Five observations after Town exit Carabao Cup via 4-2 home loss to Arsenal

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0 Comments This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Ipswich Town exited the Carabao Cup at the third round stage via a 4-2 defeat to Arsenal at Portman Road tonight.

Anis Mehmeti (62) and Chuba Akpom (90+1) netted consolation goals for a much-changed Blues side, with Gary O’Neil’s men now quickly shifting their focus to Saturday’s Premier League clash at Everton.

Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1): Walton; Furlong (cpt), Kipre, Greaves, Ouattara (Davis, 69); Florentino (Lukic, 82), Nunez; McAteer (Walle Egeli, 69), Mehmeti, Philogene (Clarke, 61); Flemming (Akpom, 61).

Unused subs: Palmer, O’Shea, Enciso, Maeda.

Booked: McAteer (34), Nunez (87).

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Zubimendi (Ibrahim, 85), Salmon, Gabriel (Konsa, 46), Lewis-Skelly; Guimaraes (Julienne, 64), Merino (cpt); Madueke (Odegaard, 76), Dowman, Eze (Tzolis, 76); Gyokeres.

Unused subs: Meslier, Calafiori, Saka, Havertz.

Attendance: 28,966

A fit-again Jaden Philogene made his first start of the season. (Image: Ross Halls)

Scale of the task

Whether you like it or not, it has now long been tradition for the vast majority of managers, at all levels of the game, to make sweeping changes for Carabao Cup football, giving some a rest and an opportunity to others.

For Ipswich, O’Neil made 10 alterations to the team that started the 3-2 win at Crystal Palace three days earlier. Jacob Greaves was the sole member of that team to keep his place, Florentino Luis and Zian Flemming were both handed their full debuts, while Darnell Furlong was named captain. It was only a second start in English football for Abdoul Ouattara. It was a first start of the campaign for Jaden Philogene who, like Florentino, had an injury-hit pre-season.

For Arsenal, Mikel Arteta made nine changes following a hard fought 2-0 win at Sunderland. Such is the incredible strength in depth at English champions that a team including two academy starlets in 17-year-old Marli Salmon and 16-year-old Max Dowman still cost around £350m to assemble.

Viktor Gyokeres, who bagged 21 goals for a team that also went deep in three cups last season, spearheaded an attack that also included England internationals Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze. The midfield, meanwhile, was made up of £75m summer addition Bruno Guimaraes and recent World Cup winner Mikel Merino. Brazil star Gabriel Magalhaes started at the heart of the defence and was replaced by £55m man Ezri Konsa at the break. Then the likes of Martin Odegaard and Christos Tzolis were introduced off the bench in the second half.

Winning this game, it goes without saying, was always going to be a big ask.

Max Dowman (right) celebrates with Noni Madueke after giving Arsenal the lead. (Image: PA)

Mistakes punished

Much like in the recent Premier League home defeat to Liverpool, Ipswich found themselves 2-0 down early on after mistakes – by no means glaring ones – were ruthlessly punished.

The seventh minute opener originated from a loose Kasey McAteer pass inside from the right near the halfway line. There was still much work for Arsenal to do, but Dowman played a sharp one-two with Eze and glided past a lunging Cedric Kipre with a deft body swerve before coolly finishing.

The Gunners’ second, scored in the 16th minute, came after Christian Walton’s ball out the back fell just short of intended target Marcelino Nunez. Guimaraes was there in a flash to intercept from the blind side, Greaves and Florentino were a split second late in closing down Merino and his quick pass allowed Eze to score with a neat touch and shot across goal.

Zian Flemming battles for the ball. (Image: Ross Halls)

Flemming impresses

It looks like we’ve got a real battle on our hands to be Town’s starting striker.

Brazilian club record signing Emersonn, with two goals and assist to his name already, has surprised Gary O’Neil with just how quickly he has taken to Premier League football and looks to be in line to start again at Everton on Saturday.

Deadline day arrival Zian Flemming, fresh from his smart last minute winner at Crystal Palace, will have given his manager plenty of food for thought though on an impressive full debut.

The Dutchman hustled and bustled up top in No.9 fashion, fighting a combination of Gabriel, Salmon and Konsa. It was the former No.10's link play that impressed the most though. On several times he dropped into deep pockets of space, made the ball stick, found a team mate and then got on his bike towards the box.

He saw one well-struck volley blocked and did brilliantly to reverse a falling ball out the sky into the path of Mehmeti to create a good chance.

Chuba Akpom celebrates after his late consolation goal. (Image: Ross Halls)

Arsenal added goals three and four in the second half, Dowman and Merino both producing laser-like finishes across the keeper after some intricate final third passing from the visitors.

Ipswich were able to get on the scoresheet though after Jack Clarke made an instant impact off the bench, skipping past Martin Zubimendi before cutting the ball back for Mehmeti to produce a low first time finish.

Then, in stoppage-time, Leif Davis set up fellow sub Akpom to add another consolation goal with a spin and deflected shot inside the box.

Arsenal’s record across all competitions now reads played seven, won seven. Players to have netted against them: Morgan Rogers, Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom.

Ipswich exit the Carabao Cup in the third round. Losing to a team of Arsenal’s stature is certainly more palatable than some of the first hurdle exits we’ve seen to the likes of Bromley, AFC Wimbledon, Colchester and Newport over recent years.

Not going through to the last 16, while clearly a shame, means there will be no game between the Friday night home fixture against Nottingham Forest (Oct 23) and trip to Hull City (Oct 31). That might not be a bad thing.

Arsenal’s star-studded ‘second string’ comfortably beat a much-changed Ipswich outfit. This isn’t one to dwell on for too long.

Premier League survival is what this season’s all about. The focus quickly shifts to Saturday’s trip to Everton.