Even while a lot of modern football has changed into physical and tactical warfare, success still heavily rests on individual quality, as this weekend has painfully brought home.
Oliver Glasner's team won the FA Cup after Eberechi Eze took advantage of his huge chance for Crystal Palace at Wembley, while Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush did not show up for Manchester City. Jarod Bowen's genius turned a 2-0 deficit into a huge fright that Nuno Espirito Santo's team had to endure after West Ham gave nothing at all for more than 80 minutes against Nottingham Forest.
Black-and-white supporters were understandably alarmed to learn that Alexander Isak had not been cleared to play in Newcastle United's match against Arsenal. Those concerns turned out to be valid.
Aside from giving it away to give the visitors their first significant chance on goal, David Raya was on course for an absolute worldie, even making up for that error twice over with a fantastic double save. The first quarter of the match was incredibly entertaining, but Newcastle gave their opponents the biggest scares.
It was difficult to shake the impression that things may have turned out differently if Isak had been able to travel. However, the Arsenal goalkeeper did not have to do much more after making another double save from a Newcastle set piece on minute 17. They did have some slick offensive football moments, but they were brief.
As the half went on, the Magpies' chances of pushing forward on the counterattack dwindled, and whoever had been at the forefront was always forced to slow down and wait for help to advance.
After Arsenal started to exert some control over the game, even if they didn't use it much, the first half ended with 20 minutes of frustrating tedium from both teams. They really found their rhythm as soon as they got back from the locker rooms, and Newcastle vanished from view.
Mikel Arteta would have been ecstatic when Arsenal set up the exact trap on Newcastle that resulted in Declan Rice's beautifully executed goal. Anthony Gordon was pushed back towards his own goal by a swarm of red shirts that pressed him out on the wing within his own half, only to be obstructed by another swarm. Thank you very much. Arsenal took possession, moved it to Rice, and curled in towards the far post to score one goal.
Eddie Howe's team had nothing to offer in response. The manager's triple substitution a few minutes later didn't change that; Newcastle didn't even manage a shot on Raya's goal until the 75th minute. They had a lot of players forward, but they weren't able to make it matter, and they were at a loss for ideas because they didn't have all of their equipment.
Considering the resistance, doesn't that sound familiar? When Kai Havertz came off the Newcastle bench to start his warm-up in the first half, Arsenal supporters greeted him with open arms. But when he was brought on as a substitute for Bukayo Saka for the last fifteen minutes, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Although we believe Havertz's impact on this Arsenal team has been somewhat underappreciated over the past few years, the fact that he received that response despite the widespread belief that Arsenal urgently needs to upgrade him says volumes.
The Gunners' affection for the German grew stronger when he was absent, and Newcastle is now aware of the sentiment. Although Arsenal has guaranteed themselves a Champions League spot for the upcoming campaign, United's hopes now hang incredibly precariously in the balance; they are only one point behind Nottingham Forest in seventh place.
They have quite distinct demands; if you attach the front end of this Newcastle team to the rear end of Arsenal's, you have a serious candidate for the title of Liverpool. Arsenal has the steel, but their blade isn't sharp enough.
In contrast, Newcastle has a cutting edge, but not enough to be more than largely excellent but occasionally a little mediocre. When Isak is not playing, it's particularly noticeable; in their four Premier League games without him this season, they have only managed one goal and one point.
Both of these teams will know going into the summer that they need further additions to go up from a far-off second and third place to legitimate title contenders, regardless of how that last day turns out.
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