Remembering Arsenal's 7-3 Drubbing of Newcastle in 2012

When Arsenal face Newcastle in the Premier League, they will have mixed memories of coming up against the Tyneside team. There have been moments of elation, such as their final day victory that saw them qualify for the Champions League in 2013. However, there have also been moments of despair, such as the remarkable game that saw them throw away a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 in February 2011.

There was no more memorable fixture between the two teams than the one in December 2012 at the Emirates Stadium. A topsy-turvy encounter finished 7-3 to Arsenal, with Theo Walcott starring and grabbing a hat-trick in the process.

The scoreline is indicative of Arsenal’s identity at the time. This was a Gunners team that struggled to defend cohesively, capable of conceding goals with worrying ease. However, it still possessed the attacking verve to trouble the opposition.

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That was in evidence as early as the 20th minute, when Walcott raced free on the left-hand side before sending a sweeping shot beyond Tim Krul. It was a finish Thierry Henry would have been proud of. However, a deflected Demba Ba free-kick levelled the scores up shortly before half-time. When the whistle blew for the interval at 1-1, few could have anticipated the avalanche of goals that was to come.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s low shot put Arsenal back in front, but Sylvain Marveaux levelled things up with a tap-in from fellow Frenchman Gabriel Obertan’s low cross. At this stage, the momentum was changing hands like a hot potato. The game was poised on a knife-edge.

Arsenal seized the advantage again when a dribble and cross from Jack Wilshere ended in Lukas Podolski's scoring with a rare header. However, that lead lasted for just five minutes. Marveaux, who was enjoying a sparkling display, crossed for Ba to make the score 3-3. At the time, Ba was just weeks away from a move to championship-chasing Chelsea. This impressive display was an effective (if ultimately misleading) audition for his ability to thrive at an elite level.

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Despite Newcastle’s Lazarus-esque ability to keep returning, Arsenal were eventually able to see them off. As Alan Pardew’s men tired, the Gunners began to get a firm grip on the game. First Walcott clipped home his second of the night, before substitute Olivier Giroud headed home a cross from the Englishman. Within three minutes, Giroud added a second, drilling a firm shot past the Dutch goalkeeper.

It then fell to Walcott to put the icing on the cake. Fouled on the edge of the box, he jumped to his feet to dribble infield, slaloming past several Newcastle defenders before chipping impudently over a stranded goalkeeper. It was a stunning goal, scored by a player playing at the height of confidence.

Afterwards, Pardew spoke ruefully to the BBC's David Ornstein about the manner in which Newcastle had allowed the game to slip away from them in those chaotic final few minutes:

"

We did not have the energy to cope with them in the last 20 minutes. We put the ball at risk too often and some of the goals we gave away were not good enough for us.

There was a clear difference between the two sides in the last part of the match. We got overrun, but we have to defend as a team. I don't want to put all the focus on the defence and the back four.

"

Despite Newcastle’s slack defending, this was undoubtedly Walcott’s night. The England international is infamous for producing some of his best form in the midst of contract disputes. It’s not necessarily the case that money is a major motivating factor for him, but it does seem as if the need to justify his worth inspires him to greater heights.

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Walcott’s performance against Newcastle was fired by more than financial factors. He was also afforded a rare opportunity to start as a central striker. This was the beginning of a positional evolution that was years in the making.

When he arrived as a 16-year old from Southampton, it was widely anticipated that he would develop into a roving forward in the "Henry" mould. However, issues with his touch and toughness meant that Arsene Wenger instead chose to develop him as a winger. Walcott’s goalscoring instinct was literally put to one side.

However, when contract negotiations rolled around, Walcott made it plain that a central position was an important issue in any talks. Wenger, mindful that the club could not afford to lose another key player having sold Robin van Persie and Alex Song the previous summer, acceded to Walcott’s wishes.

The results were spectacular. Walcott’s performance in the 7-3 remains arguably his best in an Arsenal shirt to date. He terrorised the Newcastle defence from start to finish, and afterwards Wenger eulogised his performance and spoke openly about his wish that he would extend his deal to Arsenal.com's Rob Kelly:

"

He likes it [in that position]. But I believe Theo is just happy to play, even if he is on the wing because he still knows he can score.

I like the fact he can play through the middle because it gives us more opportunities to do that and more possibilities to change from game to game. I will do it again.

I have worked with Theo for seven years and the fact that he had an exceptional game today will not influence me more or less.

If he’d had a disastrous game, I would still have wanted him to sign with the same intensity. It is good that he gets rewarded for his effort. That, for me, is more important.

"

Walcott went on to agree to a new contract in January of 2013, although a large portion of the running time of that deal was eaten by a cruciate ligament injury. However, since returning, Wenger has largely sought to use him as a centre-forward. Arguably, the genesis of that tactical shift can be traced back to this match against Newcastle.

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It will be intriguing to see if Wenger seeks to use Walcott there against Steve McClaren’s men in their forthcoming faceoff. The obvious alternative, Giroud, also has an outstanding record against the Geordies. Wenger must decide which of his two strikers is likely to pose the greatest threat at St. James’ Park.

Having suffered a stuttering start to the season, Wenger would probably take any sort of victory up in the north-east. However, a result akin to this thumping 7-3 win would do great things for morale. Newcastle beware: Walcott and the Gunners are well overdue to unleash another round of artillery fire.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.