John Obi Mikel Unleashes Scathing Attack on Arsenal's 'Illegal' Playing Style
In an astonishing outburst, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has labelled Arsenal as 'desperate cheats' who play 'illegal' football, insisting he would not recognise them as valid Premier League champions. The two-time title winner launched a fiery harangue on talkSPORT, claiming Mikel Arteta has stifled the Gunners' best talent and that their style is 'ridiculous' and 'ugly'.
Set-Piece Dependency and 'Ugly' Wins Under Scrutiny
Mikel pointed to Arsenal's reliance on set-pieces this season, with the team scoring 21 goals from such situations in the league—more than any other side. According to club statistics, only 35 of their 100 goals across all competitions have come from open play. 'When I watch Arsenal play right now, they depend solely, solely on corner kicks,' Mikel declared. 'You have spent almost a billion, Mikel Arteta, almost a billion. And you're telling me the only way you can win games is through corner kicks? It's ridiculous… they win it ugly.'
He argued that Arsenal fans are only tolerating this approach because the team tops the table. 'The only reason why the Arsenal fans are not complaining with the style of football that they're playing is because they're top of the league. If they're not top of the league, they will complain that they're not enjoying the type of football that they're playing.'
Mikel Accuses Arsenal of 'Illegal' Tactics and Impeding Players
The former Nigeria international went further, alleging that Arsenal's set-piece routines involve illegal holding and impeding of opponents. 'What is illegal about it? It's for me, every time I watch them doing the corner kicks, doing set pieces, what they do during set-pieces, for me, it's illegal. You can't do that. First of all, they're impeding the goalkeeper and now they start holding players.'
Mikel cited a specific incident from Arsenal's match against Chelsea, where he claimed Declan Rice was grabbing defender Jorrel Hato to prevent him from jumping. 'He was holding him so he couldn't jump. And for me, yeah, and for me, how can the referee not see that? Even if the ball goes in, how can the VAR not see that?' He called on the PGMOL to intervene, warning that other teams might follow suit if not stopped.
Broader League-Wide Issue and Managerial Concerns
While Mikel focused his rant on Arsenal, he acknowledged this is a league-wide problem. The Premier League has seen a higher proportion of set-piece goals than any other top-five European league this season. Other managers have voiced similar concerns:
- Liverpool boss Arne Slot claims most matches are now not a 'joy to watch'.
- West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has called the situation 'absolutely crazy' and demanded a review.
- Everton faced criticism last month for loading players onto Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens from corners.
Mikel's Stance on Arsenal's Title Credentials and Personal Refusal
Mikel doubled down on his criticism, accusing Arsenal of being desperate to end their 22-year title drought. 'That's a team that is desperate of winning the Premier League, because they know that they haven't won the Premier League for the last 22 years, 23 years. And now they're so desperate, they want to cheat their way through it.'
He emphasised that Arsenal should 'win it the right way, play the game the right way, and win the game the right way, which is legally.' When asked if he would recognise Arsenal as champions if they lift the trophy, Mikel was unequivocal: 'Not if they're going and winning the way they're playing right now. No, I wouldn't. Because for me, it's a cheat. They've cheated their way to winning the Premier League.'
Furthermore, he stated he would refuse to adopt such tactics if playing under Arteta. 'No, you can't, because he spent a billion.' Arsenal currently lead Manchester City by seven points, having played a game more, with eight matches remaining. A title win would vindicate Arteta's embrace of the 'dark arts', but for Mikel, it would be a tainted victory built on what he deems illegal methods.
