Arsenal have been criticised by former World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry following their defeat to PSG in the Champions League final, with the Gunners once again falling short on the European stage and remaining without the competition’s trophy.
Arsenal have reached the final on two occasions, with their most recent appearance coming 20 years after their defeat to Barcelona. On this occasion, PSG denied them the chance to lift the trophy after beating them in Hungary, extending their wait for European success.
The Gunners are expected to respond strongly next season as they aim to go one step further in Europe and build on their recent progress across all competitions.
Dugarry’s Assessment of Arsenal Performance
Dugarry’s comments came after watching the final, where Arsenal scored early but were largely forced to defend against sustained pressure from PSG throughout the match.
There has been mixed reaction to their performance, with some observers questioning their approach despite the strength of their opponents.
Full Remarks on RMC Sport Programme
As quoted by RMC Sport, Christophe Dugarry said, “Arsenal will remain the greatest club to have never won the Champions League. Well done to Arsenal, but what a shame,” and also stated, “Their intentions were clear from the start of the match: absolutely nothing, zilch, they did nothing. At no point did they come onto the pitch to create anything.”
He added, “We saw clearances, an Arsenal team that systematically tried to waste time. It was simply unbearable, intolerable.” Dugarry also said, “And what almost proved terrible for football and the people who love it is that they almost gave the illusion that by creating and doing so little, you can win the Champions League.”
He continued, “Because it’s not just in this match that they created so little. It’s been the case for many matches now.”
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Just “terrible for football”. Yeah, the hare barely got by the tortoise this time – what a relief 🤦♂️
I thought Havertz’s goal was pretty good actually and didn’t result from a penalty
👍SueP, amazing skill and how about that pesky Trossard once again.
Indeed BB no and Dugarry must have gone for a comfort break to have missed what a top goal that was.
Arteta’s sudden change of biting football where Martinelli will bite from the wide positions and Lewis-Skelly attacking from left back is seriously affecting us negatively.
Hincapie doesn’t know how to combine with the midfield and attack. Both Saka and Trossard, his favourites, doesn’t bite on big occassions.
I swear, when the best teams in Europe were Italian, the defensive side to the game seemed to be more appreciated. I guess the difference was the best of those teams did have great attacking players and did allow greater room for creativity, but still.
Had atletico got past us and played the way they always play in the final, I don’t think they’d have been criticised for it. Is it because we became famous for the Wenger style of play, which was more attack minded, so it’s jarring when they see us playing defensively?
Truth is had we played in an open, attacking way against psg, we’d have been trounced because that goes to *their* strengths, but we played according to *our* strengths and made it very close.
David, totally agree with you. Just look at what PSG did to Inter Milan in last years final, and then to Chelsea and Bayern Munich this season.
It has to change.
Havertz finish was top class, but Duggary was right. The football that Arsenal played certainly in the last couple of months of the season, was uninspiring.
Yes they showed how good they are at defending. It’s such a shame they don’t put the same amount of time in being more creative and attacking.
People can come on here all they like and deny it if they want. But it was clear to see, and any honest observer will acknowledge the fact.
But I shan’t be holding my breath on that one.
It was a means to an end in the prem Derek and it got us over the line. Its not the best way to play, its not sustainable and eventually it will lead to obvious problems. It didn’t work in the final (as some are trying to suggest) it actually stopped us winning it. We could have won that final from the position we were in but (and this is one of the problems) we went even more negative and negative thoughts set in. You can not play football with negative thoughts and expect results. Nobody is asking to go gung ho, but it has to be progressive tactics and a well structured, balanced approach. Not the approach of, we keep what we have got. It is not sustainable.
Reggie,
Totally agree with you’re post. 👍
But we did play more exciting football a couple or so seasons back and we didn’t win the league. Personally, I’d prefer to watch exciting football, but I’m not going to complain- especially as the title had eluded Arsenal for 22 years – if It was the way to get it done. A strong defence first and build from there.
There is an appetite to assume the worst even after a very successful season. I’d rather wait and see how 2026/27 pans out and come the late autumn when there’s more opportunity to assess new signings and to see how the team is set up to then pile in if it’s more of the same. At the moment, nobody to my knowledge has been signed and there’s very little news about outgoings
That’s alright SueP. Maybe next season we’ll play differently and outscore the opposition while winning the title (oh wait, we already did that).
