Mikel Arteta’s decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Carabao Cup final has been criticised ever since Arsenal’s defeat, with Rio Ferdinand the latest to comment.
Arsenal fans will want to forget about the Carabao Cup final very quickly, but at Colney, the match needs to be something Arteta studies.
So much went wrong for the Gunners at Wembley, as Manchester City simply outplayed Arteta’s side, winning 2-0 to claim the first piece of silverware of the season.
It would be unfair to blame one player, as the majority of the Arsenal squad underperformed against Man City, but nothing can mask the fact that Kepa Arrizabalaga had yet another terrible outing at Wembley.
I think Jamie Carragher was spot on here, do you agree?
Kepa has a horrible record in the Carabao Cup, and didn’t turn things around as an Arsenal player, as his goal-causing error and general play were not good enough.
For this reason, Arteta continues to be questioned for dropping David Raya in favour of Kepa, a topic that Rio Ferdinand just can’t comprehend.
- READ MORE: ‘A monumental error’: Jamie Redknapp slams Mikel Arteta’s ‘backfired’ Kepa gamble at Wembley
Rio Ferdinand says Kepa Arrizabalaga was Arsenal’s big issue against Manchester City
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the Manchester United legend didn’t focus on Kepa’s mistake, but more on how the Spaniard’s play was not at the level typical of Raya.
“I think more than anything, the goalkeeper was the big issue in terms of you playing through that press, or that little block, that mid-block,” Ferdinand said.
The now-pundit went on to describe Arsenal’s number one as his current pick of the world’s best goalkeeper.
“If Raya plays, who I think right now is the best goalkeeper in form in world football right now, I think his distribution would have been a big, big factor in that game.”
Ferdinand continued to state exactly why playing Raya instead would have helped Arsenal to better respond to Man City’s press.
TRUE or FALSE: Arsenal would have beaten Man City with David Raya in goal…
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“He would have played over, he would have played through at times, took risks. He would have made mistakes doing that, but he still would have been able to put an element of, ‘you know what, we can’t really fully press here, we can’t really go with conviction. I think he could play through at times or over us.’
“Giving an opposition that kind of mindset and thought process makes them less convinced sometimes, and then they move with less conviction when they’re kind of trying to carry out Pep’s tactical approach.”
Ferdinand was spot on, as when watching Kepa take too much time on the ball, Arsenal became frustratingly predictable.
In ordinary circumstances, the ball would’ve been played out quicker by Raya, but Kepa seemed more eager to be risk-averse.
One thing to take from the Carabao Cup final is that Kepa should not play in a game of such importance again.
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