Jamie Carragher has poked holes in Mikel Arteta's claims that his Arsenal side are not playing with the "handbrake" on. The Gunners rescued a point in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the weekend, a result that saw them slip five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Although Arteta has talked up his team's offensive capabilities, Carragher isn't buying what he's selling.
Arteta hits back at 'handbrake off' criticism
After Arsenal's stalemate with City at the weekend, pundit Gary Neville took aim at Arteta's tactics, which yielded just three shots on target from a dominant 67 per cent possession.
The ex-Manchester United defender said on his self-titled podcast: "Does [Arteta] know how to get the players over the line throughout the season? Did the players know how to get over the line? That's the doubt I've got about Arsenal, and it isn't going to go away until someone proves me wrong. I like watching them play, but they've got to take the handbrake off."
In response, Arsenal manager Arteta said, "How can you be so dominant against such a team if you have the handbrake on? Dominance and handbrake are two different words. Look at the players we have, starting with the most attacking 'keeper in the league by far. When I watched the game back and saw the stats, I was surprised. Because it was impossible for somebody to predict such dominance from Arsenal throughout 96 minutes. It never happened in 17 years of Pep Guardiola as a manager."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesCarragher lays into Arteta
Following the victory, Carragher said Arsenal "wasted" 45 minutes after not really laying a glove on City; plus, they had to rely on a stoppage-time equaliser from Gabriel Martinelli to get something from the game. Now, he is suggesting that Arteta's response doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
He said on the podcast: "[Arteta] started with the goalkeeper, saying 'we've got the most attacking goalkeeper in the league'. Then he mentioned something about his full-backs and I thought 'that's not right', because his full-backs are centre-backs. I played in a back four under Gerard Houllier; it was four centre-backs. That's not far away from what Arsenal have got.
"He then mentions [Martin] Zubimendi, okay, a creative player in the No. 6. He then talked about a wide player playing centre forward last season. He was almost trying to argue against it, but wasn't really making that much sense.
"I can understand him defending himself and not listening to the pundits but I thought I hope he's not doubling down on what he's said there to his coaching staff and players. Because what he was actually saying, I'm not quite sure stacked up in proving they are a really offensive team. The team is there in front of you."
Pressure on Arsenal to deliver Premier League title
Few would argue that Arteta has not improved Arsenal during six years in charge, but they have spent around £1 billion ($1.33bn) on players since they last won a trophy – an FA Cup in 2020. Some believe he is copying Jose Mourinho's pragmatic blueprint to grind out wins rather than taking it to the opposition. After a hat-trick of Premier League runner-up finishes, the Spaniard is under pressure to end thissilverware drought and win the English top-flight for the first time since 2004. But with Liverpool flying high in the league, Arsenal cannot afford too many more slip-ups.
GettyArsenal risk falling away in title race
Arsenal sit second in the Premier League, behind Arne Slot's defending champions, and next up, they are preparing to face a foe that has bested them more often than not on their own patch.
Newcastle United lie in wait on Sunday at St James' Park, a ground the Gunners have not had much joy at in recent years. In fact, the Magpies have won four on the bounce in all competitions at home when facing the north London team, something Arteta will want to put right this weekend.
After that, they host Olympiacos in their second game of the league phase in the Champions League on Wednesday, before entertaining London neighbours West Ham on October 4. If Arsenal fail to win these next two league games, Liverpool could be out of sight before too long.