Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an unusual explanation for his side’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals: the ball. According to Arteta, the ball was responsible for the team’s missed chances.
“We hit the post a lot of times, and it’s complicated; the ball flies a lot. It’s just different. It’s very different to the Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to it because it flies differently. When you hit it, the grip is also very different, so you have to adjust that,” Arteta commented.
Following the coach’s complaints, the English Football League (EFL) defended the ball used in the EFL Cup. According to the organization, “all clubs play with the same ball,” and no other team has raised concerns about the equipment used in the match.
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“All clubs play with the same ball, and we have received no further comment after the 88 matches that have taken place in the EFL Cup this season. As is required in all professional matches, the Puma ball used this season and in EFL competitions since 2021/22 has been tested under the FIFA Quality Program for footballs and meets the FIFA Quality Pro standard,” the EFL said.
-In addition to the EFL Cup, the ball is also used successfully in other major European leagues, including Serie A and La Liga, as well as the other three divisions governed by the EFL.
In the match against Newcastle that prompted Arteta’s complaint, Arsenal had 23 attempts according to SofaScore statistics, of which only six were on target – one of them, coming from Gabriel Martinelli, hit the upright.
The clash against Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium was only the first leg of the semi-finals. The return match is scheduled for February 5 at 5 p.m. (Brasilia time) at St. James’ Park.
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