Arsenal fans appear increasingly unbothered by criticism of their team’s pragmatic approach to football. Many now accept that effectiveness matters more than aesthetics. The Gunners have become one of the most organised and tactically disciplined sides in the Premier League, even if that sometimes comes at the expense of attacking flair.
Despite possessing some of the most technically gifted players in the division, Arsenal have struggled to create and convert chances from open play. On several occasions, they have focused less on breaking teams down through fluid attacking movement and more on capitalising on set pieces. This tactical shift has proved effective, with goals from corners and free kicks often securing crucial victories.
Arsenal’s Pragmatic Approach
The Gunners’ growing proficiency in dead-ball situations has led to accusations that they are prioritising results over entertainment. Their games have been described as overly methodical, with some observers suggesting that their reliance on set pieces diminishes the excitement once associated with Arsenal’s attacking football. Nonetheless, Arteta’s approach has brought consistency and control, attributes that were often missing in previous campaigns.
Fans appear to have embraced the results-driven philosophy, choosing satisfaction from victories over stylistic debates. The team’s ability to manage tight matches and secure narrow wins has kept them competitive at the top of the table. Arsenal’s emphasis on defensive structure and tactical organisation ensures they remain difficult to beat, even if their attacking play lacks spontaneity.
Jeff Stelling’s Criticism
Not everyone, however, is convinced by the Gunners’ approach. Speaking on Talk Sport, former Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling expressed frustration after Arsenal’s narrow Premier League win against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
“They can’t keep relying on set-plays, they just can’t,” Stelling said. “I love some of the Arsenal players. I love Saka, I love Odegaard, I love Eze. But please, please be just a bit more expansive.
“I mean watching Arsenal against Palace was like watching paint dry. It was purgatory.”
Stelling’s comments highlight a recurring debate surrounding Arsenal’s current identity: whether the pursuit of trophies justifies a less expressive brand of football. For now, results seem to vindicate Arteta’s tactical pragmatism, even if the spectacle occasionally divides opinion among fans and pundits alike.
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I have just read an article about Arteta saying, he wants more atmosphere at the Emirates. Slow build up and a lack of fast attacking football will lead to a flat atmosphere. Excitement mainly from set plays, is shorter lived, leading to “quiet” periods. I think its common sense to say, we can not rely on set piece goals, I don’t think we can. But until you start creating more exciting moves/football we will not get a better atmosphere or guarantee we will win something. BUT if we do manage to win something, initially it won’t matter how. BUT then fans will want improved football and more from the team and manager. So unless we get better at attacking and scoring more from open play, the atmosphere won’t improve and you would likely think our chances of winning the league won’t improve. So the answer to everything is attack quicker and create more exciting chances, then everything should come together. I like Jeff and he says it as it is. We are a bit mechanical at times and thats a bit boring to watch.
We have tried that for years, but was ending up losing. Attack win you games, defence win you titles. What do you prefer.
Never said that!! I have said you have to attack quicker? And that wasn’t the reason we lost games.
You are just complaining unnecessarily. Arsenal are simply trying to maximise opportunities to score goals in all kinds of scenarios.
Saying that the team need to play more quickly is meaningless and indicates a desire just to nitpick at the team. Arsenal are playing against top level opposition several of which are amongst the best in the world not some Mickey Mouse teams.
David,
What a load of rubbish to suggest that Reggie is nit picking. While as Arsenal fans we’re all happy to see the team doing so well. And in whatever fashion we’re currently getting success.
But that doesn’t mean that Reggie is wrong regards needing to play faster in his opinion. He’s right, when playing against low block sides the team need to move the ball quicker, have players making runs to move the opposition about more, and having a deep lying midfielder making late runs into the box.
It always makes me laugh that people seem astounded when we’re faced with low block opposition, they act as if it’s the first time we’ve come up against it.
Unless the team plays quicker, and stops playing side to side football they will always struggle to break said team down. A well organized team will just stay in shape if all we do is play in front of them, we’re not hurting them that way and they know it.
As I said earlier, we’re all happy with how it’s currently going, but Reggie’s right as far as I’m concerned. Faster football is needed to have better chance against the low block.
And to suggest that Reggie is nitpicking is wide of the mark in my opinion.
Correct big D.
Absolutely Sir👌
“Unless the team plays quicker and stops playing side to side football, they will always struggle to break said teams down.”
So, as we went through the whole of October, not conceding a goal, who are these well organised teams that are “happy that we’re not hurting them?”
