The Netherlands defender curled an effort past Matt Turner, as Guardiola’s side advanced to the fifth round past a weakened Gunners team. Arteta made six changes from the team that defeated United 3-2 on Sunday as Turner, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney, Fabio Vieira and Leandro Trossard came into the side. Despite a first half where the visitors would have been the happier of the two sides, they tailed off in the second period. Keane felt that the decision to make so many changes was incorrect, and predicted before kick-off that they would lose because of it.
“It’s a huge gamble,” Keane told ITV before the game had started. “Huge gamble, to make so many changes – especially in defensive positions, the goalkeepers. Listen, you could probably make one or two but that’s a huge gamble to make so many changes at the back, especially with the attacking players obviously Man City have got.
“Yes and no [I understand why]. Of course the priority for Arsenal because they’ve had such a great start is the league, but to make so many changes defensively, people are talking about the priorities, but it’s still January. They’ve got no midweek game coming up, huge risk and pretty sure it will backfire on them.”
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Fellow pundit and Arsenal icon Ian Wright explained the thought process behind Arteta’s lineup and admitted that while it was a risk, he was happy with the team that was picked. “What we’re not paying attention to is the fact the players that are coming in know what they’re coming in to try and do,” Wright replied.
“I’m sure there is a lot of competition for places tonight, and you can imagine what the training ground is like – everybody wants to be involved in what is going on and this is an opportunity to see what they’re capable of doing. When you look at the team they’re playing against, it’s a massive test. Of course to a certain extent you have to think it’s a bit of a risk to change that many players, but I’m quite happy with it, I’m quite happy to see how they play. You want to see people like Fabio Vieira coming in with players up front that are the first team players.
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“Surely he wants to come in and be amongst the best – when he played against Oxford and [Granit] Xhaka came on, that’s when he really came to life, and that’s what you want. You want the good players around them to help them into trying to make an impression.”
Keane felt that Arteta should have all the information he needs about his fringe players, having been defeated by Brighton in the Carabao Cup when he fielded a rotated team. “I think the midfield players and obviously the attacking players for Arsenal are obviously strong,” Keane added. “They’re certainly a threat and playing with a lot of confidence but you make so many changes at the back.
“Wrighty mentioned there that he needs to see what they can do in these situations, but he’s working with these players all the time and they’ve played in previous games. A lot of these players played at home against Brighton in the Carabao Cup and they got beaten, so they should know at this stage. Holding, listen Holding’s okay, he’s about fourth or fifth choice but we know what he’s about, we’re not going to find out much about him tonight, and he’s going to be under huge pressure. This idea that you need to put these lads in against Man City to see what they’re like, if you don’t know what they’re like now at this level you’re in big trouble.”
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