Three Things We Learned After Arsenal Reached Carabao Cup Semi-Final

We reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals via a high-quality penalty shootout after missing a host of chances in normal time. 

Here's Ian Mills with his regular series Three Things We Learned 

1 - Profligate finishing almost cost us dear:

– I had the joy of attending this game with my youngest nephew, Calum, for our first game together in three years and in a bumper crowd two days before Christmas it looked like we would make short work of this quarter-final as in the first forty five minutes we laid siege to the Palace goal.

However, we came up against an opposition goalkeeper in inspired form. Walter Benitez was in goal when we thrashed PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the Champions League Round of 16 last season and here, he seemed to determine to gain his revenge.

He made two excellent saves from Gabriel Jesus and another from Noni Madueke and after half time he denied Jurrien Timber and in then in the dying seconds of extra time, Declan Rice and you feared his night would get better still from 12 yards.

Madueke also fired tamely when well found early by Gabi Martinelli. Indeed, we only broke the deadlock when a Bukayo Saka corner was bunded into his own night by Maxence Lacroix.

After dominating the first half it was inevitable that Palace would find something different after half time and to their credit, they really took the game to us.

William Saliba’s clumsy foul late in injury time afforded them a great opportunity to swing a dangerous ball into our box and Marc Guehi swept home to equalise.

2 - Gabi the Great:

– Gabi Martinelli enjoyed an outstanding first half which must have left Palace’s right back, Jaydee Canvot, with twisted blood, so much was our Brazilian winger tormenting him. He ended up being subbed at half time. Martinelli knew he had his full back ‘on toast’ and time and again went past him and drove into the penalty to create chances for his teammates.

Martinelli in this kind of form is irresistible however like any winger consistency of performance is something that he has struggled for. It's good to see he is back scoring goals again this season and whether he starts in the first eleven or comes off the bench, he has proven himself a valuable member of the squad.

Sadly, he could not complete this game as after a clash of knees just before half time he only lasted a brief time after the interval before being replaced by Leandro Trossard.

3 - Shootout prowess could prove pivotal:

– given Benitez’s goalkeeping heroics and the timing of Guehi’s equaliser, it is fair to say there were a lot of nerves inside the ground going into the penalty shootout. Yet, all our takes deserve immense credit.

Martin Odegaard led by example with a well taken first, Declan Rice was surprisingly next up, and he opted for power as he blasted the ball home, Saka took his with great aplomb, before impressive efforts from Mikel Merino, Trossard, Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.

Palace were also very accomplished with their first seven efforts however Lacroix then saw his attempt well saved by Kepa as reached the semi-final stage for the second season running and the third time in five campaigns.

We need to go one better this term that our last two semi-final appearances.

While our overall record in the competition may looks good with eight appearances in the final, but we have only lifted the trophy twice and not since 1993.

It is about time we improved on that.