David Moyes isn't having any of the criticism aimed at Mikel Arteta. The Everton boss has come out swinging in defense of his Arsenal counterpart, calling him "unbelievable" despite the noise around the Gunners' style of play.
Here's the thing that's got people talking: Arsenal are top of the Premier League and cruised through their Champions League group. But some critics reckon they're too reliant on set-pieces and not playing exciting enough football. Moyes thinks that's nonsense.
"What's up with any of those things?" Moyes asked reporters. "You're making it sound like that's a problem because they're good at set-pieces." He's got a point. If you're winning matches, does it really matter how you do it?
Physical Football Is Still Football
Moyes defended Arsenal's physical approach to the game. He doesn't see any problem with being strong and using that strength to your advantage. "It's part of the game," he said simply.
The Everton manager pointed out something interesting about modern football. Everyone expects teams to play beautiful, flowing football all the time. But that's just not realistic. "If we all did that it would be boring," Moyes noted.
For punters looking at the Arsenal-Everton clash, this defense of Arsenal's style is worth noting. The Gunners' set-piece prowess makes them dangerous in any match, and their physical game could trouble Everton. Moyes might have defender Jarrad Branthwaite back for the trip to the Emirates after he missed their Portugal training camp.
Arteta's Evolution as a Manager
Moyes has a unique perspective on Arteta. He actually signed the Spaniard as a player during his first spell at Everton. Now he's watching him succeed as a top-level manager.
"We've got some unbelievable managers, and Mikel is one of them," Moyes said. He praised Arteta's ability to evolve his team and keep developing his approach. That's the mark of a quality manager.
The fact that Arsenal are leading the Premier League while facing this criticism shows they're doing something right. Their consistency across competitions suggests they've found a formula that works, even if it doesn't please the purists.
Bottom line: Moyes sees Arteta as one of the best in the business. And when you're top of the table, it's hard to argue with the results.
