Arsenal 'didn't lay a glove' on Man City
Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe discuss Manchester City's 2-0 win against Arsenal in the League Cup final at Wembley this past weekend.
Video Transcript
Let's get to the big game at Wembley.
It was the first piece of silverware up for grabs.
It was the League Cup final.
It was the top two.
It was Arsenal versus Manchester City.
I think there was, there was varying angles that people were thinking about this game.
Is it the f-first of a, the quadruple for, for Arsenal?
Was City win it again?
I think sixth time in, in 12 years for City to win.
Does a result in the League Cup have an effect on the Premier League?
So- There's a lot of questions there, mate.
A lot of questions to start with.
Yeah.
Let, let's talk about the game first and, and how it was won by City and where you kind of felt maybe Arsenal lost or, you know- City gained advantage.
Yeah.
Two-nil to, for Manchester City.
they went out and won the final.
Mm-hmm.
They played the game they wanted to play.
Mm-hmm.
And I think Arsenal generally didn't really lay a glove on them.
And it's more surprising because I think we all know, and, and I think Arteta knows, how City play more than anybody else.
Yeah.
And he-- you'd think he would know what Manchester City don't like.
What they don't like is not to have the football.
So when City are at their best, they want a game where they're on the ball all the time.
You get it, they press a little bit because they're encouraged, because their football's so good.
They were fired up.
It's a cup final.
They win the ball back again, and almost certainly through the whole second half, Rob, but maybe the second half of the first half, I-- we were sat watching it together.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's like, "Arsenal"- "Keep the ball."
Keep, keep it, yeah.
Make seven passes.
Make seven passes.
You make seven passes, and then all of a sudden that press dies a little bit, and then you have a chance to, to get your game going.
But they never, throughout the whole game, managed to keep the ball.
So, so, so let's just go a little bit deeper on that because we were, we were both saying, and, and at times I f-I felt they gave it away cheaply at times.
sometimes it went up to the front guys.
Havertz and, and, and Jakubez didn't secure it.
D- weren't able to build the field players in.
What's to be Arsenal can keep the ball.
Can they?
I don't know.
Yeah, they can.
I feel No.
They can.
No, no.
Yeah.
I feel like when we question Arsenal- we, we, we sometimes question they haven't killed off games with possession at times- Yeah, yeah or when they've, they've maybe dropped some points.
We've talked about that.
Haven't we?
Yeah, yeah.
And, and- But, but- And then the other part, the creative part- they sometimes struggle, and we expect them to create a level up.
But they have possession, but they don't b- they're not creative enough.
They get to like the, the, the, the last third- 30 yards out or something attacking third of the pitch, and then- Yeah and then it doesn't come to anything.
But Arsenal can keep the ball, mate.
What I-I-I'm just wondering- I, I, I don't think it's been their strength this year.
It's not been one of their standout strength.
No, I wouldn't say it's been a strength, but I would also say I wouldn't say that they can't keep possession.
You know, there's some teams that y-y-you see in the league and you think, well, no, they're not built to have the ball.
They're just gonna sit back and counter.
Can I I think where I'm, I'm, I'm going in, and I don't know if in some way is this a foresight, is, is this looking too deep.
Is part of the day, the occasion, Arsenal not keeping the ball, or is it just Arsenal not keeping the ball?
I just think, I, I, I, I don't think it's the day or the occasion.
I think those players are experienced now.
They've been in enough big games.
They obviously wanna get over the line.
It's frustrating for the Arsenal fans.
We have one who's watching it with us, just like, "You've gotta be patient."
Like, they, they were well beaten today.
Yeah, we were beaten, yeah.
And that's frustrating, but they're in a great position in the Premier League.
And over 38 games- I still think they'll do it.
Yeah.
But in a, a one-off game like today, Man City can, can beat anybody.
But when we've seen them, Rob, in, in Champions League games recently and when they've dropped points, it's because they can't defend.
They're not a great defensive team- Man City.
Yeah, yeah, yeah Man City.
So, so to put them in that uncomfortable position- you have to have the ball.
Real Madrid can have the ball.
They can keep the ball better.
And then Man City with ke and Bernardo Silva, the, they are brilliant.
Yeah.
They ran the game today.
Yeah, yeah.
Those two little guys- ran the game.
And I, I If I was an Arsenal fan, which I'm not, they must be frustrated that somebody didn't lay a bit more, be a bit more aggressive- Yeah, to get caught, get caught to stop Man City having a game that they wanted.
Yeah, yeah.
And that's, that's where I think- But I think we also have to take this from, from a City point of view as well.
It's a great win for them, mate.
All, all the signs were maybe it's coming to an end, and is this, you know, Arsenal pa- handing over the baton.
