Wenger got it right on the night

With legs beginning to tire out, spaces started popping up in the Newcastle defence. Ba though isolated out on top was having a constant duel with the dogged Koscielny, who was matching the Senegalese forward. Verma on his own had the likes of Ben Arfa and Obertan to deal with each time they attempted to support Ba. The game kept its momentum and you could sense a goal was coming more for Arsenal than for the visitors. Rosicky once again found Van Persie with a slide rule pass only for his shot to be saved by Krul. At this point Pardew felt he could get something from the game and isolating Ba alone on top was not the way to go about it, he introduced Shola Ameobi, thus switching to a 4-4-2 formation with hope of unsettling the Arsenal rearguard. This of course added bite to the Newcastle attack as the strength, aerial prowess and power of both Ba and Ameobi meant Newcastle’s route one approach kept on having their strikers second balls to pick up to attack the Arsenal defence with.

Theo’s fine run continued as he sent Coloccini down on his backside before putting in a cross just a shade too heavy for Rosicky albeit on his left foot only for the Czech star to hit wide off the Magpies goal. It was a gilt-edged chance and the Arsenal supporters must have sensed a draw in the offing.

Still retaining his teams shape, Wenger had brought on Gervinho for the resurgent Chambo to add a sense of urgency into the Arsenal attack. The fit again Aaron Ramsey was also introduced to give the lively and explosive Tomas a breather, and Arsenal kept on piling forward. A change of system for Newcastle meant the Arsenal defence had more to do and the midfield had little less on their plate defensive wise, as Pardew’s side bypassed them with long balls. A sloppy play from Simpson to Ben Arfa allowed Gibbo to steal the ball from the Frenchman and picked out Robin only for his right footed shot from a tight angle fly wide off the mark.

Newcastle were hanging in there and they sensed a shocker could come in their favour at the death, as their new and rejuvenated attack kept on keeping Kozzer and Verma on their toes. Gervinho missed a gaping goal from five-yards out after an Arteta free kick from the left wing.

Injury-time beckoned and with Krul’s time wasting antics well documented by Howard Webb at the centre of proceedings after much complaints from the Arsenal skipper, the referee duly awarded five minutes of extra time and Arsenal almost made the best of it after Gibbs swung in a teasing ball into the penalty area that Verma rose highest to meet, but Krul responded with an acrobatic tip over.

Newcastle were obviously happy to get on the train back heading to the northeast with a point, as evidenced in their time wasting tactics and hold up play down the Arsenal left, but the Gunners had other ideas.