Arsenal and Mikel Arteta must go all-in to win the Carabao Cup.
There is something almost serene about the way Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have started this season. Nine games played, top of the Premier League, only three goals conceded, and scoring goals for fun.
They look like a team that’s done being “promising.” They are now efficient – controlled, confident and somewhat terrifying.
And that’s why the Carabao Cup might be the perfect place to make it official: this version of Arsenal knows how to win.
Let’s face it: the Carabao Cup is not the one everyone dreams of growing up. Nobody puts posters of the third round on their bedroom wall.
However, it is a competition that Arsenal can comfortably win, and would feel like an important milestone in Arteta’s journey as a manager. Sure, progress is nice. But trophies are better.
Arsenal’s squad is built for cup success
On Wednesday night, Arsenal face Brighton in the last 16, which will undoubtedly be a tough match, but exactly the kind of match Arteta’s team is built for.
This is where squad depth stops being a luxury and starts becoming a weapon. When other top teams use the competition to blood young players or rest their stars, Arsenal can rely on a second string that still looks Champions League worthy.
The likes of Ben White, Piero Hincapie, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri can fit in seamlessly – the kind of depth that wins trophies almost by accident.
Arteta doesn’t have to roll the dice; he can just shake the package. And with the team’s current defensive discipline and sharpness, even a inconsistent Arsenal feels like a nightmare to play against.
Arteta’s controlled style suits the Carabao Cup format
One of the most underrated things about Arteta’s Arsenal is how calm they are. In contrast to the chaotic, energetic pressing styles of old-fashioned cup specialists, they control games through possession and territory.
They play with that quiet, suffocating control that does more than win games: they win by controlling energy, avoiding injuries and keeping the pace exactly where they want it.
Arteta’s system is designed for this: possession as load management. You can almost hear the sports scientists purring.
Arteta needs a trophy, and he knows it
Let’s not pretend otherwise: Arteta needs silverware. Progress is nice, but it doesn’t shine in the closet.
Since that 2020 FA Cup, he has rebuilt the club’s culture, modernized the squad and made Arsenal a real title favorite, but the trophy cabinet has not grown since. The Carabao Cup, although modest in name, offers something grand in story.
Arsenal will obviously prioritize chasing both the Premier League and the Champions League, but overcoming the hurdle of actually winning anything could be the spark that propels them to greater heights.
It could even fuel their Premier League and Champions League ambitions, as the early domestic cups once did for City under Guardiola. If history tells us anything, it’s that one trophy often leads to another. Winning breeds winning, and all that.
Why Arsenal should go all-in in the Carabao Cup
There is every reason for Arteta to take this match seriously.
And the thing is, they can clearly do it. They have the squad depth, the tactical system and the sheer hunger to make a difference this season. And honestly, this cup might be just what they need – not because it’s glamorous, but because it’s so attainable.
Moreover, it is a tournament that is rather neglected by Arsenal; they have not managed to win it since the 1992-93 season.
If Arsenal reach the quarter-finals, you can be sure that the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and William Saliba will be back in the mix – the full-strength, locked-in version, ready to add the first new chapter of the Arteta-era silverware story.
Because at the moment it is not about proving that they can play good football. It’s about proving that they can get the job done.
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