I thought they were excellent.
I thought the, the, their ability to keep the ball.
He's got this new shape that's narrow.
The, the, the two, two twos and width comes from the wide areas.
Couple of people I, I gotta talk about.
I'm gonna talk about a couple of, of new people in, in the, the You know, I looked at it today and, and thought, is this the start of an-another kinda era under, under Pep?
He, he was so excited, but the Cherkeys, to, to get him in a-and winning.
Semenyo, O'Riley, Gays up in the, in the stand but is part of a new thing.
I thought Khusanov, Rob, was excellent today.
Yeah, he's really come on.
22 years, years of age.
I thought he, he, he stood firm.
He, he, he battled with, with, Jakubez.
I thought he was physical.
I thought he, he anticipated well.
He's gonna be some player if Pep develops him into the mold that we, we know he, he can do.
I just think at times we've taken for granted, and we're almost a bit like, "Well, we know what City have done.
Maybe let's look at another era."
Tell you what, they didn't half turn up today.
And from City's point of view, looking at the, the, the, the bigger picture- we might not be out of it yet.
Yeah, they're not out of it.
I mean, we know that.
I mean, they have a game in hand.
If they win that game in hand, the, the gap goes to six points.
Yeah, and they play each other.
They have Arsenal at home.
Yeah.
Is it gonna be like that again?
'Cause it probably is.
I'm not sure Arteta's gonna do anything radically different- to what he did today, which is defensively strong and hope for flurries of attacks or set pieces or counterattacks, which there was a few.
But that, but- I mean, and both teams could point to this, Rob I mean, they could, then could be a three-point gap, Rob.
Then there could be a three-point gap, which is a one-game swing.
I know both teams could point to this.
Was-- But would not, was not having an zil or an degaard, one, that number 10-type player- See, --degaard for me is the- you might be able to get into, to, to, to play is the guy that can keep the ball better.
And, and just be a connector- Connector and like, like Berna- Bernardo Silva- Yeah did for Man City today.
Give him the ball, and he'll, and he'll make good decisions.
Yeah.
He'll keep the ball, and he'll go and get it again.
He'll get it again.
Yeah.
He'll play a little one-two.
He'll keep the ball.
Lend it to people.
Yeah.
And then that's your, that's your passes needed- Continuity for the opponents to drop off and like they, you know, they've got the ball.... Ar-Arsenal are a little bit, in that regard, are struggling a little bit.
but no, but on, on City, you know, they, they've-- I don't know.
I don't know where it's gonna go.
Pep seemed very happy afterwards, obviously.
He was.
He, he was quite emo- He got quite emotional actually.
Yeah, he looked like it, and I, and I don't know whatever happens at the end of the season- Yeah whether he's gonna stay on.
You know, I always look at him, there's, there was a moment when he was just, I think he's waiting to collect his medal, where he's kinda staring with the clo- the camera's right- close to him.
I'm not sure he knows he's on camera, but he's sort of looking at the floor, and I, and I'm thinking, "Is he thinking- What's he thinking?
Yeah I mean, this is fun.
Like, am I gonna stay here?"
"Am I really gonna go?"
I don't know.
I don't know.
But it was a good day to, for they, for Man City.
Yeah.
They went out there and they won it.
They were proactive.
They won it.
They were the better team, yeah.
They were the better team today.
Yeah.
They played, they played their, second choice goalkeeper, Robbo, James Trafford.
Yeah.
Both teams played their second chose.
And so did Arsenal.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And the first goal, I think we agree is a Kepa mistake.
Yeah.
After he'd made a blunder with, with a decision to come out, and, and got fouled- Yeah, almost got into trouble and from that moment on, he, he looked a little bit nervy.
Where, where do you stand on the second choice goalkeepers?
So I'm, so I'm, I'm not going to be the guy who is after the event, what do they call it?
Monday morning- Call it back quarterbacking.
If you make the decision as both managers quite early to say, "A guy's played in all the competition, we get to the final, he's gonna play in the final," I'm kind of okay with that, 'cause that's your call.
Man City did it, they've won the- the, the, the cup.
Arsenal did it, they've lost the cup.
Kepa makes a mistake, so everybody's gonna jump on now Arteta and say, "Play your best goal-" Why didn't you play your best team?
Well, your best goalkeeper.
Get Raya in the team, it wouldn't have happened.
Being wise after the event, if you said you're gonna have the g-guy do it, let him do it.
I mean, I think we sh- it's important just to remind people of why this happens.
I mean, I think- Yeah you know, a goalkeeper like Kepa is a number two, right?
Mm-hmm.
And if you're playing s- kind of regularly in a competition like the League Cup- Yeah it's kinda good for your sharpness.
