Mikel Arteta was delighted with the way his side handled a lively Brighton to secure a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Crystal Palace.
The Spaniard made 10 changes from the side that started at the weekend, handing a surprise debut to 17-year-old striker Andre Harriman-Annous while Max Dowman became the club’s youngest-ever starter. Summer signings Piero Hincapie, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga were also included.
Brighton were quick to take advantage of the unfamiliarity within the Gunners ranks and ought to have taken the lead after mounting several dangerous counter-attacks.
Arteta’s side eventually settled and ran out deserved winners thanks to Ethan Nwaneri’s pinpoint strike, which polished off intricate play on the edge of the box, and a ruthless finish from substitute Bukayo Saka who pounced on a rebound with 14 minutes remaining after Seagulls’ keeper Jason Steele denied Harriman-Annous.
“A very special evening,” was Arteta’s assessment in his post-game press conference.
“I”m very happy for various reasons. Obviously, we are in the quarter-finals, we won the game against a really tough opponent, we made 10 changes, we played players that never played together. Yet, we made two huge debuts for Max and Andre.
“That feeling of giving the opportunity to somebody and fulfilling a dream is unique. I’m very happy that things turned out to be very positive and we managed to win the game.”
It wasn’t all plain-sailing. Reflecting on a tough first half, Arteta said: “It’s some very sloppy giveaways that we give in very dangerous areas, and we didn’t apply two or three rules that we always have in second phases, for example, and we could have been punished – Kepa made a brilliant save, they missed another big chance, and it was more the feeling that we were a bit struggling.
“But to be fair, I expected that when you make ten changes and you put players that they never played before, some of them they haven’t played much as well.
“This season, you have to gamble. But I was ready to take that risk, and in the second half, I thought, OK, we have to start the next ten, 15 minutes in a different way. We certainly did that, and I think the game shifted momentum.”
In truth, if Arsenal weren’t dealing with so many injuries in attack – Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz among them – ahead of three crucial away games next week, Andre Harriman-Annous might not have been anywhere near the bench.
With Viktor Gyokeres due a rest and Mikel Merino needed in midfield, Mikel Arteta turned to the 17-year-old to lead the line. He didn’t disappoint, delivering an energetic 77-minute display full of effort and intent. Arteta explained why he felt he had to give the teenager his chance.
“Since pre-season, when he was with us, I was very impressed with him. First of all, his mentality, how much he wants it – that’s the first ingredient. He’s desperate to achieve his dream.
“I think he’s been very consistent training with us and constantly giving us the option to pick him. Today, I believed it was the right day for him, for the context, for the way he’s playing as well. He certainly proved that he’s got a chance.”
As for Dowman, who took another big step towards consolidating his first-team credentials, with another tidy performance, that included nine attempted dribbles, Arteta said: “For him, everything is natural. For him, everything is ok. It’s the way he plays. I think that’s the secret, that he doesn’t make a big fuss of it.
“He just does what he does best, which is to play football, to play football with a lot of courage and determination. Today, again, he’s shown some incredible skill, some capacity to run past players at that level in the Premier League at 15. It’s something definitely special.”
At 18 years old, Ethan Nwaneri is hardly a veteran, but having been in and around the first team since his debut three years ago, it’s easy to forget that he, too, is still learning his trade. Tasked with pulling the strings in the centre of midfield, he had challenging moments before producing a ruthless finish to break the deadlock.
“Really good,” said Arteta of Nwaneri’s performance. “He came on the other day as well and he’s going to have those chances and when he has, he needs to make the most out of it.
“I think he took the goal really, really well. He had some actions, some of them, they weren’t that effective. But what I liked is that he kept trying and making risks, and he didn’t change that behaviour and determination to make things happen and at the end, he got rewarded with a brilliant goal.”
So Arsenal made it six wins from six in October, scoring 12 goals and conceding 0. According to Opta, it’s the first time we’ve gone a calendar month playing that many games without conceding, and the first time ever we’ve done it winning them all.
The squad is on an incredible run, and if they can carry that form into trips to Burnley, Prague and Sunderland, rivals at home and abroad will start to feel the pressure.
The post “A very special evening” – Arteta on beating Brighton, his debutants and Nwaneri appeared first on Arseblog News – the Arsenal news site.
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