ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP FOURTH ROUND:Newcastle 0 Arsenal 4: FOR A side who are supposed to be taking the League Cup seriously this season, Arsenal enjoyed an unusually frivolous passage into the quarter-finals.
There were frequent spells when Arsene Wenger’s players could barely string two passes together and numerous moments when their defence came completely undone, but they still managed to satisfy those shareholders clamouring for trophies by somehow conjuring four variously comedic, controversial and classically sublime goals.
If Wenger may use this uncharacteristically messy, if slightly thrilling, DVD of the match to demonstrate just why his creed of possession retention matters so much, Chris Hughton will be desperately hoping for a much-needed win in Sunday’s north-east derby at home to Sunderland.
The game began in breathless, almost ridiculously open, fashion. With markers dragged out of position and inviting gaps of green space opening up all over the pitch, some of the English game’s most promising young creators strutted their stuff with abandon – before typically freezing with the goal at their mercy.
Nile Ranger was as guilty as any and he should have done better as Laurent Koscielny nipped in to block. If both Hughton and Wenger watched in disbelief, Alan Smith appeared similarly amazed that he had not broken his Newcastle duck after his vicious 25-yard shot bounced back off the crossbar.
Wenger, too, had significantly revamped his side but apart from the returning Theo Walcott they included considerable experience in Denilson, Tomas Rosicky, Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue.
Straight from the kick-off Tim Krul, Newcastle’s goalkeeper, had saved smartly from both Carlos Vela and Bendtner. Haris Vuckic, Ranger and friends began answering back by testing Wenger’s nerves.
Such anxieties were assuaged in stoppage time at the end of the first period by a visiting goal thoroughly in keeping with the harum scarum spirit of things. It began with a Walcott corner that Newcastle made a meal of trying to clear and, following some penalty area chaos, was eventually headed on towards goal by Bendtner. Next came the comedy turn. Although Ryan Taylor was on the line to clear, his effort hit Krul on the back of the head and rolling, agonisingly, into the net.
As Ranger launched a thrilling counter-attack early in the second half, an equaliser beckoned. Then he fell over. No matter, Newcastle were re-galvanised and James Perch headed narrowly over the bar from a Danny Guthrie corner.
Shortly afterwards Walcott showed him how to finish, dinking the ball over the advancing Krul after running on to Koscielny’s header. Newcastle were furious, and rightly, as Bendtner, who had been trundling back from an offside position collided with Mike Williamson, the defender tracking Walcott.
Hughton, who was given a vote of confidence after the game by the club, attempted to readjust the power balance by introducing Andy Carroll and Jonas Gutierrez. Wenger merely upped the ante, sending on Cesc Fabregas for Vela at the same time as Hughton’s final throw of the dice saw Joey Barton take over from Smith.
Newcastle created plenty of chances but when Guthrie gave the ball away, Fabregas’s fine pass enabled Bendtner to shoot imperiously into the top corner. Hughton really did not deserve to then see Walcott show his defence a clean pair of counter-attacking heels before shooting low past Krul.
- Guardian Service
NEWCASTLE UTD:Krul, Perch, Williamson, Kadar, Ryan Taylor, Routledge (Gutierrez 56), Guthrie, Smith (Barton 71), Vuckic, Lovenkrands (Carroll 57), Ranger. Subs not used: Soderberg, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Tiote. Booked: Smith, Barton.
ARSENAL:Szczesny, Eboue, Djourou, Koscielny, Gibbs (Sagna 19), Denilson, Eastmond, Rosicky, Walcott, Bendtner (Emmanuel-Thomas 84), Vela (Fabregas 70). Subs not used: Fabianski, Arshavin, Lansbury, Nordtveit. Booked: Sagna.
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
