Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has bizarrely blamed the balls used in the EFL Cup for his side’s semi-final first-leg defeat at home to Newcastle.
The Spanish coach says the Gunners can still overturn their 2-0 defeat heading into the return leg at St. James’ Park, but must get to grips with the ‘tricky’ balls used in the cup competition.
Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon sealed victory for Newcastle at the Emirates.
Arsenal had just three shots on target, but 23 in total. Their biggest chances came from Kai Havertz – who headed wide when it looked easier to score – and Gabriel Martinelli, who hit the post.
Mikel Arteta Criticises ‘Tricky’ EFL Cup Balls
Speaking after the game, Arteta suggested the ball was a major factor in his side’s wayward shooting.
He said: “We 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 is our world.
“It’s just half-time. When I see the team play, and how we deal with a lot of situations and play against a very good team, I must say I have full belief that we can go out there and do it.”
Ahead of Tuesday night’s defeat, Arsenal had scored 11 goals in three EFL Cup games.
This year’s ball is manufactured by Puma, while the Premier League use Nike balls.
“It’s just different,” added Arteta.
“It’s very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different.
“When you touch it the grip is very different as well, so you adapt to that.”
Do The Balls Really Make That Much Difference?
All three competitions Arsenal have played in this season use different balls.
The Premier League (Nike), EFL Cup (Puma) and Champions League (Adidas) all use different ball manufacturers.
And while Newcastle punished the Gunners for their wasteful shooting, Arteta’s side had no problems in their previous EFL Cup ties this season.
They hammered Bolton 5-1 before wins against Preston (3-0) and Crystal Palace (3-2).
Arsenal’s shooting stats and accuracy in the EFL Cup were almost identical to their Premier League numbers before Tuesday’s game.
They had averaged 53% of their shots on target in the cup, with 52% in the Premier League.
This means that before their poor showing against Newcastle, they had actually been more accurate with the Puma-made EFL Cup balls than the Nike balls used in the league.
Another important point to mention is that Newcastle used the same ball.
And they had no trouble putting it into the net at the Emirates, suggesting Arsenal’s missed chances are more likely down to a bad day at the office.
The semi-final second leg will take place at St. James’ Park on Wednesday 5 February at 8pm.
