Arteta Runs from FA Cup Irony

LONDON, SATURDAY — The FA Cup trophy is the only achievement from major competitions that Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta has secured so far. However, after winning in his debut season, Arteta has not been able to progress beyond the fourth round for four consecutive editions.

The irony greeted Arteta ahead of the fourth round match of the FA Cup between Arsenal and Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Sunday (15/2/2026) at 23:30 WIB. If victorious, Arsenal will advance to the round of 16 for the first time since their triumph in the competition during the 2019-20 season.

"Si Meriam," the nickname for Arsenal, seems to be cursed after winning the championship. They have consistently faltered in the third or fourth rounds. Starting from Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, to Liverpool, they have successfully blocked the most successful team in the FA Cup (14 titles).

"We were not good enough on that day. When you come to this competition, you have to perform at your best," said Arteta regarding his team's repeated failures.

"The uniform and badge you wear are not relevant in this competition, so we must prove that when hosting Wigan," he continued.

Arteta is more focused on the motivation of his team as they enter the oldest competition in the world. For him, the players have not yet given their best in the FA Cup, and not respecting the competition is equivalent to disrespecting the English Premier League or the Champions League. This mindset is what will be changed this season.

Regardless of the motivation, there is actually a more important issue that the manager did not address, which is the depth of the squad. Arsenal has been eliminated repeatedly due to a lack of players to rotate in various competitions. They succeeded in Arteta's first season because they only focused on the FA Cup.

The solution to that problem has been solved this season, after Arsenal spent £267 million (Rp 6.1 trillion) on eight players in the summer. Arteta's team looks strong enough to compete in four competitions. Indeed, they still have the potential to win the quadruple.

Arsenal is likely to completely overhaul the squad for the upcoming match. They have been playing every 3-4 days since early January and are anticipating two important league matches on Thursday and next Sunday. "I will strive to involve all players in what we are doing across all competitions," said Arteta.

The motivation of the squad, which was initially a concern for Arteta, seems to no longer be an issue. Many substitute players have come with a mission to prove themselves. Wing-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, for instance, has not yet received playing time since being trusted to appear in the last group stage match of the Champions League against Kairat Almaty at the end of January.

Lewis-Skelly has rarely had the opportunity to start this season due to the many competitors in his position, especially with the arrival of new player Piero Hincapie. In fact, he was heavily relied upon by Arsenal in the second half of last season. The England national team player must prove himself again if he wants to maintain his chances of appearing in the World Cup.

The upcoming match will serve as the best stage for Myles Lewis-Skelly to showcase his talents. Arsenal is currently facing a shortage of players in the midfield position after Mikel Merino has been confirmed to be sidelined until the end of the season due to injury. Lewis-Skelly can fill the void left by Merino, as midfield is his original position during his time in the club's academy.

Arsenal attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze should also be given more motivation. Eze faded after scoring a hat-trick in the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur last November. In the last match against Brentford, he was withdrawn after halftime due to a poor performance.

The opponent of Arsenal is indeed a team from the third division of England (League One). Wigan is even in the relegation zone after 30 matches. Nevertheless, the visiting team has the potential to cause an upset during this transitional period. They have just dismissed coach Ryan Lowe. Former Stoke City player, Glenn Whelan, has been appointed as the interim coach.

Ahead of his debut, Whelan sought advice from Head Coach Brentford Keith Andrews, who is a former teammate on the Ireland national team. As is known, Andrews' team recently managed to draw 1-1 against Arsenal in a league match last week.

Arsenal was overwhelmed in that match with the high intensity and set-piece schemes of the opponent. "That was the first thing I did this morning (calling Andrews). We are on the same page (in terms of playing style)," he said in the Off the Ball podcast. (AP/REUTERS)