Jamie Carragher responds to Mikel Arteta’s comments about pundits

Mikel Arteta recently defended his tactical philosophy after criticism from pundits who argued that he has been limiting Arsenal’s attacking potential. His response has sparked further debate, with Jamie Carragher offering a pointed reaction to the manager’s remarks.

Arsenal have increasingly been seen as adopting a safety-first approach in major fixtures, a strategy that appears questionable to observers who believe the team possess the talent to win such matches with a more adventurous style. Arteta is fully aware that his side can trouble any opponent, yet he remains committed to preserving defensive organisation even at the expense of attacking fluency.

Carragher’s Response to Arteta

In certain high-profile encounters, Arteta has opted for a midfield trio of Mikel Merino, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. While all three provide defensive assurance and control, they are not regarded as the most creative options. Arteta, however, has countered by stating that Arsenal have one of the most attacking teams in the league, including their goalkeeper.

Carragher reacted directly to these claims. As quoted by the Daily Mail, he said:

‘[Arteta] started with the goalkeeper, saying “we’ve got the most attacking goalkeeper in the league”.

‘Then he mentioned something about his full backs and I thought “that’s not right”, because his full backs are centre backs. I played in a back four under Gerard Houllier, it was four centre backs. That’s not far away from what Arsenal have got.

‘He then mentions [Martin] Zubimendi, okay a creative player in the No 6. He then talked about a wide player playing centre forward last season. He was almost trying to argue against it but wasn’t really making that much sense.’

Carragher’s analysis reflects scepticism about Arteta’s interpretation of his squad’s attacking identity, particularly given the defensive profiles of several players used in key positions.