Mikel Arteta bizarrely blames the Carabao Cup BALL for Arsenal's missed chances against Newcastle... as he bemoans his side 'kicking a lot over the bar' during their 2-0 defeat in the first leg
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Mikel Arteta bizarrely brought up the match ball when breaking down Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat by Newcastle. In the Carabao Cup, a Puma ball is used, whereas a Nike ball is used in the Premier League. When asked about Arsenal’s missed chances — they had 23 shots, but just three on target — Arteta replied: ‘We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better.
![[Arsenal missed several chances as they had 23 shots, but just three of these were on target]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/00/93848861-14260991-image-a-93_1736295364713.jpg)
‘But at the end that’s gone, there’s no way back it's about the next game and that’s our world, the reality.’. When pressed further on the issue, Arteta added: 'No, it's just different. It's very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that.
![[Arteta claimed the Puma Carabao Cup ball was 'different' and said that 'these balls fly a lot']](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/00/93848859-14260991-image-a-94_1736295462885.jpg)
'It flies different... when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.'. Mikel Arteta bizarrely brought up the ball when breaking down Arsenal’s defeat by Newcastle. Arsenal missed several chances as they had 23 shots, but just three of these were on target.
![[Eddie Howe praised Alexander Isak, although he revealed he came off due to a hamstring issue]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/00/93845129-14260991-image-a-95_1736295533847.jpg)
Arteta claimed the Puma Carabao Cup ball was 'different' and said that 'these balls fly a lot'. When Arteta was Manchester City assistant manager, Pep Guardiola branded the Mitre ball used in a Carabao Cup last-16 tie victory against Wolves in October 2017, as ‘highly unacceptable’.
Isak, who has long been linked to the Gunners, scored one and was involved in the build-up to Newcastle’s second goal — Anthony Gordon finished off the striker’s deflected shot. On Isak, Arteta added: ‘The ball arrived to him, he created and had a lot of big chances. He was involved in both goals as well.
