Coach Mikel Arteta: 'Arsenal is the most exciting team in Europe'

Coach Mikel Arteta answered Paul Scholes' critique by stating that Arsenal is the most captivating team in Europe, while also aiming to transform their strong performance into a Carabao Cup title.

Coach Mikel Arteta has strongly replied to the criticisms aimed at Arsenal, while insisting that the "Gunners" are currently the most entertaining team in Europe, contrary to the controversial claim by former star Paul Scholes that they are "boring."

Speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea at Emirates Stadium, Arteta appeared relaxed when asked about the opinion that Arsenal could become “the most boring team in history if they win the Premier League”. The Spanish manager even laughed and remarked that what he hears from outside England is completely the opposite.

Arteta said: “I hear the exact opposite. Across Europe, people consider Arsenal the most exciting team: scoring the most goals, keeping the most clean sheets. Maybe I have different sources of information.”

The debate started from Paul Scholes' comment that Arsenal’s attacking style lacks coherence, relies heavily on set pieces, and does not produce the explosive impact of past champions. However, Arteta is not overly concerned and even joked that if anyone has “addresses or emails” of the critics, he is willing to engage with them.

In fact, the numbers support Arteta’s view. Arsenal made history in the Champions League by becoming the first team to win all 8 group stage matches. In the Premier League, they lead the table by 6 points over Manchester City, maintaining consistent and effective form.

Viktor Gyokeres is currently Arsenal’s top scorer in domestic competitions with 6 goals, demonstrating that the attack is functioning well despite doubts. Additionally, the “Gunners” are particularly strong in set-piece situations, scoring 17 goals from free kicks, more than any other team.

All these factors set the perfect stage for the Carabao Cup semi-final rematch against Chelsea. Arsenal holds a 3-2 advantage from the first leg and only needs a draw to reach the final at Wembley. Arteta emphasized the goal of turning this “excitement” into a concrete trophy, ending a Carabao Cup drought dating back to 1993.

Arteta said: “What matters is that the team and fans enjoy this moment together. A trophy is something you want to keep winning repeatedly, and we have the chance to do just that.” Meanwhile, Chelsea is expected to play fiercely, but Arteta believes that with the united support from the Emirates stands, Arsenal has the resilience to overcome the challenge and continue asserting their status.