Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal team have eventually got their first win of the season yesterday while facing West Brom in the EFL Cup
The match kicked off at 20:00 yesterday evening in the Hawthorns for Round Two of the Cup.
Arsenal fans will be delighted to see their club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put in a man-of-the-match performance, scoring a hattrick. Their new signing, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale also kept a clean sheet in goals.
Arsenal’s thorough and dominant 6-0 win does come with one large asterisk; West Bromich Albion were playing basically their third-choice team.
A great performance as we smash West Brom 6-0 to advance to the next round of the Carabao cup! 👏 A much needed stress free night for us #Arsenal fans 😍🔴 pic.twitter.com/XTnfx1NVGm
— Arsenal News Channel (@Arsenalnewschan) August 25, 2021
The West Brom starting 11 included none of the players from their previous Championship matches. Perpetual loan players Alex Palmer and Adam Reach were given rare starts.
French manager Valerian Ismael seemingly has no care for small domestic cup competitions while he takes charge of the Birmingham side. He also gave the chance for returning and fringe players Robert Snodgrass, Kenneth Zohore, and Cedric Kipre.
West Brom’s main objective for the season is to get an automatic promotion which will not be neglected for any other tournament.
Arsenal can still take some joy in getting their first win in five attempts. The six goals scored yesterday were also the Gunners’ first scores in four games.
The full-strength side was essential for Arsenal, in need of a win. Starts were given to new players Martin Odegaard and Nuno Tavares while Alexander Lacazette reappeared from illness off the bench.
Mikel Arteta’s only worry from this game is that his squad may be tired for their Premier League tie against Manchester City, just three days later. They travel to the Emirates for 12:30 on Saturday, 28th August.
How good is it having this guy back? 💛
#️⃣ #WBAARS | #MØ8 pic.twitter.com/y7FaJYjQkD
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 25, 2021
Match Report
West Brom
Palmer (GK), Kipre, Taylor, Shotton, Ingram, Castro, Snodgrass, Reach, Fellows, Zohore, Gardner-Hickman.
Substitutes
King, Faal
Arsenal
Ramsdale (GK), Tavares, Kolasinac, Holding, Chambers, Xhaka, Elneny, Saka, Odegaard, Pépé, Aubameyang.
Substitutes
Maitland-Niles, Lacazette, Martinelli
Goals
Aubameyang 17′, 45′, 63′
Pépé 45′
Saka 50′
Lacazette 69′