Link Up Arsenal

Ahead of their Premier League meeting on Wednesday, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has questioned the amount of time Arsenal take before set-pieces.

I think it's great that Arteta recognised that basic British staples ( corners, free kicks, physicality, defending properly, shape etc etc) were needed ( alongside technique) to feel he had a chance of winning a 38 game marathon. Graham's Arsenal, Wilkinson's Leeds spring to mind with title winning teams. In short, win however you can. But.... Arteta and Arsenal ( documentary) has been shoved down people's throats as a purists "trust the process" narrative which is disingenuous. He basically shed every ounce of his Man City "this is how we play" under Pep to become a pragmatist. Again, nothing wrong with that but it will be criticised legitimately as an "easier" way of winning rather than sticking to a purist's principles. Also there's the entertainment angle. Not of Arsenal season ticket holders who I'm sure couldn't give a fig about style, just "feel the heft" of that trophy. And that's fine, but ALL Premier League clubs rake in huge amounts because it delivers entertainment, that's literally what the League and broadcasters now sell as their main tagline , so rugby at corners again will come under the microscope. Arsenal fans won't think I'm a natural ally, quite the opposite, I think on social media a lot of their discourse (for a club who've never made a dent in the European Cup, a club from the home of football, and its capital) is bizarre and has genuine delusions of grandeur that to me is funny, but I'd back them up 100% to support a team that wins however they can within the rules. Because we all want the same. But here context and nuance isn't present, it's either shit or great so your point has a lot of merit. But there's one final argument I'd propose for everyone who likes Premier League football, to answer. If you spend £1BN on a team and rake in money from a global audience wanting entertainment, is there a responsibility on that team to entertain or not? Me of 30 years ago would have said a firm no, Wimbledon or Liverpool of 1988 had polar opposite styles and that fit hand in glove and I loved it( "The crazy gang has beaten the culture club ") Now? A billion on players and hugging at set pieces and over reliance on corners is a MAJOR part of the game plan ? I'm still 60% "play the fucking way that wins " but there's zero doubt that a paying audience globally ( who allow Arsenal or Liverpool or United to spend a billion) are entitled to say... Entertain us.