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Why Craig Burley isn’t counting Arsenal out in Carabao Cup clash (1:59)
Craig Burley explains why Arsenal still has a fighting chance in the Carabao Cup, despite their 2-0 loss to Newcastle in the first leg. (1:59)
Mikel Arteta has suggested Arsenal‘s failure to adapt to the Carabao Cup ball was a factor in Tuesday’s 2-0 semifinal, first leg defeat to Newcastle United.
Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon put Eddie Howe’s side in a commanding position ahead of the return match on Feb. 5. The Gunners wasted a catalogue of chances and ended with an expected goals figure of 3.12 — the highest number by a Premier League team in any game without scoring this season.
Asked what he could do to avoid the missed chances becoming a psychological problem, Arteta referenced the change in ball as per the competition regulations with a Puma offering used instead of the regular Nike ball.
“Just try and show them, give them tips of what we can do better,” Areta said. “I think we kicked a lot of the balls over the bar and it is tricky: this ball flies a lot. We discuss that as well so there are details we can do better. But at the end, that’s gone. This is no way back, it is about the next game. That is our world.”
Pushed on what the issue was with the ball, Arteta continued: “It is just different, very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that because it flies differently. When you touch it, the grip is very different as well and you have to adapt.”
Arteta was part of Manchester City‘s coaching staff when Pep Guardiola complained about the ball after a fourth-round tie in October 2017. Guardiola claimed “to score with that ball is a miracle” of the Mitre ball after beating Wolves 4-1 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw.
The EFL later produced a statement which read: “The Mitre ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup is of exactly the same technical specification as the balls used in the Sky Bet EFL and Checkatrade Trophy, all of which are tested in accordance with the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs and meet the FIFA Quality Pro standard.
“All balls used in the professional game are required to meet this standard.”
