Visibly upset by the defeat of his players in the League Cup, Mikel Arteta found the culprit. And luckily, the latter cannot defend himself.
Mikel Arteta's courteous response
As part of the League Cup semi-final first leg, Arsenal hosted Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium. A meeting that the Gunners would have been well inspired to win, but the finish decided otherwise. Of their 23 shots, only three were on target. Opposite, Newcastle took great pleasure in presenting a plan at the opposite extreme. Only seven shots, but four on target, for two goals. A 2-0 home defeat for Arsenal which is a stain, especially at this stage of the competition.
So to relieve the pressure, Mikel Arteta designated a perfect scapegoat since he cannot speak: the ball. Indeed, the Carabao Cup offers a ball from the equipment manufacturer Puma, while the Gunners are used to playing every week with that of Nike in the Premier League. A subtle difference in our eyes, but crucial for the Spanish technician. So much so that he would have had an influence in the defeat of his people.
“I think we shot a lot over the bar and it's tricky that that ball flies a lot. It's just very different to the Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to it because it flies differently. When you touch it, the grip is also very different, so you have to adapt to it” Mikel Arteta
The solution for the next match? Playing with a good old district ball. With such a brick between the feet, it's a guarantee that at least it won't fly away.
