Arne Slot has lept to the defense of Mikel Arteta following the Arsenal coach’s recent criticism.
The Gunners exited the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, ending their chances of winning any major silverware for another season. Arsenal last won a trophy of significance in 2020, when Arteta guided the squad he inherited from Unai Emery to FA Cup glory.
Since then, the former Everton midfielder has helped establish Arsenal as one of the league’s best clubs, as evidenced by consecutive back-to-back second-place finishes. But no trophies have followed since he reshaped the squad in his image.
This season has seen standards drop markedly, and Arsenal sits 15 points off leaders Liverpool heading into Sunday’s meeting at Anfield.
A Champions League spot isn’t mathematically secure yet either, and Arteta has faced criticism for his bizarre comments in the last week. He claimed his Arsenal side had more points at this stage of the season than Slot’s Liverpool – a statement that is simply incorrect.
He then said PSG boss Luis Enrique told him that Arsenal was the better side over two legs in the Champions League semi-final, a claim his opposite number then denied.
Arteta’s tactics have also been criticized at large this season as Arsenal has regressed to a side more dependent on set-pieces and physicality, while L’Equipe took fire at the Spaniard in midweek and claimed he had “no plan B”.
(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
Jamie Carragher added to the pile on, writing in his weekly Telegraph column that Arteta “must deliver” next season or he faces the possibility of being sacked.
Despite that, Slot backed the under-fire manager and said he could see tactical variations in Arteta’s approach.
“Mikel has been working there for five years and he should get, in my opinion, a lot of credit for the way his team plays,” the Liverpool head coach said ahead of Sunday’s game.
“Arsenal can play almost every style. It is a big accomplishment to have one style, but I saw Mikel’s team play a different style at Paris St Germain and another style in the home game against PSG.
(Image: Getty Images)
“They can play off set-pieces. They can defend in a low block and be the dominant team, they can play a high-press. They can build up from the back or play the long ball.
“So every part of the game they are good – and that means it is difficult to analyse them because you don’t know what you’re going to face.
“Will they play on the ground or will they play long? Against Paris Saint-Germain, every throw-in was long and they got two very big chances.
“I think Mikel deserves a lot of credit for that because the only way you can have that is if you work at a club for so many years and not all managers who have been at clubs a long time can play so many styles. That is special. You don’t see it a lot.”
