Mikel Arteta remains optimistic about Arsenal’s chances in the Carabao Cup despite their 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the first leg of the semi-final. While many believe the Gunners face an uphill battle to reach the final, the manager insists his team can turn things around in the second leg.
Fans had hoped Arsenal would take advantage of playing at the Emirates to secure a strong first-leg result. However, Newcastle’s disciplined performance exposed Arsenal’s lacklustre display, allowing the Magpies to seize control of the tie. The result has left Arsenal needing a dramatic improvement in the second leg to keep their hopes alive.
Newcastle now holds the upper hand going into the reverse fixture at their home ground. Despite this, Arteta is confident in his team’s ability to overturn the result, describing the situation as being “just half-time” in the contest. Speaking to Arsenal Media, the Arsenal manager said:
“There’s a long way [to go], it’s just half-time. It’s very disappointing because the performance and dominance in the game doesn’t reflect the scoreline unfortunately. We could have done better in the two goals that we conceded and with the amount of shots and situations that we generated, we should have scored at least two or three goals.”
Arteta’s comments suggest he believes his team created enough opportunities to trouble Newcastle but were let down by their inability to convert chances and defensive lapses. Addressing these shortcomings will be essential if Arsenal is to mount a comeback in the second leg.
However, the manager’s optimism comes with a clear warning. If Arsenal fails to improve on their first-leg performance, the second leg at Newcastle could bring similar difficulties. A repeat of their struggles from the first match would make progression to the final even more unlikely.
The tie remains delicately poised, but Arsenal must deliver a near-flawless performance in the second leg to keep their Carabao Cup dreams alive. With Newcastle in strong form, the task will be formidable, but Arteta and his team are not ready to give up just yet.
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Does this bloke ever give it a rest !
“Its very disappointing because the performance and dominance in the game doesn’t reflect the scoreline unfortunately”
No what’s disappointing is his excuses
Listening to the pre match interviews between the two managers ,what was evident was one who talked intelligently and one who just waffled on about how we should have won the league game between us .
Such an unlikeable and untrustworthy manager ,shame we got lumbered with him .
When we finally rid ourselves of this overrated,overpaid so called manager I really believe Howe would do a fantastic job here ,I’ve always rated him and he as earned his stripes .
We should/could have scored two goals but didn’t. In football that is all that matters. Scoring. Fact is we are straggling to score in open play. Even more now that Saka is out injured. Even our set peices aren’t working as well. Even at the back our formidable duo Saliba and Gabi look out of sorts with Raya also looking nervous. We look a shadow of our best from front to back. If we are to overturn the tie we will need to dig very deep indeed..
I am glad to learn that I am not the only one with reservations concerning the form of our first choice centre backs.
The form of our center backs can be attributed mainly to inconsistency and competence of our full backs in my opinion.
Gabriel especially has had to cover for inadequacies of Calafiori and Lewis-Skelly (who I feel is not defensively ripe enough at left-back to face a counter attacking force like Newcastle).
The inconsistency and incompetence in our midfield is another factor that has put then more in direct line of fire as compared to last season.
Simply put; both Saliba and Gabriel are affected by conditions around them.
I take it you are referring to the left back position as Timber has been consistently good at RB.
More talk from tin pot tets, we’ve lost 3 of our last 4 visits to St. James, who seriously believes this Arsenal side can go there and win by 3 clear goals? Do me a favour! 😀
I would say we have regressed from last year; Martinelli, Trossard, Havertz, Rice, even our famed CB pairing looks fragile compared to last year. Even Arteta seems to have regressed further into his shell with his tactics.
We need a good shakeup; maybe a new director of football that is Arteta’s boss and not his friend would help.
Accountability is needed all around, from the players and the manager.
You can’t win everygame, but getting outplayed on your home pitch in a semi-final the way we did is unacceptable. Too many times we have seen this type of display this year, and still no consequences for anyone.
Predictable tactics have not changed, square pegs in round holes continues, and now the ball is blamed in part for the result. And some defend this play and our manager as if this is a blip and no big deal.
Durand, could it be that, like AW, our manager has taken on too much?
The club did say that there would never be another individual who had so many fingers in every pie and then promptly gave the it to MA!!
He is under tremendous pressure right now and coming out with ridiculous statements puts him in the spotlight even more.
How long does it take to appoint a director of football for heaven’s sake as a starter to shed some of the responsibility and is this a reason why we haven’t signed anyone yet?
I don’t believe money comes into the equation personally, as Mr Kronkie has backed him to the hilt.
Ken
I believe Arteta has taken on too much; bitten more than he can chew so to speak.
He did very well in transfers when he started, brought in quality players.
Gabriel (CB), White as a RB, Odegaard, Rice, Raya, even Ramsdale was good, Trossard, a few others as well.
