Scott Parker has hit back at criticism of Arsenal’s playing style this season and has described Mikel Arteta’s side as ‘an unbelievably well-coached team’.
Arsenal currently sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League and have established themselves as early favourites to win their first title since 2004 with both Liverpool and Manchester City already falling behind.
However, Arteta has faced scrutiny over the manner of Arsenal’s wins this season with just five of their 16 Premier League goals this season coming from open play.
Parker’s Burnley side host Arsenal in the Premier League this Saturday and the former midfielder has dismissed suggestions that the Gunners are over-reliant on set-pieces.
When asked about the criticism Arsenal have faced about their playing style, Parker said on Thursday: ‘I’m not sure I see it like that.
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‘When I’m watching them, to be honest with you, I see a fluid team really. I see an unbelievably well-coached team, a team that solves situations. Of course there’s a large element, not a large element, one of many elements. I would say this is definitely not a team that just relies on set-plays.
‘Now, obviously, at the start of this season there’s been key moments where they’ve got wins from set-plays.
‘This is a well-oiled team and a functional team that are very fluid in the way they play, really.
‘Defensively, like you say, is really a foundation. It was probably something we lived by last year, really. It gives you a bedrock and they’ve certainly formed that. But, yeah, for me, like I said, this is a top, top team and a well-coached team.’
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Parker also believes Arteta’s focus on the finer details of Arsenal’s play has also been a factor in their impressive start to the campaign.
‘Maybe I see it a little bit different, when you’re watching teams and you see the level of detail what’s obviously gone into certain parts of their game, it’s very, very evident of where those details are,’ Parker said.
‘I think full credit to Mikel because like I said, there’s a lot of facets to a game of football. One is how you play attacking, defensively and set-plays, and they’re ticking a lot of boxes.
‘A team that’s sitting top of the Premier League or a team like us last year, if anyone thinks that it’s because Arsenal just score from corners or us last year just got 100 points from not conceding, having this defensive bedrock, they’re so far from it really.
‘There’s a lot more things that are involved in that, really.’
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