Arsenal’s hopes of reaching the EFL Cup final were dashed as they suffered a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Newcastle United. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, admitted that Newcastle were more efficient in their performance, leading to their victory in the semi-final.
Despite trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Arsenal started the match at St James’ Park with purpose. Martin Odegaard came close to scoring, hitting the post with his shot. However, within a minute, Jacob Murphy found the back of the net, giving Newcastle a comfortable lead in the tie. Anthony Gordon added to Arsenal’s misery by scoring after the break.
Throughout the game, Arsenal only managed three shots on target, with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.94 compared to Newcastle’s 1.71. Arteta acknowledged that his team needed to create more opportunities.
“We had so many expectations to believe that we could turn it around,” said Arteta. “We had momentum in the first half and didn’t capitalize on it. They scored immediately after Odegaard hit the post, and the momentum shifted. We needed an early goal in the second half, but we couldn’t convert our chances.”
Arteta expressed disappointment in Arsenal’s lack of efficiency in the final third, which ultimately cost them the tie. He emphasized the importance of being clinical in front of goal, especially in semi-finals.
Newcastle’s second goal came from a mistake by Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya, who played the ball out to Declan Rice. Fabian Schar seized the opportunity and stole possession from Rice before Gordon calmly finished the chance.
Arteta acknowledged the errors made by his team and recognized that they allowed Newcastle to exploit their vulnerabilities. He also mentioned that Arsenal suffered an injury blow, with Gabriel Martinelli potentially sustaining a hamstring injury.
As Arsenal’s Carabao Cup campaign came to an end, Arteta admitted that it was a tough defeat to swallow. However, he urged his team to look forward and focus on the upcoming matches. Despite this setback, Arsenal still have plenty to play for in other competitions.
In conclusion, Arsenal’s lack of efficiency in front of goal and defensive mistakes cost them the EFL Cup semi-final against Newcastle United. Arteta and his team now face the challenge of regrouping and refocusing for their future fixtures.
