Arsenal fans call for Mikel Arteta to make unthinkable decision after Carabao Cup semi-final defeat

Arsenal supporters all voiced the same opinion after Newcastle secured a crushing 4-0 aggregate victory in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Fans have urged Mikel Arteta to make a drastic decision following the heavy second-leg defeat to Newcastle United.

The Gunners entered the match trailing 2-0 from the first leg at the Emirates, where Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon had given Newcastle the advantage. Eddie Howe’s side once again outmaneuvered Arteta’s men, sealing their place in the final at Wembley on 16 March.

Jacob Murphy opened the scoring, and Gordon made it 4-0 on aggregate in the second half as St James’ Park erupted in celebration.

Just days after demolishing reigning champions Manchester City 5-1, Arsenal looked completely off the pace in the Northeast, with Newcastle executing their game plan flawlessly.

Several Arsenal players delivered disappointing performances, with William Saliba appearing uncharacteristically shaky, while David Raya gifted Newcastle a second goal with a misplaced pass into Declan Rice early in the second half.

However, much of the criticism from Arsenal supporters was directed at another key player, with many demanding that Arteta strip Martin Odegaard of the captaincy.

The Norwegian squandered a golden opportunity to pull Arsenal back into the tie and struggled to make an impact throughout the game.

He was substituted for Raheem Sterling in the 61st minute, and now many fans believe he should no longer wear the armband.

One fan on X wrote: “Strip the captaincy of pillow foot now! Been so s**t this season!”

Another added: “Strip Odegaard of captaincy. Sorry, enough is enough, and he isn’t fit for the role.”

A third echoed the sentiment, stating: “Also, our captaincy needs to be reconsidered. Odegaard is everything but a captain.”

A fourth suggested: “Strip Odegaard of captaincy and give it to Rice. That boy has no minerals, gets taken for a walk—it’s a joke.”

Another fumed: “Odegaard needs to be stripped of his captaincy. What a coward of a player.”

Newcastle will face the winner of the second semi-final between Liverpool and Spurs, with the latter carrying a 1-0 lead to Anfield on Thursday night.

The Magpies return to action on Saturday with an FA Cup third-round clash against League One leaders Birmingham City, while Arsenal will have a break following their elimination by Manchester United in the same round.

They will resume their campaign with a Premier League fixture against Leicester City on 15 February.