‘It’s just half-time,’ Arteta is not giving up on reaching the Carabao Cup final

Just Arsenal News

·08 de janeiro de 2025

‘It’s just half-time,’ Arteta is not giving up on reaching the Carabao Cup final

Mikel Arteta remains optimistic about Arsenal’s chances in the Carabao Cup despite their 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the first leg of the semi-final. While many believe the Gunners face an uphill battle to reach the final, the manager insists his team can turn things around in the second leg.

Fans had hoped Arsenal would take advantage of playing at the Emirates to secure a strong first-leg result. However, Newcastle’s disciplined performance exposed Arsenal’s lacklustre display, allowing the Magpies to seize control of the tie. The result has left Arsenal needing a dramatic improvement in the second leg to keep their hopes alive.

Vídeos OneFootball

Newcastle now holds the upper hand going into the reverse fixture at their home ground. Despite this, Arteta is confident in his team’s ability to overturn the result, describing the situation as being “just half-time” in the contest. Speaking to Arsenal Media, the Arsenal manager said:

“There’s a long way [to go], it’s just half-time. It’s very disappointing because the performance and dominance in the game doesn’t reflect the scoreline unfortunately. We could have done better in the two goals that we conceded and with the amount of shots and situations that we generated, we should have scored at least two or three goals.”

Arteta’s comments suggest he believes his team created enough opportunities to trouble Newcastle but were let down by their inability to convert chances and defensive lapses. Addressing these shortcomings will be essential if Arsenal is to mount a comeback in the second leg.

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

However, the manager’s optimism comes with a clear warning. If Arsenal fails to improve on their first-leg performance, the second leg at Newcastle could bring similar difficulties. A repeat of their struggles from the first match would make progression to the final even more unlikely.

The tie remains delicately poised, but Arsenal must deliver a near-flawless performance in the second leg to keep their Carabao Cup dreams alive. With Newcastle in strong form, the task will be formidable, but Arteta and his team are not ready to give up just yet.

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