Mikel Arteta has responded to criticism of his team’s playing style in the 2-2 draw with Man City last weekend, insisting people need to understand the context of how games are played.
The Gunners were reduced to 10 men just before half-time, and the manager’s approach was to take off Bukayo Saka, put Ben White on, and try to defend the lead. It nearly worked, as we know, but John Stones late goal earned City a point they probably didn’t deserve on the day.
Ahead of our game against Leicester on Saturday afternoon, the Arsenal boss was asked about comments made by the likes of Roy Keane and Graeme Souness which suggested the defensive effort was ‘small time’ and showed an ‘inferiority complex.
“I want to win the way we prepare the games,” he said, “and the way we want to play in our style but … understanding the context.
“I want to wear flip-flops and shorts and t-shirts, but with this weather, I think I would be very silly to do that. I better get the umbrella.
“Oh but Mikel. What are you doing?”
“No! I’m very brave!
“Yeah, but tomorrow you are sick.”
Pressed further on the intensifying rivalry with City, and criticism of his tactical approach, Arteta responded, “Well, I prefer this much more than somebody clapping my back after the game saying, ‘Well done, you guys are going in the right direction’.”
“A team has to control and dominate every single scenario. If you want to compete at the level that we are in against the opposition that we have, you have to be the best in the world at doing almost everything in football.”
Certainly things at Etihad appear to be a bit fractious, with Pep Guardiola reportedly ‘furious’ at some comments made by Arteta – read the Arseblog opinion on that in today’s blog.
Heh, brilliant
Subtle way of telling Pep and Citeh to go fuck themselves, I am your equal. Genuinely been brilliant watching the media, rivals fans losing their collective shit.
Winter is coming!
The criticism from pundits about the way Arsenal played against Manchester City away was pathetic and Arteta was right to ridicule it. But I did think we were unnecessarily over-negative against Brighton at home when reduced to ten men.
We didn’t watch the same game then. We had the better chances even after going down to 10 men. If the subs were made just a couple of minutes earlier we would’ve comfortably won the game.
When Roy Keane is criticising teams for using the dark arts, you know that the entire punditry class is utterly redundant and should be ignored from this day forward.
Guardiola is a cheat with no less than 115 charges levelled against him. Roy Keane on the other hand is just a fucking cunt.
It’s remarkable the quality of punditry on display. Nevil, failed coach, keanw failed coach, Tim failed coach, owen horse manure, Carra genuine twit, yet they would have you belive they know what Arteta is about.
You forgot that carrot headed c** t scholes.Another Bitter Manure pundit talking out of his arse.
There’s criticism of how we played, ten men away against City? Is this real?
Yep. It is well rewarded propaganda.
There appears to be a very well funded media campaign to frame the 115ers as the underdog and the victim.
Expect it to get very much worse