Are we to believe that, as long as they aren’t being overrun, they’re content to lose?
The same fans who moaned about Arsene Wenger playing attacking, fast football but losing games, are now complaining because we’re less cavalier in our approach, while winning games!!
Look at the way the team plays and it’s not just about passing for the sake of it – it’s probing the opponents defences, while keeping the ball and waiting for the opportunities to score.
The classic example in October, was the Madrid game.
Ken1945,
I stand by my stance, yes we’re winning games. But we need to start playing quicker against these low blocks.
You can call it probing if you like regards the side to side play, but well organized sides will just stay in position as we’re not hurting them the way we could if we player faster football.
These 1-0 wins are fine, but there will come a time when the opposition will breach our defense and we’ll drop vital points.
I’m not saying we have to go gung-ho at said opponent, but if we play with a better tempo they will have to deal with any issues we cause in a more uncomfortable way.
We need to start winning by bigger margins, one for the obvious reason of comfort. And the other reason being that it’s unrealistic to think that we’ll always keep a clean sheet in the close games.
At the end of the day, you have your opinion and I have mine. Neither of us is right or wrong.👍
What a load of tosh David, as usual. Showing your ignorance again.
Who are you to talk about ‘ignorance’? You just keep waffling about tactics or make criticisms that lack substance. This “attack quicker” analysis is the latest of such silliness.
Not so long ago you were regularly telling us how Liverpool with their chaotic approach always ‘found a way’ as if this was some special attribute unique to them. Now that this is no longer working you and certain others have now gone quiet on that issue.
If there’s anyone that talks “tosh” on this site it is you.
Ignorance again David. I actually have not gone quiet, I have been blowing my trumpet. Because right from the summer, I said their tranfer dealings were chaotic, just to get in Isak. I said, the should have got Ghehi over Isak, they didn’t need Isak. I said they had not took into any account VVD and Salah were getting to over the hill status. I said they didn’t replace Diaz and TA and that was first said by me back in August. So yet again David, resorting to lying to suit your awful agenda and lack of real intelligence. One day you will actually post without slagging peoples opinions but I VERY MUCH DOUBT IT!!!!!!
Yesterday’s man rage bait. Go back to sleep Jeff…
Interesting as the same people praised Mourinho’s overly defensive Chelsea side for always “grinding out results!” – stop the double standards and let Arsenal win games! – at the end of the day, the same lot will demand for trophies!
As an Arsenal fan, I don’t care about how the goals go in, as long as they’re winning us matches and potentially, trophies!
The same chaps that coined the phrase, “attacks win you games but defences win you titles” are now changing goal posts simply because it’s Arsenal winning!
COYGs, long may you continue thwarting whatever is thrown at you as you continue picking points off set-pieces!!
What matters is winning games!
Why all these obsession about Arsenal style of play by all these pundits. I care less about their opinion!
@ Ayan, I don’t even mind when rival fans/haters complain about our style of play. What annoys me is hearing Arsenal fans bleating about it. I mean, what do y’all want?
I was watching somewhere how five years ago, the whole punditry universe were licking the a** of Liverpool for being so good at set plays & how Caragher was rambling on & on about how u can’t win the Epl if u aren’t a master at it. Come on, let’s back our team, we all know how good we can be at expansive football but do we want to be like Liverpool who are moaning presently?
No team wins corners by playing possession. The ball has to find its way to the opponents’s goal line . Same goes with effective long throws.
I was looking for such a comment….how do you get a corner if you don’t attack??
The Invincibles had 24 matches that ended 0-0, 1-0, 1-1 or 2-1 and only one 5-0 and one 4-0… nobody moans about a 1-0 against Fulham or a 0-0 against Birmingham they only remember the 49 unbeaten
I know we can play attacking flair football but I want us to win the premier league and/ or champions league over entertaining Jeff Stelling so right now I’m more interested in grinding out results, keeping clean sheets and scoring from set pieces
You don’t win a marathon by sprinting from the start
Yes, grinding out results is not a problem when you get them. And GG was the master. As far as the invincibles, yes I agree, they won many games by the odd goal. BUT the sad thing is, something was missing because we had loads of attacking flair in the team and, probably controversial, but I think they under achieved. Firstly that team should have won a CL trophy, they were that good. And they couldn’t follow the season up, the next season. But thats another story.
I love our team and them winning, but for much of the time are boring to watch and if you read the comments on here during the games, many others agree. Having said that, I’ve supported them for nearly 70 years and will never stop.
