Arsenal fans are starting to get excited about this Premier League campaign, but some non-Gunners fans don’t feel the same way about Mikel Arteta’s side.
Former Sky Sports Saturday Soccer presenter Geoff Stelling has revealed that he turned off the TV after being fed up with the boring performance between Arsenal and Crystal Palace. Mikel Arteta’s side further strengthened their position at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over the Eagles.
For the Gunners, Eberechi Eze took advantage of a knockdown to score a half-volley, his ninth set-piece shot of the domestic season against his former club, securing victory. The North London side took all three points, establishing a four-point advantage over second-placed Bournemouth and opening up a six-point gap over Manchester City.
Nevertheless, many critics have expressed concerns about the brand of football that Arteta is practicing. Nine of his 14 goals in the Premier League have come from some kind of dead ball situation, and many believe he relies too much on set pieces.
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Mr Stelling launched a scathing attack on the Arsenal manager, claiming his team were playing boring and uninspiring football. Speaking on talkSPORT, he declared: “We can’t keep relying on set-pieces, they can’t do that.
“This is the fourth game out of nine Premier League games this season that has ended 1-0, including a 1-1.
“They have great players. I love some of the players at Arsenal. I love Saka, I love Odegaard when he’s playing, I love Ebereshi Eze.
“But please, be a little more open-minded. Watching Arsenal and Crystal Palace was like watching paint dry. It was purgatory. I started watching the game and by the time Arsenal got a shot, I had had enough. Their first shot was in the 33rd minute when they scored. By then I had turned over.”
Arteta’s style of play has been criticized by others, including former Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth midfielder Jamie O’Hara. He believes Arsenal are responsible for the recent proliferation of long throw-ins and complex set-piece routines.
He expressed his disbelief: “But first teams are taking throw-ins? I can’t believe what I’m seeing. It’s all down to Arsenal. Arsenal started this. Arsenal started playing long throws and set-pieces. They’ve killed the Premier League in terms of fluid football and fun football.”
Despite this, Arteta admitted his team needed another set-piece to break the stalemate against Palace. However, he was unaffected by the criticism.
“It doesn’t matter how difficult it is, I think they all have the same value. We are noticing a change and the more physicality there is, the more efficient the way it is implemented,” Arteta said.
“And the game is more difficult to play because you can limit the space and you’re physical. You have to find ways to score in different ways and I think that’s what everyone is trying to do.”
Arsenal host Brighton & Hove Albion in round four on Wednesday, before facing Burnley in their next Premier League game on November 1.
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