Arteta rues Arsenal wastefulness after Cup shock
Mikel Arteta had no issues with Arsenal's effort or attitude in its shock Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town.
Arsenal, last year's runner-up, crashed out of the competition on Wednesday as fourth-tier Fleetwood pulled off an incredible cup upset.
Fleetwood prevailed 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi put Fleetwood into the lead in the 21st minute, and though Viktor Gyokeres levelled in scruffy fashion early in the second half, Fleetwood held firm to take the game to penalties.
Max Dowman saw red for the Gunners late on, too, and Arsenal's night reached its low point when Conor Haughey slammed home the winning penalty after Bruno Guimaraes had been denied by the superb Jay Lynch.
Arteta, though, insisted his team did not lack a desire to win.
"First of all, congratulate Fleetwood for what they have done, for winning the match and going through to the next round, for the way they have done it and for the atmosphere they have created," he said.
"A really sad day for us. I cannot fault the attitude of the players, I have not seen anybody not doing what is required at this level.
"We had so much of the ball, so many chances, so many shots – if you want the margin to be bigger than penalties you have to capitalise on that, and we didn't.
"We gave them momentum, but then they created nothing through the whole game but we didn’t capitalise on that, then the margins become so small. That's football, that's the beauty of this competition and especially in this country. It's a very sad day.
"Attitude-wise, I have zero [issues], otherwise I would be absolutely fuming. We are sad, we are all sad, we have a responsibility. It was nothing to do with effort or application or wanting to go and win it, but we lacked other things, and that has been shown in the scoreline."
Arsenal had 26 shots, hitting the target seven times.
Kai Havertz passed up several chances, while Ben White also saw a late attempt kept out brilliantly by Lynch.
Yet after beating a Premier League opponent for the first time in its history, Fleetwood will now have a quarter-final to look forward to.
"We're not stupid or egotistical enough to think we could outplay the best team in the country," Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor said.
"We knew we'd have to ride our luck, have to deny space, deny options for them. I think we did that really well for the majority of the game.
"Their goal happens but it's going to happen – they're so good, we see it every week in the Premier League.
"I'm just so glad the lads are feeling the way they are and for what it means for the town and the club."
Mikel Arteta Amatriain
Arsenal FC
