And this is what you could get. No, it might be best not to look too closely. It’s no secret that Arsenal tried to sign Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad a few years ago. This summer too, there was vague talk of bidding. Good luck with that for now. How long would it take in this day and age? 150 million? A six-pack of golden Faberge eggs wrapped in Parmesan cheese? Ten thousand cows and half a Hertfordshire?
Isak wasn’t just the player Arsenal wanted, he was the type of player they were missing, a razor edge in a team that was basically tickled to death. After a superior Newcastle side won the semi-final first leg 2-0, led by Isaac’s superb performance, the contrast with Arsenal’s own meandering in attack will no doubt come into sharp focus.
The most notable moment came in the 58th minute, when Kai Havertz snuck up on a deflected cross just before the goal, hung in the air, deftly twisted his neck muscles, caught the ball in his left shoulder, and sneezed in tears. It was. It passed a distant post in a sad arc of death.
Of course that’s an unfair comparison. Havertz, unlike other players, spends his time on the pitch crafting intricate forward patterns from passes, flicks, decoy runs and bits of driftwood. Mikel Arteta’s problem now is not Havertz. It’s not that Isaac isn’t there, it’s that there isn’t anyone even remotely similar to him.
But once again Isak himself scored this semi-final in the first 52 minutes, scoring the first and second goals and standing out as a truly pure attacking presence.
Despite the bitterly cold conditions at the Emirates Airline during kick-off, the pre-match light show had a fun, light and fizzing atmosphere, giving the event a huge chip pan fire feel. Arsenal were slow in the early stages. There was one early corner and Jason Tindall was signaled to stand up, motionless on the touchline, spread his legs and radiated loads of almighty energy for the set piece.
Kai Havertz missed a great chance for Arsenal and looked disappointed. Photo: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
From there, Isaac brought about a change. Early on, Julian Timber took a shot that hit his back on the touchline. Isaac just turned and smiled. As the hottest striker in the country, tying two legs together in the 14th minute is a rare luxury. See you again. This is an old game.
Isak’s first goal came from a touch from Martin Dubravka’s punt forward and Jacob Murphy, who provided a super-skilled assist as the ball drifted over the Arsenal covers and into Isak’s path. He lifted it to the roof of the net with a great finish.
Even the half-time numbers piled up like a sore eye. Arsenal: 14 shots, no goals. Isaac: 1 shot, 1 goal. This makes it 7 out of 5 and 10 out of 9. Isaac tends to get them on higher difficulties, or at least against opponents whose badges suggest he should. His goals this season have come against Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal (twice), Chelsea (twice), Aston Villa and Tottenham (twice).
Of course, Isaac is not just a poacher. He scores headers, drives the ball home from 30 yards out, shows his creativity as well as his scoring ability, and brings out the best in other players. Newcastle is his fifth team in five different leagues, each one climbing the ladder of pedigree and ability. Erling Haaland has his numbers. However, there is no better centre-forward in England right now.
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Isak scored Newcastle’s second goal in the 51st minute. He sprinted deep to win the ball, quickly got behind, fed the ball wide, won the ball again, and stopped his run long enough to create space to shoot low. David Raya palmed the ball away, but Anthony Gordon finished it. The moment was created entirely by Isak’s run and spin, and that alone was enough to cut open Arsenal’s defence.
It was an overall hungry performance from Newcastle. The midfield was an overwhelming presence. Dan Byrne was impressively backwards and as likable as ever, though it’s not immediately clear why. He just goes through the likable movements of a shy, overgrown schoolboy.
Three years into the Saud era, Burn’s presence in Newcastle’s defense is still regularly cited as evidence that this is still a slow burn project. But he played his part in the victorious first leg of the semi-final here.
The Carabao Cup is a venerable moose that has been on the verge of extinction in recent domestic cup competitions, but in its final year has shown itself as a lovely, tenacious, survivor. This was a game that seemed to be asking some very basic questions. What is soccer actually for? Is it good to win trophies? Newcastle has been empty-handed for 70 years, almost as long as England itself. They ended the night here, at least on their way to the next shot, gleefully mingling with the away end brandishing large scarves.
