Arsenal legend Ian Wright expressed his frustration after Arsenal’s 3-1 loss to West Ham in the Carabao Cup, criticizing a 24-year-old Arsenal player and comparing their performance to that of Manchester United players.
Arsenal faced West Ham in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and suffered their second defeat of the season. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta made significant changes to the starting lineup for the match, a decision that ultimately backfired.
The match took a sour turn for Arsenal when Ben White scored an unfortunate own-goal, giving West Ham the lead just 16 minutes into the game. In the second half, West Ham extended their lead with goals from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen. Arsenal’s only consolation came in the 96th minute when Martin Odegaard found the back of the net.
Following the disappointing performance, talkSPORT pundit and Arsenal fan Darren Bent voiced his dissatisfaction, singling out Kai Havertz, a 24-year-old midfielder, for criticism.
Kai Havertz was part of the three-man midfield, alongside Jorginho and Fabio Vieira, but failed to make a significant impact and struggled to control the game against West Ham. Havertz’s performance left much to be desired.
Mikel Arteta attempted to turn the tide by making five substitutions in the second half. Jorginho, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, and Eddie Nketiah made way for Declan Rice, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Odegaard. However, these changes couldn’t salvage the match, and West Ham secured a well-deserved victory against a lackluster Arsenal side.
Arteta’s decision to field some fringe players was an attempt to give them an opportunity to prove themselves. However, Arsenal missed a golden chance to excel in the competition, especially with rivals like Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United already eliminated from the Carabao Cup.
Kai Havertz, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer, has failed to shine since his transfer. His performance against West Ham was underwhelming, as he struggled to create opportunities and remained relatively quiet throughout the game. It is likely that Havertz will return to the bench for Arsenal’s upcoming match against Newcastle United in the Premier League.
