Former Premier League manager Alan Pardew has criticised Arsenal for what he described as an unattractive style of play, even as the North London side edges closer to winning the Premier League title.
Arsenal strengthened their title push with a narrow 1–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday. The decisive goal came early in the match through Bukayo Saka, as Mikel Arteta’s side relied heavily on defensive discipline to secure the win.
The result moved Arsenal another step closer to their first league title in more than two decades. Their advantage also grew after Manchester City were held to a 2–2 draw by Nottingham Forest.
However, the performance has sparked debate about Arsenal’s style of play.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Pardew said that while Arsenal are extremely professional and effective, their approach lacks flair and excitement.
According to him, the Gunners often rely on “gamesmanship” and pragmatic tactics to grind out results. Pardew suggested that if the team eventually lifts the trophy, the achievement might come with an “asterisk” because their performances have been more functional than entertaining.
He noted that the team is strong, organised and difficult to break down, but added that there is “nothing beautiful” about the way they play.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler also voiced frustration after the match, accusing Arsenal of disrupting the rhythm of the game through time-wasting tactics.
Hurzeler claimed his side tried to play attacking football but struggled to build momentum against an opponent focused on slowing the game down. He pointed out that Brighton conceded only one shot on target but failed to create enough chances in the final third.
Despite the criticism, Arsenal’s results continue to speak for themselves. Under manager Mikel Arteta, the team has developed one of the league’s most resilient defences.
The Gunners have now recorded 10 league wins by a single-goal margin this season and kept 14 clean sheets, their best defensive record at this stage of a campaign in about 20 years.
While pundits and rivals continue to debate whether style matters as much as results, Arsenal appear focused on one goal, that is lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of the season.
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