TF Preview - Arsenal (a), 18 April 2025

Just two games to go... Freeman Mag has our penultimate preview of a season that none of us will forget

Premiership Game 37 (W20 D6 L10): Season 2024-2025

Date: Sunday 18 April 2025, at 4:30pm, at a soulless, passionless, new stadium bowl in Stab City; live on Sky.

Football Trivia: Arsenal changed their badge to a simpler, less fussy design back in 2002…just saying.

Quizzy Rascal: Name the five players who have represented Arsenal and Newcastle in the Premier League.

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Preview Ramblings by Freeman Mag:

Hello again, be it the bed-wetters, the cool dudes, the knicker-pissers, the intelligentsia, the drama llamas, the appreciative and/or the cry-arses who slated/praised my last preview – welcome one and all, but before we go any further, if you are easily offended, it might be best to ask your Mum to tuck you in early tonight and turn your screen off now; as I subscribe to the philosophy that: “Led Zepplin didn’t write tunes everyone liked, they left that to the Bee-Gees”.

A word first on NUFC.

What a season and what a position to be in with just two games left. Two wins, and NUFC definitely finish clear second in the League; with one of the two available domestic Cups won, and just a cruelly and unfairly disallowed goal from Fabian Schär away from the FA Cup quarter-finals at least. That is a great season. Revel in it. I am.

Most recently, the second half of the Chelsea game was a rough, tough watch but the team and management zealously guided themselves to a relieving 2-0 win, to give NUFC apparently a 95.5% chance of playing Champions League football next season (MotD stats). At 1-0, the game was nervy, but I had faith. And it is faith we must have in this team and squad for this final push.

NUFC have beaten Arsenal three times already this season: once in the league at our place (1-0, Isak, 12th min, back in November – ending that round of EPL fixtures in 11th place!), then home and away in those joyous League Cup semi-finals (2-0 each time: early Jan, early Feb).

An unprecedented fourth win in a season awaits: the question – is it possible? Of course it is.

Form says NUFC have nothing to fear. Arsenal lost 1-2 to The Cherries in their last home game, and before that The Bees held them to a 1-1 at the new (Hi)Library. The Gooners have only won one of their last six in the League, away at relegated Ipswich 4-0; Shergar has got better recent form.

Admittedly, Arsenal have a recognised striker problem. Gabriel Jesus is avoiding crosses (soz, couldn’t resist) and out of play for more than the usual three days. Crap, skinny German Havertz might play, but he is as effective in this League as I am at taking criticism for my appalling metaphors or my crass writing style.

More recently, Mikel Merino (formerly of this parish for just one, start-stop season in 2017/18) has played up top for the North London Reds. MM always looked a class act at SJP, but didn’t quite fit at the time and the rumours were he was homesick.

MM’s scored a few as a make-shift centre-forward over recent games, including the equaliser in their 2-2 at Anfield on Sunday last, but was then sent-off, so will not make the pitch this time. He was anonymous at SJP in November anyway; subbed off from midfield on the hour for a full-back. I think BDB and Fab would have handled him just fine.

As for who will be up top for the Gooners this time out, it could even be Frank Stapleton (ask your Dad) or maybe their powderpuff bug-eyed Belgian.

We know that Arsenal play tidy, possession-based football, so expect NUFC to have long periods without the ball. As ever, the key will be in midfield, allowing the opponent possession up to a point, but shutting down routes or passes into our critical last third. It could be a tough watch again. But I think we can win; especially if Rice is also out, as is the rumour.

I thought it might amuse you to hear what some of my cheeky scamp Gooner friends said, when asked for their thoughts:

“Two nil to Arsenal after 45 minutes (an own goal by Dan Burn and a Rice free kick). Eddie Howe resigns at half-time to go to Bournemouth as his wife hates the weather up north, and shopping in Eldon Square at C&A and BHS is beneath her. Isak fakes an injury, as he doesn’t want to upset his new employers. Joelinton to be sent off, so he can have an early summer. Two more goals by Saka, and in the last five minutes, Harvey ‘Average’ Barnes kicks one into his own net. On the team bus on the way home, whilst watching Byker Grove, a newsflash comes on informing the players their houses have been burgled by the gangs from Cowgate and their Joke-a-Cola Cup medals have been melted down into sovereign rings.”

Ha, ha. Well, Rice is a doubt and Joelinton is sidelined for the rest of the season, so I think the above can be taken with a pinch of somewhat ‘bitter’ salt from an uninformed rival.

If that’s what they think of us, let’s: ‘Get into them…and…’, I’ll let you sing the refrain yourselves…

Prediction – 3-0 to NUFC and Arteta crying like a baby about it all being too sunny/cold/round/high/low/unlucky or whatever for his best team in Europe.

Anyhoos, there, or armchair, enjoy the game!

Freeman Mag

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Quiz answer: 5:

Sol Campbell

Sol Campbell played 1 season for Newcastle United FC (7 Matches Played) and 6 seasons for Arsenal FC (187 Matches Played).

Mathieu Debuchy

Mathieu Debuchy played 2 seasons for Newcastle United FC (43 Matches Played) and 4 seasons for Arsenal FC (31 Matches Played).

Joe Willock

Joe Willock played 5 seasons for Newcastle United FC (141 Matches Played) and 5 seasons for Arsenal FC (105 Matches Played).

Mikel Merino

Mikel Merino played 1 season for Newcastle United FC (25 Matches Played) and 1 season for Arsenal FC (43 Matches Played).

Isaac Hayden

Isaac Hayden played 6 seasons for Newcastle United FC (171 Matches Played) and 1 season for Arsenal FC (1 Matches Played)

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Image: Ronnie MacDonald, Creative Commons 2.0