Three points in the bag. Four games to go. Johnny’s back doing ratings after a win — and he’s not going to pretend it was pretty. But there are standout performers, some serious concerns, and a debate about whether the handbrake needs to come off for good.
Here’s what’s inside:
📊 The Stats — Newcastle out-possessed us, out-chanced us, and came very close to equalising. Johnny explains why the win was right but the xG column makes uncomfortable reading
🧤 Raya Reborn — after a few weeks of wobbles, a performance Johnny calls genuinely exceptional. His quick distribution was one of our best weapons in the second half
🛡️ Hincapié — Man of the Match — the Ecuadorian Martin Keown. Tank behaviour. Leading the team in tackles, stepping up when everyone around him was flustered. An eight
😤 Madüeke — A Four — Johnny’s seen this film before and he’s done being patient. The verdict is damning
⚽ Eze — The Bergkamp Moment — world-class technique, premeditated set-piece brilliance, and the look of a man entering his best form at exactly the right time
💪 Saka — The Aura Effect — ten minutes, but the entire game changed the moment he came on. Johnny asks whether Arteta left it too long and whether those ten minutes told us everything about what this run-in needs
🔴 Arteta — 7 — an improvement on recent weeks. Credit for the set-piece innovation. But the substitutions and the nervousness filtering down to the pitch? Johnny’s not letting it go
Members only — thank you for being part of the AOP family.
