₦airaland Forum

press9jatv:
Arteta sold the match to his former Boss. Arteta caused this defeat

Banbanna:
For those of you using Arsenal's fielding their 2nd choice keeper is an excuse for losing this game, remember that Mancity also fielded their 2nd keeper, Trafford who is not even better than Kepa Arizzabalaga.
No be keeper dey do the midfield and attack work, and all that pressure football. Just that City needed this trophy more than Arsenal since the league seems unlikely to win.

And In a way, Mancity losing scandalously against Madrid and given the way they were criticized and bad-mouthed after that match, those City boys felt they had to make a statement today that they still got it

Banbanna:
For those of you using Arsenal's fielding their 2nd choice keeper is an excuse for losing this game, remember that Mancity also fielded their 2nd keeper, Trafford who is not even better than Kepa Arizzabalaga.
No be keeper dey do the midfield and attack work, and all that pressure football. Just that City needed this trophy more than Arsenal since the league seems unlikely to win.

And In a way, Mancity losing scandalously against Madrid and given the way they were criticized and bad-mouthed after that match, those City boys felt they had to make a statement today that they still got it

ppogba:
In exchange for the EPL which his oga sold to him when City drew 2-2 with Wolves.


We know the game.
Na people wey dey bet I dey pity.

APOPTOSIS:
Arsenal don suffer😭😭
Chaiiiiiiiiii.
Which kind near success syndrome?
The time around, they played nothing.
Man city outplayed them

reddingtonblack:
i dont know how a coach with a Team like arsenal ... Will comfortable watch Man city pressure arsenal defence for 15mins ...arsenal could not even hold the ball for 1 minute

Arteta failed the Team tonight .... Arsenal can withstand pressure nd not crack open we no sabi

tnerro1:
No be kepa dey pay him salary oooo, if he wants a trophy, he needs to make the hard decisions, na final be this, bench kepa and use raya, na him need the trophy pass. Havertz has always performed when coming from the bench in the second half, why change that in a final?

Lamasta:
We won them on all ground today so all you Arsenal fans should keep quiet for once you guys don't know how to win trophies

Sonofgod1990:
Arsenal woes Will start today. God will do it for us 🤲.
Arsenal 0 vs Manchester City 3. So shall it be in Jesus name 📛. Amen and Amen


Man City will win and I will do giveaway after the game. I promise

press9jatv:
🔴⚪ We Lost. And I'm Not Pretending Otherwise.

Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City. Carabao Cup Final. Wembley.

Let me be real with you today because the emotional posts can wait. The "we'll be back" posts can wait. Right now we need to talk about what actually happened.

Arteta cost us this game.

I'll say it clearly and without apology. You do not go into a Wembley cup final against Manchester City with a weakened XI because of sentiment. You do not start Kepa Arrizabalaga in the biggest game of the season because fans fell in love with the story of him being the "cup goalkeeper." Football doesn't care about stories. Football cares about quality. And on the night, we paid the price.

Two goals. Both from Kepa mistakes. Both gifted directly to Nico O'Reilly like free presents on Christmas morning. That is not bad luck. That is a selection error that Arteta has to own completely.

Gyökeres. Mehn. I've been saying it for months and tonight confirmed everything. The big moments come and he disappears. Wembley. Cup final. Man City. This is exactly the stage where you find out who a player really is — and we found out.

Kai Havertz missed a sitter that could have changed the entire match. Could have had us 1-0 up. Could have flipped the pressure. Instead it stayed 0-0, City grew in confidence, and Kepa handed them the game on a plate.

Zubimendi — who I rate highly — was poor. He couldn't deal with O'Reilly's movement for the first goal. Didn't track the run. Didn't communicate. On another night that's forgivable. Today it was fatal.

But let's not scatter the blame so wide that we miss the main point.

Arteta picked Kepa. That's it. That's the post.

Every Arsenal fan who screamed and pushed for Kepa to start because "he deserves it" and "he kept us here" — I understand the love. I really do. But sentiment has no place in a cup final team sheet. Raya is our goalkeeper. Raya should have started. Full stop. Non negotiable.

We will bounce back. The league is still there. The Champions League is still there. This squad is still the best in England on current form.

But today we have to sit in this and be honest about what went wrong. That's how you get better. That's what separates a club with real culture from one that just makes excuses.

Arteta is a genius. He's also human. Today he got it wrong.

COYG. Always. 🔴⚪

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Sccarrr:
congratulations, atleast usef don win something...no matter how small

femi4:
When did they change the trophy to stainless

Lamasta:
We always win trophies boss

TheStoriesOfMan:
Next time, City should use today's performance against real Madrid.

Sccarrr:
una talk am since the start of the season, na week 33 again now

Rubyjade:
I’d push back on that take a bit—because it simplifies a game that’s usually decided by fine margins.

First, yes, goalkeepers don’t play midfield or attack—but they absolutely influence how a team plays under pressure. A second-choice keeper often changes how comfortable a backline is building from the back, how aggressive the press can be, and even the risk level in possession. That ripple effect can reach midfield and attack indirectly.

Now, comparing City and Arsenal in that scenario: if you’re referring to James Trafford being used by Manchester City, versus Arsenal potentially relying on Kepa Arrizabalaga or another backup—context matters. Not all “second-choice” keepers are equal in experience, chemistry, or tactical fit. A keeper who’s trained longer in a system (like City’s) may execute it more cleanly than a newer or less integrated option.

That said, I agree with your core point: you don’t lose a game solely because of a goalkeeper. Matches are usually decided by:

- Control of midfield (tempo, transitions)
- Efficiency in attack (chance conversion)
- Defensive structure under pressure

If a team dominates possession but lacks penetration or makes poor decisions in the final third, that’s not on the keeper.

On motivation—yes, psychology plays a role. After a tough loss, like City’s criticism following a defeat to Real Madrid, top teams often respond with intensity. But as a intern coach, I’d caution against overplaying the “they wanted it more” narrative. At this level, both teams always want it. The difference is usually in execution, not desire.

So my response would be:

- The goalkeeper situation is a factor—but not an excuse.
- Tactical execution and decision-making matter more.
- Psychological response can sharpen performance, but it doesn’t replace structure and quality.

If Arsenal lost, I’d be asking:
1. Did we control midfield?
2. Did we create enough high-quality chances?
3. Did we manage transitions well? That’s where games are really won or lost.

reddingtonblack:
i dont know how a coach with a Team like arsenal ... Will comfortable watch Man city pressure arsenal defence for 15mins ...arsenal could not even hold the ball for 1 minute

Arteta failed the Team tonight .... Arsenal can withstand pressure nd not crack open we no sabi

roryoreva:
Arsenal go win this match

Lamasta:
Shit happens boss

Kobicove:
Suicide go surplus today