After Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, Mikel Arteta was quick to dismiss the suggestion that fatigue was a factor in the loss.
Despite his side’s challenging schedule, the Arsenal head coach refused to entertain the idea of tiredness affecting the players’ performance, maintaining that the outcome was a result of missed chances and defensive lapses rather than physical exhaustion.
The match began poorly for Arsenal when Alexander Isak scored in the 37th minute, his powerful shot into the roof of the net following a chaotic set-piece in the Arsenal box.
Just six minutes after the break, Newcastle doubled their lead with Anthony Gordon capitalizing on a rebound from Isak’s saved shot. Arsenal struggled to recover and now face a difficult task in the second leg at St James’ Park.
Arteta acknowledged that his team had dominated possession and created chances, but ultimately fell short in converting them, while Newcastle capitalized efficiently on their opportunities.
When asked if fatigue from the congested winter schedule had affected his players, Arteta firmly responded, “I don’t even want to talk about that.”
He explained that if Arsenal had converted the chances they created, the narrative would have been different, emphasizing that fatigue should not be used as an excuse.
“If we win it and we scored three that we should have scored, three easy goals, the story would have been different,” Arteta said.
He added that the team is focused on the upcoming challenges, including the FA Cup match against Manchester United, and has the determination to recover and push forward.
Arteta also critiqued the two goals Arsenal conceded, stating both were “preventable.” The first goal, coming from a deflected free-kick, caused chaos in the box, while the second came after a rebound.
Arteta stressed that his players could have done better defensively, and there was room for improvement in both situations.
Despite the setback, Arteta remains confident in his team’s ability to bounce back. He pointed out that Arsenal is in a better position than they were at this stage last season, when they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at an earlier stage.
He expressed hope that more players would be available for the second leg, which would give the team additional options and the freshness needed to compete effectively in upcoming matches. Arteta’s unwavering belief in his team was evident, and he is determined to push forward despite the disappointment of the defeat.
