Arsenal's latest 2-1 defeat at Newcastle is yet another example of the Gunners' struggles on their travels in the league this season.
Sixth and only two points ahead of seventh-placed Burnley already shows how poor our season has been, but the fact we have no away points in league in 2018 is even more shocking.
Defeats at Bournemouth, Swansea, Tottenham, Brighton and now Newcastle since the turn of the year are simply not good enough, especially when added to the away losses against champions Manchester City, Watford, Liverpool and Stoke from earlier in the season.
At the Emirates we have performed far better with our only two home league defeats coming against the two Manchester clubs, but the away form really has been appalling.
Although a handball decision didn't go our way against Newcastle, I'm not sure how much difference it would have made because in the second half especially we didn't really create too many chances. Yes, it would have seen us take a two-goal lead, but judging by our overall performance we didn't do enough to have got the points anyway.
Without being disrespectful to Newcastle the performance and the result were not good enough and that is a game we really should have been looking at winning.
There was already some concern before kick-off, with Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil all left out of the squad. Ramsey had a wound and couldn't get into any contact, while the others were suffering from little knocks. Should they have played? Well, it's hard to gauge the exact extent of the injuries, and maybe it would have been unwise to risk them getting worse, but they are big players to leave out. If they were only "little knocks" I'd rather have seen Wilshere and Ozil start or at the very least be on the bench.
We can't blame team selection for the defeat though as the squad out there was still capable enough of doing the job, but we didn't perform well enough and Arsene Wenger got his tactics wrong. We played fairly positively in attack, but there just wasn't enough end product and the defending again at times left a lot to be desired.
Arsenal started quite brightly with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang producing some fine early trickery to set up Alexandre Lacazette, but the French striker dragged his shot wide.
Lacazette made no mistake after 14 minutes though when he scored the game's opening goal. Shkodran Mustafi played a great long ball over the top, which Aubameyang controlled with a fine touch before curling a pass for Lacazette to volley into the roof of the net.
Provider very nearly turned scorer as Aubameyang's shot deflected over the crossbar, but replays show the ball appeared to hit the hands of Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles. Without the replay I don't think I'd have noticed it, so it would be harsh to blame the referee for doing so.
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka denied Alex Iwobi as Arsenal continued to show promise, but the game was then turned on its head as the hosts scored out of nowhere after 29 minutes. Jonjo Shelvey's ball over the top found DeAndre Yedlin, whose curling ball into the box was steered home by Ayoze Perez.
Both sides wasted chances before the break with Arsenal defender Calum Chambers guilty of missing two. A great pass by Granit Xhaka picked out Nacho Monreal, who headed the ball back across goal, but the sliding Chambers sent his effort of target. The defender then headed over the crossbar from a Xhaka corner soon after.
At the other end, Matt Ritchie found space in the area, but his shot was well held by Petr Cech under pressure from Dwight Gayle.
Arsenal really should have gone in at half-time in front, but somehow youngster Joe Willock, who was making his Premier League debut, skewed a shot wide after a great counter attack.
Ritchie sent a dipping volley over the crossbar in the second half, while Iwobi's fizzing drive sailed just wide.
Poor defending from a throw-in led to the game's decisive goal as Arsenal failed to properly clear the danger and Ritchie found himself in space in the box to calmly slot home 22 minutes from time.
It nearly got worse for Arsenal soon after, but Kenedy's deflected effort hit the crossbar before Perez's shot went into the side netting soon after.
Arsenal tried to push for a late equaliser, but Mohamed Elneny sent a long-range effort over the crossbar. Lacazette was presented with a chance after Dubravka failed to deal with a cross, but the France international shot into the side netting as Newcastle held on for victory.
OPPOSITION VIEW
Newcastle fan David Charlesworth believes the Gunners met his side at the worst possible time with confidence at his highest.
"Six weeks ago we were only two points above the bottom three and it seemed a desperate battle for survival loomed," said Charlesworth. "In truth though, our revival can be traced back to the start of the year: in 2018 we’ve only lost at the Etihad and Anfield, nothing disgraceful in that.
"Three wins in a row left our confidence at unusual sky-high levels and not even falling behind was going to do too much to dent that. Put simply, I think Arsenal ran into us at the wrong time.
"Our squad should not be pushing for a top-half finish, but the fact that we are owes much, possibly everything, to our manager.
"It’s not difficult to see why in the immediate aftermath of the defeat, there were some corners of social media linking our beloved boss with the Emirates hot seat.
"After all, if he can wring the best out of Mo Diame, what can he accomplish with a far superior set of individuals and money to spend?"
Fellow Magpies supporter Alex Earle added: "I think Arsenal bossed the game, which was a negative for them. They invited us on the counter and we struck (the only feeling I had was that we could win).
"First half Arsenal were much better. Second half we were the better side because we managed the game better. Slimani was excellent."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
We host West Ham in our next league match before the first leg of our Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
We are at home in both games and are capable of getting a result in both, although admittedly I won't be surprised if the game goes against us either.
Whatever happens in those two games we absolutely must do better in our next away game. Trips to Old Trafford to face Manchester United have often proved difficult for us, but I don't care who the opponents are, we have no excuse not to do better.
Yes, we'll be up against one of the best goalkeepers in the world in David De Gea, who more or less decided the destination of the points by himself in the reverse fixture, but we need to do far better away from home and we need to use that match to try and prove a point.
If I'm being honest I don't feel at all confident ahead of that next away match and fear the worst, so please Arsenal and Wenger prove me wrong.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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