January 7th 2025.
The Arsenal football team faces a daunting task as they prepare for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at St James' Park. After a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the first leg, manager Mikel Arteta dismissed any talk of fatigue affecting his players. He refused to use it as an excuse, stating that he didn't even want to discuss it.
The game started off on a high note for the Magpies, with Alexander Isak scoring a brilliant goal in the 37th minute. Martin Dubravka's free-kick caused chaos in the Arsenal box, allowing Isak to hammer the ball into the roof of the net. Just six minutes into the second half, Newcastle doubled their lead with Anthony Gordon's goal off a rebound from Isak's initial shot.
With a two-goal lead, Newcastle held on to secure their seventh consecutive victory in all competitions. This was also Eddie Howe's first win as a manager at the Emirates Stadium. However, Arteta felt that the result did not reflect the overall performance of the game. He believed that Arsenal had dominated and had more chances, but were not as efficient as their opponents.
The Spaniard remained optimistic, stating that it was only half-time and that he had full belief in his team's ability to turn things around in the second leg. When asked about the possibility of his players being fatigued from the busy winter schedule, Arteta refused to use it as an excuse. He praised his team's efforts and determination, stating that they wanted to win and would continue to do so in the upcoming important games.
Arteta also acknowledged that both of Newcastle's goals were preventable and that Arsenal should have done better defensively. He highlighted the chaos caused by the first goal and the need to improve their defensive skills. Despite this setback, Arsenal are in a better position than they were at the same stage last season, according to Arteta. He remained hopeful that with more players returning from injury, the team will have more options and the necessary freshness for the crucial games ahead.
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