Mikel Arteta Criticised Over Arsenal Approach in Champions League Final Loss
- Arsenal's game plan faltered as they suffered heartbreak in the Champions League final against PSG
- Critics slam Arteta's ultra-defensive tactics, resulting in record-low possession during the final
- Despite defeat, Arteta praises team spirit while acknowledging areas for improvement ahead of next season
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Mikel Arteta has come under criticism for Arsenal’s tactics and unusual kick-off strategy during their Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal’s bid to win the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history ended in heartbreak as the Gunners lost on penalties to PSG in Budapest.
Source: Getty Images
The Premier League champions made the perfect start when Kai Havertz fired them ahead with an excellent finish from a tight angle after just six minutes.
However, the French champions fought back after the break when Ousmane Dembélé converted a penalty to level the score.
The final eventually went to a penalty shootout, where Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães blasted the decisive tenth penalty over the crossbar, allowing PSG to retain the Champions League title for a second consecutive season.
Much of Arsenal’s success under Arteta this season has been built on defensive solidity, and after taking an early lead, the Gunners were content to sit deep and allow PSG to dominate possession.
Even after PSG equalised, Arsenal appeared reluctant to take the initiative and finished the match with just 24.7 per cent possession — the lowest figure ever recorded in a Champions League final.
Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley believes Arsenal’s ultra-defensive approach was never likely to succeed.
Speaking on ESPN, Burley said:
“Let’s lay it out on the table, when they scored after six minutes, they tried to defend their way to the 90th minute.
“Had it been PSG who scored after six minutes, they would have carried on attacking and probing and trying to win the game. And that’s the contrast in how these two teams approach, not only the final, but approach football.
“PSG are very progressive at the moment, and yes, Arsenal have won the Premier League, but PSG are very progressive. They want to probe and press and attack and continually try and use their guile and their skill.
“And Arsenal regressed into trying to defend their way through 84 minutes plus injury time. That’s tough to do.
“They almost pulled it off, but that’s tough to do. A valiant effort from Arsenal, but in terms of a football game, PSG by far, even not at their best, by far the better of these two sides.”
Burley Labels Arsenal Kick-Off Routine ‘Embarrassing’
Burley also criticised Arsenal’s repeated kick-off routine during the final, which involved launching high balls forward in an attempt to contest aerial duels inside the PSG half.
“Three times from a kick-off they’ve lobbed it forward like it was a game of rugby,” he said.
“That’s embarrassing.
“They’ve sat there and said, ‘you know what, let’s just launch a high ball every time we get a kick-off and try and win’.
“That’s 1980s football back in England. It really is.
“I don’t get all the plaudits. Sure, Champions League final, they got there, they were competitive because they were defensive.
“But I don’t understand all the plaudits when your game plan, once you get the goal, is to just sit back and allow the best footballing side in Europe possession of the football and trying to defend for 84 minutes.
“That’s not an acceptable way to try and win this competition.”
Arteta Proud Despite Heartbreak
Following the defeat, Arteta focused on the positives and paid tribute to his players and staff.
“What I said to the players and the staff is that if I tell them one million times ‘thank you’, it’s not going to be enough,” Arteta said.
“It’s not because we won the Premier League and it’s not because we played the League Cup final, it’s not because we played the Champions League final in the manner that we’ve done.
“It’s because of the joy and the moments that we have lived together every single day and that’s above anything else.”
When asked whether Arsenal could learn from PSG’s success, Arteta added:
“Yes, and the individual action that they have for sure.
“Then you have to get into the competition with all the squad available in every moment, each player.
“We have had many more players than last season but not all of them in that condition for different reasons.
“That’s something that we have to improve on as well.”
Source: YEN.com.gh