In trying to finish the team, his transfers have been off. Merino looks slow and a 4th DM in our midfield when we needed another creative midfielder on the left to help Odegaard.
Raya has played well, but jury is still out on Calafiori and Sterling.
I mean a 4th DM in Merino and STILL no backup for Saka?
We need a striker, and Isak showed exactly what a top one can do, compared to Havertz and Jesus, yikes!
Arteta looks stubborn and inflexible, unwilling to adapt when his system has been sussed out by everyone at this point.
A new director of football can relieve Arteta of some responsibilities and chart long term for the club.
Arteta can focus on the first team and crab tactics, there is plenty there that needs fixing.
Did he do well ?
Agree 100% Durand.
Ken, last I read on this was that our sporting director is going to be Roberto Olabe whose currently seeing out the season with Real Sociedad. In the meantime we still have Edu’s assistant Jason Ayto standing in. This must negatively impact our likelihood of making any signings this January.
…who’s currently. seeing out…
Jax, just another headache for a MA to deal with.
What happened to the manure sporting director who’s name I can’t remember?
MA is already getting stick for not having signed anyone yet!!
Ashford?
It’s hardly Arteta’s fault for us not making any signings.
Ken, Wilst you are mostly right that its a heavy load, have you cosidered that its mainly Arteta’s character. He appears to be a control freak. I wonder why Edu departed, was it because he disagreed with the strategy and direction Arteta was going, patricularly in the transfer market. It seems from I read, Arteta thinks that his current attacking options are good enough at least for now. I think it would certainly be wrong to suggest that the board are not supporting Arteta in terms of finance so without a Director of Football any perceived failure to get a striker and cover for other weak areas will be down to him. That said it is very difficult to get any top class players in the January window. O for another Santi Cazorla.
path, I totally agree that MA is acontrol freak, but would you not agree that Graham, AW, Ferguson and Mourinho were also?
Unlike the others though, MA hasn’t got the years under his belt to be in such a position at a club like The Arsenal in my
opinion.
I think DK sums him up perfectly, when he calls it micro management and I think it’s taking its toil on players like Martinelli, Jesus, Rice and Ramsdale.
Again, our throw ins and sideways passing seems to be a MA instruction to have the ball at any cost and that’s where this awful time wasting we’re currently seeing comes from as well.
Quite frankly, he needs help quickly, or he’s going to burst!!
Trouble is, Cazorla’s of this world are few and far between – do you think that he would enjoy being micro managed, or even be the same player under MA?
From the season’s kick-off I wasn’t overly impressed with our performances to be honest.
Even though we beat Villa 2-0 away, people forget the worldly double save that Raya made. And we could have been 2-0 down before we went 1-0 up.
And against Wolves, we beat them 2-0, but again the performance was not that impressive.
Now I know that ultimately its the result that counts, for me I look beyond the result. Winning can sometimes mask things, which in my opinion those two results did.
I’ve heard the word pragmatic quite a lot on this forum, and that has been the case from the beginning of the season.
Arteta made an early season statement when he ignored the fact we need a striker, and went all out for Calafiori and Merino. That spoke volumes as to what kind of football Arteta was going to adopt.
And its now coming back to bite our team on the bum big style.
But don’t worry, because Arteta shouldn’t be held accountable should he.🙄🤦♂️😣
Derek, what do you think Raya’s job is?
If we wanted a keeper who didn’t make world class saves, even PJ might be in line to restart his career 😂
How many times did Safe Hands, Jennings etc etc pull off world class saves?
It’s what they’re there for isn’t it?
Should have added that what MA should be held accountable for, was his decision to buy Raya and sell Ramsdale – he obviously got that right didn’t he?
Ken1945,
Of course its our keepers job to make saves.
All my point was, is that we as fans can get sidetracked or influenced whatever you want to call it by the result of the game.
The overall performance in both the games I mentioned was not that impressive.
And it has been that way for a lot of the season, the play is to slow. The opposition must love playing us, because they know if they remain well organized, all we’ll do is pass the ball in front of them from side to side.
Not hurting them in any way. I laugh when I hear people say, well we’re playing against a low block. Like it’s something they’ve never faced before.
I never complain about the oppositions tactics, that’s up to them. What’s up to us is to find a brand of football that will beat there tactics.
Something that our barber style of play, of short back and sides isn’t working.
The last two games I can agree with you on.
I hope you agree with me that MA’s decision regarding Raya and Ramsdale was a very good decision and something he should be applauded for?
I, being stupid, didn’t agree with it him, but he proved me wrong once again! /
Ken1945,
That I will acknowledge. 😉👍
My post got put into mod Adpat ,Im sure Martin won’t put it up 🙄
Maybe you could
February 5th is already upon us, fingers crossed. ⏳