Mikel Arteta don come out to defend im decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga for goal post as Arsenal lose 2-0 to Manchester City for di EFL Cup final for Wembley on Sunday. Di Arsenal manager talk say im believe say na di right thing to do, even though Kepa make one crucial mistake wey lead to City first goal.
Di London team reach Wembley with good form, but dem miss key players like Eberechi Eze, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard because of injury. With dis injury wahala, some Arsenal fans don dey question why Arteta bench im first-choice goalkeeper David Raya to play Kepa. Di Spanish goalkeeper don make similar mistake before for EFL Cup final when im dey play for Chelsea.
Arteta talk to reporters after di match say: “Very sad, a hard one to take. We know for our supporters how much it means to them. Especially [you] have some perspective on it. We’re going to use it as fire in the belly. We’ll manage the energy in the right way. We’ll go through the pain and disappointment, it’s part of football.”
Di Arsenal boss add say: “We are guided by what we have seen. I believe it [was] the right thing to do. Errors are part of football, and sadly today it happened [with Kepa] in a crucial moment.” Dis decision don cause plenty talk among football fans and pundits, especially as Raya don show say im be one of di best goalkeepers for Premier League dis season.
Arsenal no be di first team to select backup goalkeeper for EFL Cup final. Liverpool don use Caoimhin Kelleher for goal post two times for finals even when Alisson Becker dey available, and dem win di competition both times. Manchester City sef rest dia number one goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for Sunday match to play James Trafford.
But di problem for Arsenal be say dem no win any trophy for six years now. Some people dey argue say if dem win dis EFL Cup final, e for give di club di boost dem need to win more trophies. E no fair to blame di whole loss on Kepa selection, but im mistake affect di match well well.
Arsenal don dey struggle to win trophies under Arteta leadership. Di team finish outside top four for 2021-22 season, den finish second for Premier League for di last three seasons. Di Gunners don also lose cup competitions to teams like Sporting Lisbon, Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion over di years.
Dis trend don make people dey ask if Arsenal get mentality problem. If na so, e dey worry say Arteta no don address dis concern yet. Di team need to find way to get over di line when e matter pass, especially for big matches like finals.
For now, Arsenal fans dey wait to see how di team go bounce back from dis disappointment. Di EFL Cup final loss don add to di pressure on Arteta to deliver trophies for di club. Only time go tell if dis experience go make di team stronger or if e go continue to be one obstacle wey dem no fit overcome.
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