Arteta on squad fitness and using the Carabao Cup to build ...
Mikel Arteta has allayed fears of another lay-off for Declan Rice but confirmed Arsenal will still be without left-backs Alex Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori for tomorrow’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace.
Rice was substituted during the second half of Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Everton due to a “little niggle” but is “fine” and has been able to train. Whether the England international is risked against the Eagles remains to be seen, it could well be that he’s rested with one eye on Saturday’s league game against the same opponents.
With his side playing every three days, and players struggling to find their stride after various fitness issues, Arteta is acutely aware of the need for rotation.
“We have managed the squad in the best possible way,” he said in his pre-game press conference.”
“We’ve made sure that everybody who is fit and available, feels part of it, and is ready when the team needs it.
“If we have to make changes, I’m sure the boys that come in will have that, and others they’re going to have to play as well because of the [shortage of] numbers.”
On when he’ll pick his team, he added: “We’ll decide that in the morning in relation to how the squad is, obviously the relevance of the match and where we are in the quarter-finals, it becomes a very important match. We’ll decide the best team to win it.”
It’s 31 years since Arsenal last won the League Cup and five since Arteta’s first and only silverware – the FA Cup. For other clubs, including Manchester City and Chelsea in recent memory, winning the competition, despite it being down the list of priorities, has been a useful stepping stone in building belief before achieving even bigger ambitions.
Having exited the domestic cup competitions early in the last couple of seasons, it’s clear Arteta wants his side to grasp the opportunity to make a mark.
“I think it brings belief, trust, positive energy. Touching a cup and being in a semi-final, beating somebody in the final, it generates that energy and creates the right path to go and do something else.
“Especially because of the timing [February] and where [Wembley] the competition is played in this country. It gets the momentum going, I think.”
While Arsenal might be on an eight-game unbeaten run, draws in two of the last three games have hurt the club’s chances of winning the league and led to more questions about their lack of goals from open play.
In the short term, it’s clear he wants his players to take tomorrow’s game seriously with one eye on boosting confidence.
“I fully believe in that,” said the Spaniard when asked about a win creating a snowball effect.
“The fact that you are winning, you get into the next round, next competition. It builds, it creates something different around the team. That’s why these kind of games are really, really important.”
