You didn't need that — Mikel Obi slams Arteta winning mentality after City draw

Super Eagles legend John Mikel Obi is the latest to criticise Mikel Arteta for his conservative set-up for the Premier League clash against rivals, Manchester City.

The Gunners played a 1-1 draw against the Cityzens last weekend, limiting Pep Guardiola’s side to the lowest possession tally in the Spaniard's nine years at the club.  

Manchester City scored first; Arsenal wrestled back control and did not cede it for the rest of the game. However, the dominance only produced one goal, created by second-half substitute Eberechi Eze. 

Fans and analysts like Gary Neville have been heavily critical of Arteta's set-up, arguing that Arsenal had City for the taking. They would have definitely won had Arteta started an offensive line-up. Mikel Obi shares similar sentiments. 

The former Chelsea midfielder believes that Manchester City are the weakest they have ever been, given the massive changes to their squad and backroom staff. Hence, according to him, Arteta should have exploited their weakness instead of playing it safe. 

“Too many, you know, transition, you know, he's just trying to find a way, brought in way too many players, too many changes, you know, changed his backroom staff, changed his sporting director, changed all the players, you know, goalkeeper, everything, way too many changes,” Mikel said about Manchester City on the Obi One podcast. 

“It's a team that's in transition. You can feel that. So they're not there. So for me, that's why I say it's the worst Manchester City side that Pep Guardiola has ever had. 

“So for me, taking that into consideration, having said all that. That is where Mikel Arteta would have attacked the city side. He would have gone for it. He would have gone for it. I smell blood here.

“This is not the city side that we know, that we all come to know. So for me with the starting lineup, I just thought, yes, play Declan Rice and Zubimendi as the two pivot, two holding midfield players. 

Why not play Eze as the number 10? Why do you have to start Mikel Merino and play 3 Midfielders? You didn't need that. There's no need for that. Why was there a handbrake? What was that handbrake when it comes to the starting 11?”

Mikel believes that Arteta would have been better served starting Eberechi Eze as the number 10 instead of the three physical midfielders: Mikel Merino, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.

“You beat them 5-1 last season. So for me this is a city side that are not playing well, that are, you know, you know, in transition with the players that they've brought in. So for me I just thought Mikel Arteta, again, it comes down to the winning mentality.”

“He hasn't tasted Mikel Arteta doesn't know. A manager that has won the Premier League would have known that and thought, you know what, a manager that wins titles would have known, you know what, I'll go for this. I'll go, I fancy, I fancy us today.

“I'm gonna to take risks. We're playing at home. Our fans behind us. I’ll played two hold the midfield players and the number 10. Give Eze the free role to go out there and create chances and make sure that we create chances to win the game.

“You can't play 3 holding midfield players because it doesn't matter how you look at it. Merino, Declan Rice, and Zubimendi they're all 3 holding midfield players.

“Bring in a number 10, play Eze as a number 10 behind Gyokeres to create chances. Why put on a hand brake? I don't get it.

“But again, it comes down to Arsenal. It's the DNA of Arsenal. They don't know how to win trophies. They have no idea what it takes. That game, when you look back at it, come the end of the season. That might be the game when you look back and thought, oh, we missed that out of here.”