‘His comment is like one of his tackles’ – Arteta, Keown and Jordan slam Scholes over Arsenal criticism | OneFootball

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has hit back at Manchester United legend Paul Scholes after he claimed the Gunners’ style of play is “boring” to watch.

The Gunners are currently seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League with Arteta’s side in a good position to end a run of three consecutive runners-up finishes.

When Jamie Carragher recently insisted that none of Arsenal‘s attacking players would feature in his Premier League team of the season so far, which is “not normal” for the league leaders.

And Scholes echoed Carragher’s sentiments but went a step further by claiming that Arsenal “could be the worst team to win the league” if they triumph this season.

When called out by Ian Wright recently, Scholes cheekily clarified his comments, he said: “I meant to say the most boring team, not the worst team, sorry. You will be boring, it doesn’t matter how you do it, does it? Doesn’t matter how you do it.”

When asked about Scholes’ comments, Arsenal boss Arteta responded: “I hear completely the opposite: all around Europe that we are the most exciting team in Europe – the most goals, the most clean sheets. Maybe I have different sources.”

On why there is such a disparity of views at home and abroad, Arteta said: “I don’t know which people. You send me the names, the addresses and the email and maybe we can talk but I can’t give you a massive book of all the people.”

After Arsenal hammered Leeds United 4-0 on Saturday, Martin Keown allowed himself to respond to Scholes too, he said on talkSPORT: “You know this journey of week-to-week, you have got to shut that noise out.

“People talking about you being champions, some of it mischievously from some people saying this would be the worst ever Arsenal team. You just go and win it. Doesn’t matter what you look like.

“You know people try to create pressure and when you don’t get what you want, they look for all kind of weaknesses.

“They’re better than everybody else right now. That’s all they need to be.”

Before joking: “I love Paul but this comment, it’s like one of his tackles, isn’t it? It’s waist-high.”

Keown added: “No one’s going to be listening to Paul Scholes in the Arsenal team. You just get on with your game and try and win.”

The Arsenal legend continued: “I think Arsenal just need to concentrate and play their games, not listen to the noise that’s on the outside.

“Arsene Wenger said this to us many years ago, you know, there’s no meaning or everyone telling us that we’re favourites. Don’t listen to it. Let’s just go and do it.

“That’s what Arsenal did at the weekend. I think it’s quite an emphatic result.

“You know, no one’s gonna be listening to Paul Scholes in the Arsenal team. You just get on with your game and you said you try and win.

“This would be their first Premier League trophy in 22 years. They’re doing exceptionally well with lots of twists and turns between now and the end of the season.

“What I will say is that Paul’s been in a lot of these races to the finish and it’s one of those that just one victory doesn’t mean you’re going to be champions. It’s on to the next one.

“What Arsenal need to do now is they can go nine points clear next weekend and then Man City go to Anfield the next day. Make it nine points. Make them look at nine points overnight, see that and it starts to sink in. Then they start to question themselves.

“If Man City can go to Anfield and win they’ve massively still in this race because that would be impressive.”

Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan thought Scholes punditry was “poor” and that the Man Utd legend is “not right” about Arsenal.

Jordan said: “It’s not a fair comment. I mean the fair comment is that for the front four, there potentially is an argument that you wouldn’t pick them [in a team of the season]. Ultimately he’s got some substance there.

“But if you asked him to stand up that observation against the 32 teams that won the Premier League or the 32 times it’s been won and analyse which has been the worst team and why he makes this observation, he’s at it.

“I mean, I like Paul Scholes as a player. He didn’t cover himself from glory as a manager and I think this sort of punditry is poor from him because it’s not right.

“Arsenal just smashed the Champions League. They just finished top of the [league phase] and won all eight games. This is a decent Arsenal side. It’s a good Arsenal side.”