Mikel Arteta’s decision to keep faith with second-choice goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Carabao Cup final “backfired big time”, says Jamie Redknapp, after his howler handed Man City the opener in Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat at Wembley.
Kepa kept his place for Sunday’s showpiece ahead of David Raya, after featuring in every round of the Gunners’ run to the final, but his inclusion was questioned ahead of the game and came back to bite the Arsenal boss when he failed to take Rayan Cherki’s cross, deflecting it straight into the path of Nico O’Reilly after an hour.
Arteta defended his decision as “right and fair” but Redknapp told Sky Sports the call to play a second-choice goalkeeper while chasing a first major trophy in almost six years was a mistake.
“I know people will say it’s sentiment and he played in the earlier rounds, but Kepa is not as good as Raya,” he said. “That’s why he is the No 2.
“So why, in a major cup final when you’re trying to get across the line and you’ve not won a trophy in so long, do you decide to play him? You have to take responsibility for that. That is a monumental error.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Watch Kepa’s howler hand Nico O’Reilly and Man City the opening goal in the Carabao Cup final
“He’s not a bad goalkeeper – he’s not as good as Raya. It has backfired big time.
At the other end, City’s No 2 James Trafford also started in goal – as he did throughout their triumphant Carabao Cup campaign.
“You could say Trafford isn’t the number one either but he made three really good saves and after that, hardly had to touch the ball. It was easy for him,” Redknapp continued.
“It’s not me being wise after the event, I said it before the game.”
Arsenal legend Ian Wright agreed that Kepa’s selection had been a risk by Arteta, and pointed to the timing of his mistake as an aggravating factor in the defeat, which came when Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke were getting ready to come on.
He said: “The gamble didn’t pay off. It was the fashion of the mistake [from Kepa] that makes you think ‘that’s a No 2’.
“It’s something you wouldn’t see a No 1 goalkeeper make and it’s unfortunate because it’s the turning point.
“If we don’t concede that goal and we get the subs on, we might get into the game a bit.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from the Carabao Cup final match between Arsenal and Manchester City
Carra: Arteta doesn’t owe Kepa anything
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher was also critical of Arteta’s choice to start Kepa, saying he owes it to the fans to put out the best possible team to win Arsenal’s first trophy since 2020, rather than the goalkeeper.
He also compared the situation to Trafford at Man City, as well as Caoimhin Kelleher when he played for Liverpool, who often started in goal in cup competitions and finals.
On Premier League Extra Time, he said: “I’ve got strong views on playing the second goalkeeper. I don’t like it, but I can understand it in some situations.
“But Mikel Arteta does not owe Kepa anything. He owes Arsenal supporters the best possible chance of winning the first trophy in six years. They’ve won one trophy in nine years.
Kepa started over David Raya as Arsenal lost to Man City in the Carabao Cup final
“The goalkeeper comes to the club because he knows he’s second choice. He can play through the rounds, but once you get to the final, it has to change for me because they haven’t won enough trophies and they need to get over the line.
“But Pep does owe Trafford. He bought him in at the start of the season to be the No 1, didn’t think he was good enough and then bought Donnarumma in – not easy for the lad.
“Also, they’ve won four of them. The pressure on Man City today to win another Carabao Cup is not the same.
“People might also flip and say Kelleher and Liverpool. The reason he got so many opportunities to play in finals is because Liverpool were desperate to keep him – that is not the point with Kepa.
“He was signed as a No 2 and he’s not good enough at the top level – we’ve seen that at Chelsea.
“David Raya is not just the first choice goalkeeper, we’re arguably talking about Arsenal’s best player this season, so it’s not just changing No 1 for No 2, it’s changing one of your best players when you haven’t got a history of winning with this team.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jamie Redknapp says Manchester City’s win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final will give Pep Guardiola’s men confidence in the league and put pressure on the current leaders.
Arteta: No regrets over Kepa decision
Arteta defended his decision to start Kepa, calling his compatriot an “outstanding goalkeeper” and insisting the selection was “right and fair”.
“I would do it again. he deserved to play this game and has been phenomenal for us. Errors are part of football any anyone can make them,” he told Sky Sports.
When asked whether he expected people to single out Kepa for Arsenal’s defeat, he added: “I understand but I have to do what I think is right which is honest and fair. Kepa is an outstanding keeper, and it would’ve been very unfair on him to do something different.
“We are guided by what we see. What he’s done in the competition, and how he helped us to get us to the final, I believe it was the right thing to do.
“Errors are part of football, and unfortunately it happened in a crucial moment.”
Leave a Reply