Yeah, to keep on challenging yourself.
Yeah because if, if David Raya has a problem, Kepa's played games, and he's ready to go.
Yeah.
So, but when you progress in that tournament, then it becomes like- Then get to the final well, he's kind of attached.
Yeah.
Like, he's earned through the- The right to play, yeah the season.
So I understand it.
And I, and I'm like, you know, I'm not gonna, you know I don't think it's a huge error that's a, a blunder by these managers.
They both did it, and the, the, the- Yeah.
One, it works for one, not the other the reply I would say is play better.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Play better.
Yeah.
Don't, don't get it down to your goalkeeper happened to, to do all the work.
Play better or for now on for, for Arsenal, let's hope Raya doesn't get injured because he doesn't add a lot of confidence to the back line.
Yeah.
But no, I, I'm, I'm not I, I particularly, you know, think people jump on that one after the event.
If, if Arsenal had won it and gone and played better.
Yeah.
Arsenal didn't lose a game just because of Kepa.
No.
There, there were other reasons, like you talk- Lots, lots of other reasons.
Lots of reasons.
We just talked about them.
Yeah.
The, the, the- The poor possession you know, and players didn't really turn up, some of the big players for them.
Our, our little tease of topics, Rob, talked about psychological blow.
Yeah.
How much of a psychological blow is it to Arsenal?
'Cause there was a little bit of talk- It's a t- yeah, that's a tough question like, "Well, if they lose that game, then they might- Yeah, that's a tough question second-guess themselves.
Yeah.
I, I- Does it make much difference?
For me, no, and I think Mikel Arteta is the type of guy who's gonna make sure it's a no, because I think you can do it the other I think it can strengthen resolve.
I think it can focus attention.
I think it can be, "Okay, guys, we've been short on a big day.
We have three more opportunities."
The, the, the Premier League i-is, is the golden goose, and that's- Well, but they have to play City again away.
They do have to play City away.
They just took a bit of a, bit of a doing- Yeah, and- in this final but they've got a nine-point gap- But inside that brain, Rob, I know that Arteta's gonna say all his stuff.
Well, this is the bit, this is the bit, this is the bit that- Is it inside?
Lee Dixon, our great friend, has always said to us, "Let them get to April.
Let us get to six or so games, and that's when you find out."
But today's p-today's- Today's started- final loss- Yeah is another like, oh.
So now it's another test.
It's another level of test.
It's a, it's a question of their confidence, their belief in themselves.
Yeah.
Yeah.
and I still think the manager and this group of players believe enough in themselves and what they're doing that they can go and win it.
Now, listen, time will tell if I'm right- and, and performances will tell whether it could go the other way.
Is there a little bit of an-anticipation, a bit of fear- a bit of, of apprehension?
Yeah.
'Cause if that comes in, we've got a proper title race.
Yeah.
But I, I think I'm like you when you first said that.
I, I think it might strengthen them actually.
I think they'll get over the disappointment- and like, "Right, come on."
Yeah.
"Let's make sure we, we, we, we bring this home."
In, in a strangest way, a two-week break is not the worst thing now.
Going away, some are, you know, trying to qualify for World Cup, some have got World Cup games.
Get back to action.
I think they, they, they got Bournemouth at home, I believe is, is, is- Is that the next one for them?
the next game.
Yeah.
I think it's Bournemouth.
Yeah.
Home to Bournemouth.
Yeah, there you go.
First game on a Saturday.
First game.
And then- And we know Bournemouth is not easy, and then they- Yeah, Bournemouth are good they'll keep the ball.
Yeah.
But it's at home, it's at the Emirates.
It's a chance where everybody's gonna be looking.
It's a chance to go bang, good result, puts to bed all that psychological stuff.
Just finally, up from the fans of Arsenal point of view, Rob.
Yeah.
Are they-- How disappointed are they in that?
Are they- I think, I think there's a disappointment 'cause I, I, I felt, Rob, a bit like you, I listen to radio shows and we, we pick up on social media.
I think there was a swell of opinion like- We're taking over.
Yeah.
Like we're ta- It's our time now, and we're And, and- Yeah I heard some Arsenal fans talking about we could go and really give them a bit of a, a, a shoeing, you know, a, a, a two, three, four win.
It's still Man City.
Still have to be respectful.
And they've got a little, they've got some quality.
Still got, yeah.
Creative quality.
And, and in this league, as we've seen this weekend, and we've had a n-number of discussions about it- every team in, in this league can give you a problem, Rob.
Yeah.
You know, Man City do it in a very different way, but these others, these others in the league, whoever you're playing in this league, I'm telling you, can, can give you problems.
There's absolutely no guarantee o-o-of wins.
Yeah, disappointing for Arsenal then.
