Arteta defends Arsenal's style but calls for improvement against deep defences

Mikel Arteta has defended Arsenal's playing style while acknowledging that his team must improve when opponents defend deep. According to BBC Sport, the Arsenal manager believes criticism comes from a small minority, with his side having won 10 of their opening 11 matches of the season.

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That winning record has not been accompanied by a heavy flow of league goals. Arsenal have scored 11 times in seven Premier League matches and have found it difficult to break down deep-lying opponents. Their latest victory over Nottingham Forest required substitute Noni Madueke to score in the 80th minute on Sunday.

The team's scoring pattern also differs from the one that helped secure last season's Premier League title. BBC Sport reported that Arsenal conceded fewer goals than any other side and led the league for goals from set-pieces during that campaign. This season, they have yet to score from a set-piece in any competition.

Arteta pointed to that change as part of his response to questions about Arsenal's football. He said his team had more possession and more shots, with different players involved in their attacking play. In his assessment, many observers have enjoyed Arsenal's performances and the control they have exercised over matches, rather than sharing the criticism.

However, the manager did not suggest the Forest performance was beyond scrutiny. He acknowledged that Arsenal could have handled parts of that game better and said the team needed to recognise those shortcomings. Arteta distinguished between the demands of facing a low defensive block and those posed by opponents who play higher up the pitch.

Goalkeeper David Raya also rejected the suggestion that the debate was irritating Arsenal's players. He pointed to their single defeat in 11 games as evidence of their results, while accepting that people would form their own views. Raya said the players enjoyed their football and regarded winning matches as the central priority.

The comments came with Arsenal due to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. Arteta's position combined a defence of the team's performances with an acknowledgement that their work against compact opposition can improve, even as results continue to favour them.