‘Fear is what stops you progressing’ – Arsenal legend on Carabao Cup final defeat and what Arteta’s side must focus on improving | OneFootball

Less than 24 hours on from defeat at Wembley, Lee Dixon struck a measured but optimistic tone when reflecting on Arsenal’s League Cup final loss to Manchester City.

Speaking at an Arsenal Supporters’ Trust event at the Hard Rock Café in Piccadilly Circus, held in aid of the Willow Foundation, the former Arsenal Premier League winner acknowledged the disappointment but made clear it should be seen in the context of a much bigger picture.

“It was a tough day at Wembley,” he said. “But everyone’s here smiling, laughing. We’ve tried to be upbeat, had a laugh with the supporters. That’s important.”

The event itself, supporting a charity founded by Arsenal Double-winning goalkeeper Bob Wilson and his wife Megs in memory of their daughter Hannah, provided a reminder of the wider community around the club.

“They’ve raised hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds for seriously ill teenagers and young adults,” Dixon said. “It’s about giving them special days out. It makes a real difference.”

Dixon, an ambassador for the charity, spoke about the close ties between Willow and Arsenal.

“Bob and Megs are part of the Arsenal family. We all stick together, especially at times like this.”

Dixon was at Wembley as a guest of the club, watching alongside his daughter, and fellow members of the 1993 side that last won the trophy including goalkeeper David Seaman.

“It was a brilliant day out, just spoilt by not a great performance,” he said. “Twenty minutes not too bad, then the game drifted away from us and City were well worth their win.”

For a player who made 619 appearances for Arsenal, the fourth highest in the club’s history, and won four league titles, three FA Cups and a European trophy, the perspective is clear: setbacks are part of the process.

“It’s another part of the learning curve,” he said. “The main part of that is when you pick the trophy up to win the league. That’s the important one.”

With Arsenal still in a strong position domestically and competing on multiple fronts, Dixon sees no reason for the defeat to derail the season.

“There’s still three to play for,” he added, referencing the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

If there was one message Dixon returned to, it was the importance of belief.

“The team spirit’s there, the quality’s there, the size of the squad’s there,” he said. “It always comes down to belief in what you’re being asked to do.”

At this stage of the season, he believes the biggest challenge is mental rather than tactical.

“What happens is the fear kicks in,” he said. “Fear is what stops you progressing. Are you scared of making a mistake? Try not to be.”

Instead, Dixon encouraged a more proactive approach.

“It’s not about holding back, it’s about expressing yourself. When you get that right balance, that’s when you take the next step.”

Despite the disappointment of the final, Dixon believes Arsenal are close to turning potential into sustained success.

“They’re not far off it,” he said. “If they can get over this final push, this team could go on and win a lot of trophies in the next few years.”

That view is shaped by experience. Dixon was part of Arsenal sides that learned through setbacks before going on to win consistently under both George Graham and Arsène Wenger.

He also stressed that, despite their strong league position, nothing has been decided yet.

“It’s easy to look at the points gap and think it’s done,” he said. “But there’s still work to do, and there’s no way Mikel will let standards drop because of one defeat.”

With key games still to come in the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as the run-in in the league, Dixon believes the focus must quickly shift.

“You’ve just got to keep going,” he said. “Keep doing the right things, keep believing in what you’re doing.”

And while the Wembley result will linger briefly, it should not define the season.

For Dixon, the message was simple: learn from it, move on, and stay focused on the bigger prizes still within reach.

“Champions in waiting,” he said.

See here for further information about the Willow Foundation: Willowfoundation.org.uk and the Arsenal Supporters Trust: Arsenaltrust.org