In the realm of football, managers often pull out a familiar set of excuses to explain defeats. Travel fatigue, injury woes, or even poor pitch conditions are common scapegoats. However, after Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United on Tuesday night, Mikel Arteta introduced a rather unusual excuse – the ball.
Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon handed Arsenal their first home defeat of the season in all competitions, leaving the Gunners trailing after the first leg of the Carabao Cup. With a challenging trip to St James’ Park looming, the two-goal deficit poses a significant hurdle, potentially paving the way for Newcastle to book a spot at Wembley in March.
Arteta Points to Ball Switch in Carabao Cup Defeat
In the Carabao Cup, a Puma ball is used, unlike the Premier League’s Nike ball. Arteta attributed Arsenal’s struggles to this change, sparking widespread ridicule from rival fans. They were quick to highlight how easily Isak, one of the world’s top strikers, seemed to adapt.
The Gunners managed 23 shots but hit the target only three times, while Newcastle had seven shots with four on target. Speaking to the Daily Mail about Arsenal’s profligacy, Arteta remarked:
“We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it’s tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better. But at the end that’s gone, there’s no way back it’s about the next game and that’s our world, the reality.”
Pressed on the issue, Arteta elaborated:
“No, it’s just different. It’s very different to the Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that. It flies different… when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.”
Social Media Backlash
Arteta’s comments did not sit well with rival fans, who took to social media to voice their disdain. One user on X exclaimed, “Please tell me he’s joking,” while another noted, “I can’t believe he’s saying this out loud, really?” A third chimed in, “I’ve never heard so much rubbish in my life, he never takes accountability, there’s always some embarrassing excuse.”
This isn’t the first time the Carabao Cup ball has come under scrutiny. Back in October 2017, during his stint as Manchester City’s assistant manager, Pep Guardiola slammed the Mitre ball used in a Carabao Cup tie as “highly unacceptable.” Yet, adapting to the Puma ball remains a challenge Arsenal must overcome if they hope to overturn the deficit when they face Newcastle again on February 5th for the second leg.
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