Mikel expresses his concerns regarding Arsenal’s set-piece strategies

John Obi Mikel, the former Chelsea midfielder, has expressed strong criticism of Arsenal F.C., alleging that the Premier League leaders are attempting to “cheat their way” to the title through their significant reliance on set pieces.

The ex-Chelsea F.C. midfielder, who secured two league titles while at Stamford Bridge, characterized the Gunners’ method of scoring from corners as “illegal” and “ugly to watch,” even though Mikel Arteta’s team is presently at the summit of the Premier League table.

During an engaging conversation on talkSPORT, Mikel expressed his concerns about Arsenal’s style of play, especially in light of the significant financial investments the club has made in the transfer market recently.

“You have invested nearly a billion, Mikel Arteta…” So, you’re saying that the sole method for securing victories in games is by utilizing corner kicks? “It’s absurd,” he remarked.

The Nigerian contends that Arsenal’s skilled attacking players are not being fully leveraged, suggesting that the emphasis on minor improvements from set pieces has constrained the team’s creativity.

Mikel also criticized Arsenal’s approach to corner situations, implying that the players intentionally hinder opponents and the goalkeeper.

“In my opinion, their actions during set pieces violate the rules.” To begin with, they are obstructing the goalkeeper, and now they have started to grab players,” Mikel continued.

“When you engage in a play, when you obstruct a player from jumping, I observed the match against Chelsea when they faced us.

Declan Rice was grabbing the left back; what’s his name [Jorrel Hato]?

Arsenal has impressively netted a league-high 21 goals from set pieces this season, with just 35 of their 100 goals across all competitions originating from open play.

In light of the criticism, Mikel indicated that supporters are probably not going to voice complaints, given the favorable results.

“The sole reason the Arsenal fans aren’t voicing their concerns… is due to their position at the top of the league,” he contended.

“The creativity they possess and the potential they hold have all vanished.” They are no longer in sight.