Garth Crooks has become the latest pundit to slam Mikel Arteta over his conduct in Arsenal’s 2-1 win against Fulham at the weekend.
The Gunners secured a hard-fought come-from-behind win against the Cottagers, a result that means they are the only team that still has a 100% record in the Premier League this season.
They are proudly at the top of the league table at this stage of the campaign and their performance against their fellow Londoners shows that the times have really changed at the club.
Arteta’s men could easily have allowed falling behind to get to them and in previous seasons they may well have lost the game.
They now have a winning mindset and the Spaniard is always on the touchline, ensuring they stay focused on the job at hand.
However, Crooks didn’t like one thing he did in that game, and he explains on the BBC:
“With the final seconds ticking away, and the visitors chasing an equaliser, I was hopping with fury to see Mikel Arteta watch the ball roll off the pitch into the technical area, pick it up and then throw it away as the Fulham player was racing to get it back into play.
“Managers should never touch the ball unless they intend to hand it back to the player. Bertie Mee or Arsene Wenger would never have behaved in such a manner – and they have won titles.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Even on the touchline, all Arteta cares about is ensuring his team has the advantage.
He would employ every tactic to make sure they stay focused and stay in the game even if it means kicking the ball away from the opponent.