Thierry Henry defends Mikel Arteta and Arsenal's playing style

Thierry Henry has defended Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta against criticism regarding the team’s playing style. Following Arsenal’s recent Premier League title win—their first in 22 years—some critics have labeled the team’s approach as too defensive and overly reliant on set pieces.

During an interview on Jerome Rothen’s podcast, Henry noted that it took Arteta several years to make the team competitive. He argued that to overtake dominant sides like Manchester City and Liverpool, a team must become tough and difficult to play against. Henry emphasized that while the style may not be described as ‘pretty,’ the results and the ability to dominate opponents should earn respect.

This criticism follows Arsenal’s narrow loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final, where the team recorded a historically low possession rate of 24.7 percent.