Arteta ‘appreciates’ clear-the-air talks with Hurzeler over Arsenal rant | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta and Fabian Hurzeler have seemingly buried the hatchet over the Brighton boss’s criticisms of Arsenal’s tactics this season. 

The German coach criticised the Gunners for time-wasting on set pieces before and after his side’s 1-0 defeat at home last week.

“I think there was only one team that tried to play football today,” he said after the final whistle, adding that he “will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way”.

Hurzeler revealed on Friday that he had spoken with Arteta over text about his comments and told him he has “huge respect” for how he and his team works.

“If they win the Premier League, they definitely deserve it, but it’s just things that made me emotional, and I’m a person who sticks to his principles and opinions,” he said.

Mikel Arteta ‘appreciates’ Fabian Hurzeler conversation over Arsenal rant

Arteta responded in kind at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Everton, calling Hurzeler a “fantastic coach” who is doing “really good” work at Brighton.

“That is a personal conversation,” he said. “He’s made comments, certain comments he made before, and I think it says a lot of positive things about him as a person.

“I appreciate that. I think he is a fantastic coach and the work he is doing at Brighton is really, really good. That’s fine.”

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Arsenal have also been criticised for their physical style of play this season. When asked whether it matters if his team play attractive football, Arteta replied: “It’s about playing the best possible way you can to give you the best possibility to win the game. That’s it.

“I realise what is happening in the Premier League when I watched the Champions League the other day between Newcastle and Barcelona. Barcelona is one of the exciting teams to watch in Europe. They face Premier League side Newcastle who are exceptional in intensity and so good in transition. And we saw a completely different game that I’ve never seen Barcelona play.

“That’s huge credit to Newcastle. This the league that we are playing in. You won’t see Barca play it in Spain. It was a different kind of game.”

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