Alan Smith told Sky Sports during their live broadcast of Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City that Mikel Arteta’s decision to rest Bernd Leno is ‘coming back to haunt’ the club.
Before being knocked out of the League Cup, Arteta opted to select Alex Runarsson in between the sticks instead of Arsenal’s main shot-stopper, Leno.
Well, it was a night to forget for the Icelandic international, who was at fault for Gabriel Jesus’s early header before the errors of all errors was committed as he palmed in Riyad Mahrez’s pretty simply free-kick.
Former Gunners hitman Smith thinks it was a mistake from Arteta to select his summer signing in between the sticks, as he was seemingly baffled by why Leno didn’t start given his performance in the last round.
“I wonder what the thinking was behind playing Runarsson,” said Smith. “Bernd Leno, he was Man of the Match really up at Anfield during the last round.
“He made some great stops. Saves a penalty or two in the shootout. It’s not as if he needs a rest. And it’s coming back to haunt Arsenal.”
At the end of the day, if Runarsson had put in a fine display then Arteta would have been praised, so he deserves the criticism for selecting him.
Given that Leno is Arsenal’s regular and the £20 million man [BBC Sport] also started the win against Liverpool in the last round, it has to be questioned why the change.
In the games that Runarsson has played – the Europa League matches – it’s not like the club’s new boy has wowed the fans because he looked suspect even then.
So, this is a decision Arteta has to live by and he perhaps won’t have much time to given that the clock is ticking on his future at the Emirates Stadium.
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