Maybe we will BB. I hope so because there is an element of wanting to win in style. I’ve lately been bombarded on Instagram with Arsenal goals over the years, and those various players have scored some beauties. Last season, it was Max Dowman who took the header from Martinelli and then ran up the pitch and scored.
I hope Arteta finds a way to stay solid in defence but more fluid further up the pitch.
SueP your last sentence is my hope as well and I will believe it will happen if we don’t try to upset the apple cart too much in the summer. I believe the key will be getting the squad settled as soon as possible and having sufficient training time allotted.
I just saw the replay of that goal the other day and it was so much fun to relive!
SueP,
As you elude in you’re post of June 4th at 10.45am, back in the season 2022/2023 we played some excellent football. And our defense was still pretty solid.
Unfortunately towards the end of the season, Saliba picked up a season ending injury, and Rob Holding was his replacement. Remember what Holding did versus Spurs away, getting himself sent-off if you can’t.
That was a big blow to us that season, but the football itself was good to watch and the defense functioned very well to.
Arteta seems to have gone to far the other way, and is to cautious and pragmatic. Hopefully with a few tweaks here and there, next season he will allow the team to express themselves more. Here’s hoping.
We didn’t lose the league by poor tactics Sue, we lost the league by poor managerial decisions and naivety. There was nothing wrong with the tactics and arguably we have better players now to implement better tactics.
I’m muddled by what you mean Reggie. You’re saying that Arteta was naive and made bad managerial decisions but his tactics were good. That doesn’t totally add up.
If we’re referring to the more exciting football period, we definitely didn’t have the depth of squad, had some fringe players who hadn’t yet moved on and Arteta didn’t have the maturity as a manager then hence your view on naivety.
Am I right in thinking that with the better tactics and better players it was that that won Arsenal the league or will win it again? Sorry if I’m being dense
Like playing Jesus for the last 6 games of the season (not fit after coming back from injury) as a striker and in the process benching Trossard, who didn’t play much after Jesus returned, who didn’t score a goal. Like playing Partey at RB, when he was our best midfielder. Like playing a useless Viera who Arteta was convinced was the next Silva, he wasn’t. Like nit having a proper Striker for years after giving away Aubameyang, and playing Jesus as a striker when he clearly was not. Pep told him so and he was right. Like playing Haverz as a striker when he was clearly not and ignoring the fact we needed a proper no9. Many more naive decisions but I think that is enough. I hope he has learned but he did forget and tried moving Rice to RB but something clicked in his head straight away to tell him, he was wrong, this time.
Arteta made two massive errors of judgement this season by playing Kepa in both domestic cup games. But the big error was the league cup final. I know why he did it, and I have some sympathy but it was a massive error and cost us. So he still is naive but I hope he is learning.
That’s alright Derek. If worst comes to worst, lol, I’d accept the PL title again and maybe next time we won’t need penalties to fall our way.
I couldn’t give a monkeys what the media or ex players say about how we play. Winning is all that matters in my book. Winning the CWC in ’94 against Parma wasn’t very exciting, but we won our 2nd European trophy. The FA Cup Final in ’05 when we played a 4,5,1 line up wasn’t exciting, but we won that day on penalties. Did our fans moan about how we won those trophies, I dont think so.
👍HD – the sad part is it doesn’t usually have anything really to do with how we played – you can pick pick pick anything
@ HD
Without Arsenal tinted glasses, IMO, the CWC against Parma was quite undeserved as we were battered in that game as was the FA cup final against MU in 2005. I felt the opponents were unlucky.
Equally, I thought BM deserved to beat MU in 1999 CL final as did Chelsea against them under AG.
Both CL finals (2006 and 2026), I thought we deserved to win as much as the opponents because I do not remember the goalkeepers tested like they were in the other finals mentioned above. I thought we were unlucky.
Nothing wrong with these tactics in a one-off game.
I only have a problem with AFC playing like that in the MAJORITY of the PL campaign.
Hope that changes next season.
100 million % correct!!!!!!
Dugary just demonstrated his ignorance and it’s a shameful comment from someone who was a supposed professional. Arsenal demonstrated they are PL champions. The only goal scored on field was ironically scored by Arsenal who “did nothing”!!! Had they been awarded a penalty, the story might have been different.
Arsenal finished the competition as the best team with no defeat. So, I’m a little bit confused with this type of unprofessional comment. Ahead Arsenal. Sign Rogers!!! And Tonali and prepare better against PSG next campaign.