Mikel Arteta has defended his selection of Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of David Raya for today’s Carabao Cup final defeat, and insisted his team can use the pain of defeat to fire Arsenal to an ‘amazing’ end to the season.
The Spanish keeper was given the nod ahead of his compatriot after playing in every round to the final, keeping three clean sheets along the way, and saving a crucial penalty in a shoot-out with Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
Raya has arguably been the team’s most consistent player this season, and after the mistake which handed Man City the opening goal, the manager’s choice came under some scrutiny.
Speaking in his post-game press conference, Arteta said, “I understand that but I have to do what I feel is right, which is honest and which is fair, and I think we have an outstanding keeper in Kepa.
“He’s played all the competition and I think it would have been very, very unfair for him and for the team to do something different.
“We are guided by what we’ve seen and what he’s done in the competition, and he helped us to go all the way through here.
“I believe it’s the right thing to do and that’s it. Errors are part of football and today it happened unfortunately in a crucial moment.”
The spotlight on Kepa is understandable, but the Gunners issues on the day went far beyond the goalkeeper. Overall the level of performance was not good enough, and the chance to lift silverware for the first time in six years went begging.
However, and understandably, he sounded something of a rallying cry with plenty still to play for this season.
“We have to have some perspective on it ,and what this team has done in the last eight months has been incredible.
“We’re going to use this disappointment and this fire in the belly to have the most amazing two months that we have ever together, that’s on us and we’ll manage that energy in the right way.
“Now we have to go through that pain and disappointment and it’s normal and it’s part of football.”
The chance for redemption has to wait a while though, with an Interlull now, and bad news regarding Eberechi Eze who picked up a calf problem which could keep him sidelined for a while. He won’t be going away with England, and faces further scans next week to fully assess the seriousness of his problem.