I for one don’t give a flying c**p about how we win games.
If playing the worst brand of football ever known to mankind would guarantee the EPL come May,sign me up!
As above. Keep on winning lads, but our ( anti) football sure can be boring at times. Watching the Palace game at 3.00 am in Australia my youngest son, a die hard fan fell asleep. Like G.B I’ve supported the team since around 68-69 seasons. I’ve made two trips to England including a two year stint, mostly remaining due to the music scene and Arsenal. I doubt I’ll return, not only due to my age, but also I don’t see the value for money in making such a long trip, hustling to get an expensive ticket and then watching a playing style that often resembles a Simpsons parody of what Americans believe is football.
The Simsons play football? Springfield United?
Jax,
Does that mean they spring into action. OOPS! sorry about that. 😂👍
Simpsons
People surely don’t know what they want at times, le prof was always be-mourned for playing with flair but getting no results, Felix even called him “a specialist in failure”, had he abandoned the style and focused on winning ugly… ARSENAL would be top top.
All roads lead to Rome…I don’t care how we win as long as we have the three points in the bag.
Just know all teams have one strategy against the ARSENAL, play low block, catch them on the break….fall for it and you are gone.
Law 13 is free kicks, law 14 is is penalty kick, law 17 is corner kick. Did Arsenal make the laws of the game? Very NO! You are still waiting for that time to say arsenal are bottling it, good. For now we are winning and keeping clean sheets and happy
Let’s all be positive minded please and let’s stop being rigid. Certainly our opinions and options must differ but that doesn’t make some of us here anti Arsenal, in our various places and locations countries included we have been Arsenal supporters infact diehard fans to say and we will keep doing that. Don’t come here attacking people for not saying what pleases you. The Invincibles could have won CL had they been versatile and balanced. Arteta and Arsenal are not doing badly at all presently but that doesn’t mean that they are perfect, there’s need for him to balance up the team and tactics. Thank God for that Eze’s goal for it would have been an uninspiring barren draw were we picked more injuries than the Newcastle game. Arteta should devise a means of breaking through the middle with a little quicker pace and not the slow constant side ways passing that makes the team somewhat predictable and we shouldn’t be for when one door is closed 🔐 more should be opened. Remember that Myles Skelly’s burst from the middle in our CL game again ATHM from that moment onwards they became confused on how to follow Arsenal and goals kept raining in. Check the the Brighton game, we’re lucky not to have gone two zero 1st half. There’s no sentiments over this pls, a midfield with the combination of Merino and Rice doesn’t really clique talk less where there’s no Rice and Zubby. Merino should have been on the bench, while Eze and Nwaneri marshall the midfield and Trosarad on left wing he should stop playing them out of position while he has options. The Titles/Trophies must come this season and I look forward to it but Arteta must do basics and needfuls for monotony kills interest as variety is the spice of life. I come in peace Shalom ✌️.
Let’s all be positive minded please and let’s stop being rigid. Certainly our opinions and options must differ but that doesn’t make some of us here anti Arsenal, in our various places and locations countries included we have been Arsenal supporters, infact diehard fans to say and we will keep doing that. Please don’t come here attacking people for not saying what pleases you. The Invincibles could have won CL had AW been versatile and balanced in his tactics and formations. Arteta and Arsenal are not doing badly at all presently but that doesn’t mean that they are flawless and perfect right now, there’s need for him to balance up the team and tactics. Thank God for that Eze’s goal against CP for it would have been an uninspiring barren draw were we picked more injuries than the Newcastle game. Arteta should devise a means of breaking through the middle with a little quicker pace and not the slow constant side to side passing that makes the team somewhat predictable and we shouldn’t be, for when one door is closed 🔐 many more should be opened. Remember that Myles Skelly’s burst from the middle in our CL game again ATHM from that moment onwards Simeone and Atheletico became confused on how to follow Arsenal and goals kept raining in. Check the the Brighton game, we’re lucky not to have gone down two zero 1st half. There’s no sentiments over this pls, a midfield with the combination of Merino and Rice doesn’t really clique talk less where there’s no Rice and Zubby. Merino should have been on the bench to come on later to replace the youngster, while Eze and Nwaneri marshall the midfield and Trosarad on left wing he should stop playing them out of position while he has options. The Titles/Trophies must come this season and I look forward to seeing it happen but, Arteta must do the basics and needfuls for monotony kills interest as variety is the spice of life. I come in peace Shalom ✌️.