Man City win Carabao Cup: 5 mistakes that cost Arteta's Arsenal dearly.
The 0-2 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final not only shattered Arsenal's dream of winning four trophies but also exposed fatal flaws in Mikel Arteta's calculations.
Arsenal's dream of a historic quadruple was officially shattered at Wembley Stadium. In just four minutes of explosive play, a brace from young talent Nico O'Reilly helped Manchester City defeat the Gunners 2-0 to win the Carabao Cup. This defeat was not simply a loss, but the result of a series of controversial tactical decisions by manager Mikel Arteta.
1. Risky personnel selection for the goalkeeper position.
Mikel Arteta's most surprising decision in the final was including Kepa Arrizabalaga in the starting lineup instead of David Raya. While Kepa has experience, the Spanish goalkeeper is known for making mistakes in high-pressure matches. This proved to be a misstep.
Kepa made a direct error in the opening goal when he failed to hold onto a cross toward the far corner of the net. Furthermore, the decision to start Kai Havertz in midfield to fill Eberechi Eze's position also raised many questions. Havertz was completely out of sync, causing Arsenal's midfield to lose mobility and fail to supply the ball to their main striker Viktor Gyokeres.
2. The attack system lacks surprise.
Without their star player Eberechi Eze, Arsenal were truly stuck in their attempts to break through the opponent's defense. Using Havertz in midfield inadvertently disrupted the link between the lines. Arsenal's play became monotonous and predictable, allowing the Manchester City defenders to easily block all routes to the goal.
3. Over-reliance on set pieces.
On a day when short passing combinations were neutralized, Arsenal were forced to seek their luck from set pieces. However, Manchester City showed they were extremely well-prepared for this scenario. Pep Guardiola's side won most of their aerial duels, rendering Arsenal's strongest weapon throughout the season ineffective.
4. Losing control of the game.
Despite a promising start with superior ball possession in the first 25 minutes, Arsenal quickly allowed Man City to regain control of the game. Post-match statistics showed that the Gunners' possession rate had dropped to a mere 38%. The inability to maintain the tempo and allowing their opponents to constantly press in the second half directly led to defensive errors.
5. Delayed reaction from the coaching staff.
The biggest criticism leveled against Arteta was his slow response. While Nico O'Reilly scored two goals in quick succession in the 60th and 64th minutes, the Spanish manager kept the same lineup. It wasn't until the 67th minute, when the game was already decided, that Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke were brought on. There was too little time left for the new players to make a difference, leaving Arsenal to watch their opponents lift the trophy.
