Arsenal narrowly defeat Mansfield in FA Cup, while Arteta continues to refine his rotation strategy.
Mikel Arteta has previously suggested that he has not yet perfected the art of squad rotation despite having put together one of Arsenal’s most formidable squads in history. The significant challenge posed by Mansfield Town during Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round match at One Call Stadium highlights that this is a lesson he is still in the process of mastering.
In the end, Arsenal remains in pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple following a 2-1 victory secured by substitute Eberechi Eze’s outstanding strike in the 66th minute, which was sent high into the net.
The team featured two 16-year-olds—Marli Salmon and Max Dowman, with Dowman becoming the youngest player to start an FA Cup match for Arsenal at 16 years and 66 days old. This victory marked their 35th win across all competitions, already surpassing their highest total under Arteta with three months still remaining in the season.
If they progress further in both domestic and international competitions, Arsenal could have as many as 19 matches left, and there is a lingering belief that Arteta will need to optimize his squad’s utilization to maintain their trajectory.
Arteta has faced criticism for relying heavily on key players, so making significant changes was a reasonable response given the quick turnaround between Wednesday’s win at Brighton and Saturday’s encounter with League One opposition. However, the adjustments required from the players brought in were complicated by Arteta’s choice to switch to a back three for the first time in 246 matches.
The last time they employed a back three was in August 2021, when they suffered a 5-0 defeat to Manchester City. Arsenal appeared unbalanced and unconvincing until Leandro Trossard’s injury prompted Arteta to make a change in the 38th minute.
He introduced defender Piero Hincapié, reverted from the back three, and Noni Madueke scored the opening goal just three minutes later, marking their 100th goal of the season across all competitions. So, what prompted the initial system change?
“The players that are available,” Arteta explained afterward. “And if we want to manage the load and certain issues that we had in the team, you have to adapt to that. Sometimes it’s not ideal when you have a day to prepare. But it was also a challenge for all of us to see how we could adapt to that, which I anticipated in very difficult circumstances.”
With only one full day of training between returning from Brighton and heading to Mansfield, Arteta was asked how frequently they had practiced that formation: “Yes, once, [for] 10 minutes.”
Arsenal primarily depended on their individual quality to progress, which ultimately proved effective. Mansfield, reaching this stage of the competition for the first time since 1974 and facing a team 59 places above them in the English football hierarchy, managed to close that gap for extended periods through effort and determination.
Mansfield’s chief executive Carolyn Radford had mentioned in the lead-up about the emergency repairs and preparations made to get the club ready for the significant occasion. They also extensively watered the pitch to disrupt Arsenal’s passing game, and their boldness in pushing players forward unsettled the Gunners.
Five minutes after the break, Salmon underplayed a pass to Cristhian Mosquera, who hesitated and allowed Will Evans an opportunity to advance toward Arsenal’s defense.
Evans penetrated the box and shot low past Kepa Arrizabalaga to briefly equalize for Mansfield, but Arteta responded by introducing Jurriën Timber and Eze, with the latter making an impact just four minutes after coming on.
Arteta’s management of Eze is another contentious issue for many. There is a desire among supporters for him to receive more consistent playing time to showcase his creativity, yet his Arsenal career has been characterized by interruptions. This decisive moment provides another chance for him to build upon.
Dowman played for 77 minutes before being substituted by Bukayo Saka. Balancing the development space needed for a young player with the recognition of someone as talented as Dowman when he features for the first team is challenging.
Some fans would prefer Arteta to utilize Dowman more frequently—though one could argue that playing on this pitch against opponents likely to counter his skill with physicality was debatable—but the playmaker’s ability to navigate a difficult surface with grace and agility generates excitement about his potential.
His recent return from an ankle injury presents an intriguing option as the season progresses.
“Max, I think he was exceptional,” Arteta remarked. “When the ball is bouncing all over the place and you have people behind you, the way he manages time and space and the touches he takes is just incredible. Especially at the speed at which he executes those actions. But that highlights the talent we possess.”
Utilizing that talent to keep Arsenal’s momentum going is now Arteta’s responsibility. Injuries to Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori will raise concerns ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen.
“I think everyone feels involved,” Arteta stated. “We have the ambition that, game by game, we can draw closer to the goals we aim to achieve.”
