Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has chosen to take the blame for his team’s 3-1 loss to West Ham United that ejected them out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
The Gunners went into this game off a five-star performance against Sheffield United in the Premier League over the weekend, but were the second best against their London neighbors the entire game.
David Raya, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Declan Rice all started that Saturday game, however, Arteta thought it best to make changes for the West Ham game.
The Spaniard gave nods to Aaron Ramsdale, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Leandro Trossard ahead of the aforementioned, but his side was outplayed as they got beaten courtesy of goals from Jarrod Bowen, Muhammed Kudus and an own goal from Ben White.
Speaking after the game, Arteta said; “I’m very disappointed. I’m responsible for that. We’re out of the Cup, we wanted to play a very different game and compete.
“The game took a direction because of the first goal but we have to see much more from the team and earn the right to win.
“I’m disappointed with myself. We wanted to play in a different way and we weren’t able to do that. Every time we lose, the pain is there.
“We have to use this pain and this defeat to prepare the best way for Newcastle [in the Premier League] on Saturday.”
Alongside Saka, Martinelli, Rice and Takemiro Tomiyasu, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was a second half substitute in this game.
Odegaard was the Gunners’ final substitution in the 80th minute and, he got them the consolation goal in added time.
It is the second time in a row Arsenal fail to reach the quarterfinals. They were ejected by Brentford in the third round last season.
