Micah Richards criticizes Arteta's team selection mistake, from contending for 4 trophies down to 2.
On 5 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Micah Richards, former England and Manchester City defender, questioned Mikel Arteta's team selection and criticized Arsenal's "attitude" after their shocking loss to Southampton.
In that match, Arteta was heavily criticized for not fielding his best lineup from the start, resulting in Arsenal being eliminated from a second consecutive cup competition.
Additionally, he chose to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal again, despite Kepa's previous mistake leading to the first goal in the Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City 0-2 two weeks earlier, while also making two defensive changes from that game.
Players like Miles Lez-Skelly, Cristian Mosquera, Christian Nørgaard, and young Max Dowman were given playing time, while Victor Johansson, who recently impressed by scoring 4 goals for Sweden during the FIFA break, was dropped to the bench, along with several other key players.
After the game, BBC commentator Micah Richards criticized Arteta's decision, stating, "You have to field your best team."
"There will certainly be criticism. In the match against Man City, you might lose the final, but you still have to use your best team."
"A few weeks ago, people were saying Arsenal could challenge for 4 trophies, but now they are down to only 2, while Man City seem to be applying pressure both in the league and Champions League."
"The most disappointing thing is their attitude. Normally, they defend well, transition quickly, have a clear style, and give their all, but today they performed very poorly."
However, Arteta affirmed that this elimination will not affect the team's confidence and remains convinced his squad has the potential to compete for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles for the rest of the season.