JAMIE REDKNAPP hit out at Arsenal’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover after the Gunners’ Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle.
The Sky Sports pundit questioned “nonsensical” tactics from Mikel Arteta’s men in Tuesday’s semi-final defeat.
Arsenal went behind in the 37th minute at the Emirates as Aleksander Isak continued his rich vein of form.
The Toon forward pounced on a loose ball in the box after the Gunners failed to clear a routine set piece.
Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka lumped a long ball forward which was headed on by Sven Botman.
Jacob Murphy was unable to control the ricochet, but Isak took the ball off his foot and smashed into the roof of the net after holding off Martin Odegaard.
The Gunners have a dedicated set-piece coach in Jover, who has been credited with increasing their attacking threat at corners over recent seasons.
But Redknapp was unimpressed with how Arsenal set up to defend the free kick on Tuesday – and questioned why Odegaard was tasked with defending 6ft3in Isak.
Redknapp told Sky Sports: “The set piece coach gets a lot of credit he obviously doesn’t do the defensive one
“Because how you can have Odegaard marking him, he’s the best centre forward in the country now, you’ve got to say, where is, let’s mark him. Odegaard’s got no interest in marking him.
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“He just gets into a really good position – if you’re doing something – look at Alexander Isak, he’s the wrong side of Odegaard. Someone’s got to take responsibility.
“I know Newcastle are a big side, but Arsenal are a big side.
“You cannot have the best centre forward in the country in that much space. It’s nonsensical to me.”
Redknapp’s Sky colleague and former Arsenal star Theo Walcott was in agreement.
And the ex-England star believes the Gunners are becoming to fixate on looking for set pieces.
Walcott said: “With Arsenal, at this moment in time, what worries me is they’re getting excited by set-pieces all the time, instead of that free-flowing football.
“That’s what Arsenal is known for, they’re shying away from it.”
Anthony Gordon netted just after the break for Newcastle to hand them a 2-0 victory in the first leg of the semi-final.
Despite the defeat, Arteta was adamant his team could turn things around on February 5.
He said: “We have to be disappointed as it’s another result that we wanted, but that’s the reality.
DAVID RAYA – 6/10
Looked nervy with ball at feet at times but could do nothing to stop Alexander Isak’s brilliant close-range finish.
Unlucky to see his palmed save tapped in by Anthony Gordon.
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 8
Very impressive again. Turned out of danger well at both ends of the pitch. So calm under pressure.
GABRIEL – 6
Gave Isak far too much space to manoeuvre a shot in the box before the Toon’s second. Wasteful and ineffective from corners.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 6
Had an early effort blocked near the line by Dan Burn. Was dealing with Isak well until losing a header to Sven Botman that saw the Toon striker score.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 5
Miised an absolute sitter from a yard out from a corner. Was then caught sleeping just after the break to allow Gordon to double Newcastle’s lead.
THOMAS PARTEY – 6
Linked defence and attack fairly well without ever really doing anything spectacular.
DECLAN RICE – 6
Plays Jacob Murphy onside from a flicked on free-kick that leads to Newcastle taking the lead. Took more responsibility in the second half on the ball.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 7
Heavily man-marked by Joelinton but looked back to his very best after a spate of illness.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 8
Much more direct in his running. Unlucky not to open the scoring with his driven shot hitting the post after a half-way line sprint.
Continued to be positive in his play – just lacked the finishing touch.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6
Sneakily got away with dragging Isak down to stop the Swede joining a Newcastle counter in the first half and a good first-time pass to set Martinelli away. Those were his only highlights.
KAI HAVERTZ – 5
May just be back from a sickness bug, but the big German did very little, apart from somehow fluffing a header wide unmarked from six yards
SUBS:
JORGINHO (PARTEY, 59) – 7
Some nice passes into dangerous areas and sprayed the ball about with conviction.
GABRIEL JESUS (TROSSARD, 59) – 6
Lively and sharp without every really testing Newcastle’s back four or goal.]
OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO (LEWIS-SKELLY, 77) – 5
Booked within a minute of coming on for a rash challenge on Joelinton.
“I have full belief [we will come back]. I have seen my team playing against them – I believe we can do it.”
The Spaniard also had a bizarre excuse for his team’s wayward shooting, which saw them draw a blank despite 23 shots on the night.
Discussing the Puma ball used for the Carabao Cup, he said: “We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it’s tricky that these [Puma] balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better.
“But at the end that’s gone, there’s no way back it’s about the next game and that’s our world, the reality is our world.
“It’s just different. Very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different.
