Arteta specially praised two overlooked stars of Arsenal

Mikel Arteta offered particular praise to two neglected Arsenal players, who appeared to be missing from the star-filled squad of the Gunners.

In the early hours of December 24, Arsenal faced Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. The Gunners struggled significantly against Palace’s well-organized defense.

It wasn’t until the 80th minute that they took the lead due to an own goal by Lacroix. However, in the 95th minute, Guehi equalized for Palace, forcing the match into a penalty shootout. Arsenal had to fight hard to overcome Crystal Palace 8-7 on penalties.

After the match, coach Arteta expressed satisfaction with the squad depth: “I’m happy we reached the semi-finals. I’m especially pleased considering the number of changes in the lineup. The team showed unity, energy, and quality against a very well-organized opponent who rarely gave away chances.”.

However, when asked if he was worried about the match, Arteta admitted: “We created many chances, and after 94 minutes, the margin should have been three or four goals. When you don’t do that, the opponent always has the chance to punish you from set pieces, and we conceded. Emotionally, it’s hard to accept given the game flow. But the whole team stayed calm, showed resilience and quality in the shootout. I’m also very happy for Kepa, who made the decisive save to help us advance.”, Arteta said.

Arsenal made seven changes in this match but still achieved a good result, which Arteta sees as a positive sign of the squad’s depth.

“I consider it a privilege. The players’ attitude makes my job easier. There were times when we had limited options, previously in attack for many months, now in defense. But that doesn’t matter. Players like Cristhian Mosquera, Kepa, or anyone else, regardless of their role in training or matches, fulfill their duties. When they get on the pitch, they perform accordingly. Every player must have that mindset because everyone will have a significant role if they want to achieve the goal. I’m very pleased that all those ready to play have this spirit and attitude, and when they come on, they perform well like today.”.

Finally, Arteta did not forget to praise Gabriel Jesus, who celebrated his 100th match for the Gunners: “I’m very happy. If I’m not mistaken, this was his 100th game. It reflects the challenging journey he has been through. A player with mental endurance, fighting spirit, and great determination. After 11 months, he can still play the way he did today. It’s wonderful to have him back.”.

Following this match, Arsenal will return to the Premier League and host Brighton at Emirates Stadium in the 18th round at 10:00 PM on December 27. Arsenal still leads the table but only by 2 points over Man City, and a single slip-up could be costly for the Gunners.