BBC pundit Chris Sutton described Arsenal as the “ugliest Premier League” team in history, but everyone does that and Mikel Arteta would be fine with them finishing the season on a high note.
Mikel Arteta is chasing glory… an ugly road some say (Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Years from now, no one will remember how they won. If only they could win.
That’s all that matters to Mikel Arteta this season. Arsenal just need to get over the line and if that means an ugly win then so be it. It’s always a hot topic in sports.
It was Arsenal’s first title in 22 years, the longest without a title since the war, so it’s no wonder they were nervous. But Arsenal have also been made fools of every time Tom, Dick and Harry criticize their style of play. And Chris Sutton too.
Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1, moving back to five points behind leaders Manchester City, and did so with two goals from corners. These were his 30th and 31st goals from set pieces this season.
No wonder they were cast as set piece FC. Not exactly free-flowing champagne football. BBC pundit Sutton discusses Arsenal’s style of play, tactics and their efforts to win this season’s title.
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Sutton said: “Arsenal with set pieces again. I think they’ll win. If they get over the line, will they be the ugliest Premier League winning side in history? Their performance wasn’t that great.”
Sutton is actually one of the best pundits around because he is knowledgeable, has a deep passion for the game, and tells you what it’s like. However, I think he is being very harsh on this point. Arsenal looked tired and fed up against Chelsea. They were far from their best.
But he wasn’t alone. Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira told Sky: “When you’re at the top of the Champions League or the Premier League, you expect Arsenal to progress.”
But you have to remember that if you win without playing well, it’s often a sign of a good team. Arsenal managed to cross the line.
Chris Sutton targeted Arsenal’s approach during win over Chelsea (Image: SNS Group)
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But this should really be about the state of the Premier League. Football has always been, and always will be, cyclical. From control to opposite full-back, set pieces and long throws.
Everyone is doing it. It has become an art form for everyone to throw the ball into the box, jockey for position, grapple, block and push.
It’s not beautiful to look at. However, soccer is entering the era of set pieces. And Arsenal, Arteta and set-piece coach Nico Jobel are very good at that.
But here’s a surprising statistic. Only Manchester City have scored more goals than Arsenal in exhibition games this season.
And after Liverpool’s win over West Ham on Saturday, two of their five goals came from set pieces, taking their tally since the start of the year to seven, more than Arsenal.
The truth is that Arsenal are in a difficult situation at the moment. However, the second half against Bayern Munich, where they won 3-1, was pure football and they showed a great performance. The second half of the game against Aston Villa was also a high point.
Arsenal achieved another valuable victory with the help of set pieces
These are not one-offs. Even though the overall performance level is better than it is now, a run-in is still always done to get the job done.
Has Arsenal’s football been better under Arsene Wenger? Absolutely. Would you be happy to see more expansive, attacking and stylish football under Arteta? Of course.
But this isn’t just about Arsenal. It’s a trend Arsenal have perfected. And it’s worth remembering just how exciting Chelsea really have been under Jose Mourinho.
Some argue that City were boring under Josep Guardiola. That’s a joke, because he’s producing a sensational team. Sir Alex Ferguson created a team to entertain.
If you go back a few years, Liverpool won the title in the 80s when Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson were at their peak, and they would play the ball between each other for 20 minutes before passing the ball to Bruce Grobbelaar. They changed the passback rules specifically for Liverpool.
Arsenal have won twice in the past three seasons. The first season was an unexpected challenge, so I didn’t bottle it. In his second season, he won eight of his last nine games. They didn’t bottle it. Last year they didn’t get Liverpool that close.
But Arteta had to find another way to win. Now he has mastered set pieces, but people are still unhappy. He just can’t win. Unless he does.
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