Mikel Arteta shrugs off criticism of Arsenal tactics in Premier League title fight | OneFootball

Gunners slammed for second-half performance against Manchester City last week

Mikel Arteta is unfazed by people criticising Arsenal’s tactics at Manchester City, insisting not changing their style would be as foolish as wearing shorts and flip flops in the rain.

After Leandro Trossard was sent off just before the break, Arsenal defended deep for all of the second-half and had just 12.5 per cent possession in that time.

Arteta, however, has stressed how it was necessary due to the state of the game and that was not how he would naturally want to play.

“I want to win, the way we prepare the games and the way we want to play, for sure, in our way,” he said.

In the wake of Arsenal’s draw at the Etihad much has been said about their use of the dark arts, with City players criticising the Gunners’ time-wasting methods.

It has represented a marked change from the past, though, when Arsenal were accused of having a soft centre and not being strong enough.

Arteta insists he is not fazed by the all the talk and he will not let it bother him going forward.

“That is not a debate,” he said. “That is a war you cannot win, no? On this side, ‘I don’t like it’. On this side, ‘I don’t like it.’

“So where do I go? Don’t get involved in it. It doesn’t make any sense. It is very clear, you look from outside and you are not going to get involved here.”

The rivalry between Arsenal and City appears to have gone up a level this season, judging by last week’s feisty affair.

Players from both sides exchanged heats words at the final whistle and afterwards members of the City squad hit out at how Arsenal played.

And Arteta said: “I prefer this reaction much more than someone clapping my back after the game and saying: ‘Well done, you guys are in the right direction’.

“This is why I do what I do. This is an emotion I cannot control but I have to be as competitive as possible, the reaction of someone else is different.”