Arsenal fans have urged Mikel Arteta to make a drastic decision following their disappointing Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg defeat to Newcastle United.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg at the Emirates—courtesy of goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon—the Gunners were outmaneuvered once again on Newcastle’s home turf. Jacob Murphy’s opener and Gordon’s second-half strike sealed a 4-0 aggregate victory, sending Eddie Howe’s side to the final at Wembley on March 16.
Despite thrashing Manchester City 5-1 just days earlier, Arsenal struggled in the Northeast, with Newcastle executing their tactics flawlessly. Several Arsenal players underperformed, including William Saliba, who looked uncharacteristically shaky, and David Raya, whose misplaced pass to Declan Rice gifted Newcastle their second goal early in the second half.
However, much of the fan frustration was directed at captain Martin Ødegaard. The Norwegian missed a crucial chance to get Arsenal back in the game and was largely ineffective before being substituted for Raheem Sterling in the 61st minute. Many supporters are now calling for Arteta to strip him of the captaincy.
One fan on X wrote: “Take the armband off him now! He’s been terrible this season!” Another added: “Odegaard shouldn’t be captain. Enough is enough.” Others echoed similar sentiments, with some suggesting the captaincy should be handed to Declan Rice instead.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will face the winner of the other semi-final between Liverpool and Tottenham, with Spurs holding a 1-0 lead ahead of their trip to Anfield. The Magpies return to action against Birmingham City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, while Arsenal, having already been eliminated from the competition, will resume play with a Premier League clash against Leicester City on February 15.
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