Overview
- Wayne Rooney called the attacks on Arsenal “very unfair” on his BBC show and urged Mikel Arteta to keep using set‑piece routines, even more if rivals cannot handle them.
- Alan Shearer rejected the complaints on The Rest Is Football, citing Arsenal’s seven‑point Premier League lead, a Carabao Cup final berth, an FA Cup quarter‑final spot, and a first‑place Champions League group finish.
- Criticism from figures such as Alan Pardew and Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler has focused on alleged time‑wasting and pushing the rules, with Pardew suggesting any title would carry an “asterisk.”
- Reporting highlights the scale of Arsenal’s dead‑ball output, with 22 of 59 goals coming from set pieces, including 16 from corners, which has intensified scrutiny of their approach.
- Supportive pundits argue that officiating has not curbed Arsenal’s methods and that results outweigh stylistic preferences during a title pursuit and concurrent cup runs.