Arsenal suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday. Despite creating a few chances to score, the team’s poor finishing ultimately cost them the game.
Newcastle, on the other hand, capitalized on their opportunities with Alexander Isak playing a pivotal role. He both scored and assisted at the Emirates Stadium, showcasing his clinical edge in the final third.
For Arsenal, several players fell short of expectations, with Leandro Trossard’s performance standing out as particularly poor. His struggles from the previous match against Brighton seemed to carry over into this game, showing no signs of improvement.
Starting on the right wing, Trossard endured a challenging evening. He completed only 74% of his passes, lost possession 11 times, and failed to contribute any meaningful offensive play. He registered no successful crosses, no completed dribbles, and didn’t even manage a shot on target. Unsurprisingly, he was substituted for Gabriel Jesus in the 60th minute.
Trossard’s subpar display earned him a low rating of 5/10 from football.london. His performance raised questions about Mikel Arteta’s decision to start him in such a crucial game.
In hindsight, starting Trossard appeared to be a tactical error by Arteta. Given his recent form, he should have been benched. It’s now clear that Trossard should not feature in Arsenal’s starting XI for their upcoming FA Cup clash against Manchester United.
This defeat to Newcastle is a significant setback for Arsenal, and they cannot afford another disappointment in the FA Cup. A reshuffled attack is necessary, with Gabriel Jesus on the right wing and Gabriel Martinelli on the left. Despite his missed chance in the last match, Kai Havertz should be trusted to lead the line against Manchester United.
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