Let’s get things right – winning or not winning the League Cup does not make or break your season. And last night is certainly not one we should spend to much time analysing.

Almost every year one of the big boys in the Premier League is knocked out of the FA Cup or League Cup by a small fish that they would thrash 99 times out of 100. And this season it was Arsenal’s turn to come a cropper.

I do not think we played overly poor. This was certainly not a Sheffield Wednesday-esque performance. But no one really played well.

It looked like a pre-season friendly where the big Premier League team were early in their preparation, not taking it seriously, and the small League Two team were looking to make it a memorable night. Only it was not a friendly. It was a proper game.

Questions will be asked about Mikel Arteta’s team selection, but I feel he got little wrong.

Arteta was completely correct to rest both Ezri Konsa and Gabriel, as well as Ricardo Calafiori. We can’t keep flogging players and expect them to be 100% at the end of the season. Doing that is what cost us the Champions League last year as we simply had too many players running on empty.

Saying that, both Cristhian Mosquera and Marli Salmon looked a little lost without a senior centre back next to them. Neither is exactly a leader of the defence and it showed. But this game was not lost due to our defence.

Martin Zubimendi looked completely off the pace in midfield. Not really sure what has happened with the Spaniard since around March, but something is not right.

I initially put it down to fatigue and a though first season abroad, but that has carried over into this season. Last night should have been a chance to stamp his authority on the game. Remind Arteta why he was signed. Instead he looked off the pace and did nothing to warrant starting again any time soon. But saying that, a midfield of Zubimendi and MLS (who had a busy game) should have been enough to dominate Fleetwood Town.

The two young boys on the wing also looked like teenagers playing a man’s game. Again, with no Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis, Arteta was right to not risk either Eberechi Eze or Noni Madueke from the start. That left him playing the kids on the wings. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but you have to wonder if he should have maybe started one of his senior wingers.

As for the forward line, that is where Arteta got it wrong. Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres can not stay together. We’ve see it go wrong before and it went wrong again. But for Arteta what other options did he have? Could he have risked Martin Odegaard or Bruno Guimaraes? Like in the defence, two international level players should have been enough.

Off the bench came Eze and he played like it was a testimonial. He knew he could beat his man for fun but showed little intent in doing it.

Some will also question why Arteta and key players were at the Ballon d’Or ceremony the night before. An it certainty felt like we missed leadership more than anything else on the pitch. Would Declan Rice or Gabriel allowed their team mates to play so limply? Probably not.

But then the ceremony was in London, so it would have had very little impact on our preparation or team selection. Arteta being there is no different to him going to the theatre for an evening. It is a non-story.

We are out, and the important thing is we learn.

In Arteta’s case, he would have learned who he can and can not trust. A few of them boys might have just played themselves away from Arsenal. Arteta is ruthless and he will now be considering replacing them next summer.

As for Dowman, again it’s a learning experience. Not quite a Wayne Rooney moment, but he needs to learn that it will not always be plain sailing, that he doesn’t have a target on his back, and he will not always play well. It’s how you react when you’re having a tough game that’s important – and seeing Red is not the answer.

We now move to Liverpool this weekend. Half the Fleetwood fanbase in the crowd last night will be back supporting Liverpool at the weekend. They’ve had their day out cosplaying that they support their local team. Back to playing in a half empty stadium for them.

We have bigger fish to fry.

Keenos 

Arsenal head into the weekend with momentum building after an impressive Champions League victory over Lille, but Mikel Arteta still has a few selection headaches to contend with ahead of Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 in the Premier League before producing a second-half burst to see off Lille 3-0 at the Emirates. With another domestic test approaching and Bayern Munich looming in Europe next week, Arteta will be keen to keep his squad fresh without sacrificing the consistency that has made Arsenal such a strong force early in the campaign.

The biggest positive from Tuesday night’s win was the impact of Bukayo Saka, who came off the bench to score and provide an assist in a devastating six-minute spell.

Saka had been dealing with a minor illness, which explained his absence from the starting XI against Lille. However, he is expected to return to the starting line-up against Forest, providing Arsenal with a significant attacking boost.

His ability to change a game in an instant was once again on display in midweek. With Saka back in contention from the start, Arsenal will hope to carry that attacking threat into a potentially tricky afternoon at the City Ground.

Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz are also expected to push for starting places after featuring from the bench against Lille. Their return would give Arteta more options in the final third, particularly as Arsenal look to improve on some unconvincing opening periods in recent matches.

There is more encouraging news regarding Martin Zubimendi, who missed the Lille game after suffering an ankle injury during an additional training session following the Leeds victory.

Arteta has indicated that the midfielder’s absence should be relatively short, suggesting he could be available again within days. However, his involvement against Forest will depend on how he responds when he returns to the pitch.

Zubimendi’s potential return would be welcome. His composure in possession and ability to provide balance in midfield have become important features of Arsenal’s play, and having him available would give Arteta another option as the fixtures begin to accumulate.

Piero Hincapié is less fortunate. The defender suffered a separate ankle injury during the same post-match session, with Arteta indicating that the problem is more serious. He is expected to miss several weeks, leaving Arsenal without another defensive option during a busy period.

William Saliba remains another notable absentee, although there has been some progress in his recovery from a back injury.

The French defender has returned to individual training, offering encouragement that he is moving in the right direction. A return to full team training is the next important step, with a comeback later in the autumn a possibility rather than an immediate prospect.

Arsenal will be careful not to rush him back. Saliba’s importance to the defensive structure is clear, but the priority will be ensuring he is fully ready before returning to competitive action.

Christos Tzolis also remains sidelined with a hamstring problem sustained on international duty, further limiting Arteta’s options in wide areas.

DJ