Thankfully it looks like we have the players to replace Obertan (now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write!).

The words we dread to hear each season, Alan Pardew claiming Gabriel Obertan is on his way back!

Newcastle largely dominated both possession and chances with Cisse having one cleared off the line and Shola thinking he’d broken the deadlock only to see it ruled out for offside.

Up front you have Best and Shola who are ok to bring on and help see the job finished off but you’d not have great expectations of them as impact players.

Gabriel Obertan and Sylvain Marveaux have been ruled out of a return in this weekend’s game against Wigan by Alan Pardew as the pair aim for first team football.

Should Newcastle United sell or keep Williamson, Gosling, Forster, Guthrie, Harper, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Perch, Simpson, Ranger, Best and Shola, to make space for new talent?

I heard a guy sitting behind me at SJP refer to Obertan as a player that he hates. Why?! This ‘fan’ justified this in conversation to his equally inept mate by saying ‘you have to hate one player and I’ve chosen him’.

Then we have Obertan. I see potential in the kid (I think) but why does he not produce? Has he been watching Shola’s lethargic style and thinks that’s the way? Does he just have one of those ways of running (in a daze) that makes him look rubbish?

A great shift put in with the exception of Obertan who was abysmal. Arsenal had possession and the majority of chances but Newcastle didn’t deserve that cruel last gasp goal. Pardew can take heart from a spirited performance and Ben Arfa deserves a run on the the right.

Alan Pardew has sneaked one in under the radar as he has dropped Cissé to the bench with Ben Arfa in behind Ba in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Obertan on the right.