Sam Allardyce slammed Arsenal manager Unai Emery for his side’s defeat to Manchester City, stating to TalkSport he was partly to blame for the Gunners’ ‘stupid’ tactics.
The former England manager was far from impressed with Arsenal’s attempt to play from the back against the league champions who are known for their constant pressing of opponents to win back possession.
Emery’s first Premier League match as Arsenal manager ended in a 2-0 defeat and now takes his side to Stamford Bridge on Saturday to face rivals Chelsea.
'We are OBSESSED with this STUPID way of playing!' ?
Sam Allardyce isn't a fan of teams playing it out from the back…
What do you make of Sam's comments? ? pic.twitter.com/iKSjNZUnt5
— talkSPORT Breakfast (@TSBreakfast) August 13, 2018
The slow build-up play, which has now been accustomed to the English game, is highly disliked by Allardyce and feels it led to Arsenal’s defeat.
Allardyce said, as quoted by TalkSport: “It’s the manager’s fault. Don’t ask someone to do against Manchester City what you shouldn’t do.
“What do Manchester City do? Press, press, press, so why do you try and play out [from the back]?
“Even the Arsenal crowd cheered when they dropped one in the opposition’s half!
“You cannot just force ‘the only way to play is this way’ in this country.
“We’re getting obsessed with this stupid ‘let’s play out from the back, split the centre-halves either side of the 18-yard box and go and play from there’.
“It’s utter rubbish to play like that all the time.”
OPINION
Sam Allardyce does have a point in his comments towards the newly appointed Arsenal boss. Beginning play from the back against the likes of Man City plays into their strengths and makes the team far more dangerous once gaining possession from a potential Arsenal error. The Gunners would be better off using these tactics against clubs lower down the pecking order who lack the great intensity and threat that Pep Guardiola’s side boast within their squad. Man City dominated procedures against Arsenal and the scoreline was flattering for Arsenal supporters as it should and could have been more. Perhaps under the reign of the highly experienced Arsene Wenger, Arsenal could have went into the game with a better tactical plan to cause more danger to the City back line. The Gunners travel to London rivals Chelsea on Saturday evening and if Emery maintains the same tactics against an equally dangerous squad in the Blues, alarming bells could start to be ringing before the Spaniard’s managerial reign.