Mikel Backs Arsenal to Retain Premier League Title, Demands More Entertaining Football

Former Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel has backed Arsenal to retain their Premier League title but challenged Mikel Arteta’s side to play with greater freedom and entertainment in their title defence.

Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the league crown last season, finishing seven points clear of Manchester City, and began their defence with a 3-0 victory over newly promoted Coventry City.

Mikel believes the Gunners’ stability gives them a major advantage over rivals who have changed managers, including Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham.

‘Arsenal, I think they win because, again, they are the team that is settled,’ Mikel told Flashscore. ‘They have had the same team for the past five or six years, the same manager. He has built the team, he has built the winning squad, and now again he has added to that squad.’

However, the former Chelsea midfielder wants Arsenal to move away from the cautious approach that characterised parts of their title-winning campaign.

‘I think they will go on to defend the title, but again, the question is: how do they defend it? Do they play more entertaining football, more exciting football, or are they going to be boring like they did last year?’ he said.

Mikel argued that the pressure of ending Arsenal’s long wait for the title has now disappeared and believes their talented squad should therefore be allowed to express itself more freely.

‘We want to see them express themselves because they have the players there. They have the talent to do it. Be free, express yourself. Now the pressure of not having won it for the past 22 years is gone.’

The Nigerian also renewed his criticism of Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces and perceived time-wasting, although he stressed that he has nothing against the champions.

‘We don’t want to see the boring Arsenal scoring with set-pieces and corner-kicks. The first game I saw, they played well, they were exciting. That’s what the fans want to see.’

Mikel said his criticism is about the way football should be played rather than an attempt to diminish Arsenal’s achievement.

‘I don’t have a problem with Arsenal. They can win a game however they choose to win a game, but I want to see the game played in the right way, in an honest way.’

He also pointed to Arsenal’s title-winning clash with West Ham as a match that, in his view, highlighted his concerns about how set-piece situations and fouls were being handled.