I understand that we should stand up for him, but were Mikel Arteta’s remarks about why his team lost to Newcastle completely unjustified?
Remember after Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City, critics accused them of using unconventional tactics to frustrate opponents, earning them the nickname Dark Arts FC?
After Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Atalanta, their manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, criticized Arsenal for not playing properly, even suggesting that the Gunners did not play to win. And Arsenal also faced accusations of playing like a Jose Mourinho team, too conservative to play free-flowing football, following their 0-0 draw with Liverpool.
Don’t you find it amusing that Mikel Arteta suggested on Saturday that Newcastle didn’t play well and that his team had to play a game they didn’t want to play? Interestingly, for those who watched the game, it appeared that both teams were using a similar system, as both reverted to a 4-4-2 formation when out of possession.
The main difference was that Newcastle were lucky to score, but both teams struggled to penetrate each other. On talkSPORT, former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew chastised Arteta for criticizing Newcastle’s playing style, which he believes was absolutely unfair.
He suggests that sometimes it is simply about picking that win, as Newcastle did on Saturday. Arteta, for the former Premier League manager, should focus solely on what his team did wrong.
Pardew said on TalkSport: ″I was really upset with Mikel Arteta because, sometimes, he antagonises the media and antagonises the opposition.
“He came out with a line of ‘We were dragged into a game they wanted to play.’
“I have had that as a manager before.
“You have beaten a top team and then, suddenly, they are questioning your style and the way you have gone about the victory.
“There’s not a cast-iron beautiful way to win a game of football.
“You just need to win.
“Sometimes you don’t have to play a beautiful game to win it.
“You just have to be effective in what you do and the pressing and organisation from Newcastle was absolutely spot-on.
“Arsenal had only one shot on target.
“That is what Mikel Arteta should really question and not the opposition″
Certainly, Mikel Arteta must find a way for this Arsenal team to click once more. Do you recall the time when Arteta used to emphasize the importance of his team focusing on themselves, fulfilling their responsibilities, and allowing the rest to fall into place?
Now is the time to do so. Our Gunners have been far from their best in recent weeks, and it is past time they returned to playing the free-flowing football we know they are capable of. With daring and passion, Arsenal can dispatch any club they face and do whatever it takes to preserve their season.
It simply didn’t work against Newcastle…
Darren N
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Arteta took all the blame and said that Arsenal were poor. I don’t see how he’s blamed Newcastle by saying that their tactics were responsible for our loss. If anything he’s complimenting them.
That’s my reading of it as well. Not sure what pardew is complaining about.
Like I’ve stated many times before, we do not have a plan B for when teams press us. Every team knows this by now. Simple as…Just saying