal didn’t have to do too much defensive work as they dominated the game. Sat in front of the back four well to keep the Newcastle attack quiet which forced Alan Pardew in to some early substitutions.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain- 7- Played well in the centre of midfield, contributing well when Arsenal went forward to produce some dynamic bursting runs. Slightly suspect giving away possession at times, however put in to another good performance as he showed his versatility to play more than one position.
Santi Cazorla- 8- A happy 30th birthday for the Spaniard as he got two goals to add to his one last week at Stoke. Took his chance well as he cleverly chipped the ball past Alnwick and then audaciously chipped his penalty down the middle to get his brace.
Alexis Sanchez- 8- Yet another stand out performance from Alexis. He looked frustrated as Newcastle continued to foul the skilful Chilean. He played a clever through ball for Cazorla’s goal as he continues to contribute every time Arsenal score.
Danny Welbeck- 6- Didn’t get involved as much as he may have liked and maybe didn’t always make the right decision in the final third. However, he worked very hard and managed to win a late penalty for the fourth goal.
Olivier Giroud- 8.5- Back from injury and played a pivotal role in the Arsenal line-up today. Got two more goals, a powerful header in the first half and a well improvised finish for his brace in the second half. Also held up the ball brilliantly and looked very sharp.
Back to winning ways for the Gunners as they achieved back to back wins at home for the first time this season. Liverpool is the next game in the Premier League for the Gunners, a tricky fixture at Anfield is expected, and however Liverpool’s poor form will be promising for Arsenal.
