Arteta Rotates Players, Eze And Trossard Help Arsenal Survive In EFL Cup

Arsenal's Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring a goal during their Carabao Cup match against Port Vale. (X/@Arsenal)

JAKARTA - Manager Mikel Arteta rotated his players, benching striker Viktor Gyokeres as Arsenal defeated third-tier Port Vale in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard kept Arsenal in the game after a 2-0 victory at Vale Park Stadium on Thursday, September 25, 2025, early morning WIB.

Arsenal's squad was indeed incomplete. Up front, Arteta was missing not only the in-form Noni Madueke but also Kai Havertz, who recently underwent knee surgery. Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus is still recovering from a long-term ACL injury.

Arsenal actually still had Gyokeres, who could have played center forward in the match against Port Vale. However, Arteta opted to bench Gyokeres and play Mikel Merino as a false nine.

Yes, Merino, a midfielder, was pushed into the striker role alongside Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in a 4-3-3 formation. Meanwhile, Eze, who usually plays on the wing, was moved into a deeper position alongside Christian Norgaard, who made his debut as a starter. Ethan Nwaneri was also included.

Arteta almost completely overhauled the starting lineup for the 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League.

Nine different players started. Moreover, Arsenal then faced a tough opponent, Newcastle United, this weekend.

"We really need to play players who haven't played together much. The midfield is very different from before. There's a difference in attack too," said Arteta, as quoted by the Independent.

Despite this, the Gunners still dominated the game. They were only facing a third-tier opponent, who didn't pose a problem for Arsenal.

In contrast, Manchester United, whose players are mediocre but highly paid, lost against a fourth-tier team, Grimsby Town.

Arsenal Works Hard

However, Arsenal continued to work hard against Port Vale, who were relying solely on their spirit and the support of their home fans.

With his offensive play, Eze put Arsenal ahead after just eight minutes. This was the first goal for the player, who was bought from Crystal Palace for £60 million.

After taking a 1-0 lead, Arsenal struggled to add to their tally. Superior possession didn't automatically translate into an easy goal feast. Furthermore, Port Vale defended mostly, using a 5-4-1 formation.

Arsenal only managed to add another goal towards the end of the match. Trossard, who replaced Martinelli, scored in the 86th minute. The score was 2-0 to Arsenal, and it remained that way until the end of the match.

Eze's success in scoring and sending Arsenal into the fourth round of the EFL Cup earned Arteta praise. Eze was able to maintain his sharpness against opponents who lined up with a back five.

"He played in the middle against a team that played with a 5-4-1 formation. It's not easy to find space against a super-compact defensive opponent. Despite that, he still managed to score. Not only that, he also had three or four chances," said Arteta.

“He still needs a little time to integrate and understand the other players. "Especially with what he needs. Overall, the team played well, although it still needs improvement," he said.

Arsenal's success in advancing to the fourth round means they will face fellow Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion.