David Moyes has jumped to Mikel Arteta's defense amid growing criticism of Arsenal's playing style. The Everton boss thinks the backlash against his former player is completely unfair.
Here's the thing - Arsenal are literally leading the Premier League and topped their Champions League group. Yet somehow, Arteta is getting stick for relying too much on set-pieces and not playing enough "exciting" football. Moyes isn't having any of it.
"What's up with any of those things you say?" Moyes fired back at critics. "You're making it sound like that's a problem because they're good at set-pieces." He's got a point there.
Why the Criticism Misses the Mark
Moyes, who originally signed Arteta as a player during his first stint at Everton, sees nothing wrong with Arsenal's approach. They're a strong, physical side who know how to use their strengths. That's smart football, not boring football.
"There's this thing out there where everybody has to play the beautiful game and everything has to be perfect," Moyes explained. "Well, if we all did that it would be boring." The Scottish manager makes a fair argument - variety in tactics is what makes the Premier League so compelling to watch and, let's be honest, so unpredictable for betting markets.
Arsenal's effectiveness from set-pieces has actually become a weapon that opponents struggle to handle. For punters looking at Arsenal matches, their ability to score from dead-ball situations makes them particularly dangerous even against teams that dominate possession.
Arteta Among Elite Managers
Moyes went further, placing Arteta among the "unbelievable managers" who have elevated English football. He praised the Spanish coach's ability to evolve his team and adapt his tactics over time.
"Maybe they can't stay with it and do it all the time; Mikel has been able to evolve his team and move it on," Moyes added. That evolution is clear - Arsenal have transformed from top-four hopefuls to genuine title contenders.
Looking ahead to their upcoming clash at the Emirates Stadium, Moyes confirmed he hopes to have defender Jarrad Branthwaite available. The young defender missed Everton's warm-weather training camp in Portugal but could return for what promises to be a tough test against the league leaders.
