Arteta defends Arsenal style as Raya points to 10 wins in 11 games

Mikel Arteta has defended Arsenal's playing style, saying criticism comes from a small section of observers as his team continues a season in which it has won 10 of its first 11 matches. According to BBC Sport, the Arsenal manager also acknowledged that his players could improve their work against opponents who defend deep, following Sunday's narrow victory over Nottingham Forest.

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Substitute Noni Madueke scored in the 80th minute to secure that win. It was Arsenal's 11th goal in seven Premier League matches this season, with the team having encountered difficulties breaking down defensive opposition. The late breakthrough against Forest provided the immediate backdrop to questions about how Arsenal are turning their control of matches into goals.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that dissatisfaction with the team's approach was widespread. He said he had heard positive assessments of Arsenal's football and pointed to possession, shots and the involvement of different players in their attacking work. In his assessment, most observers had enjoyed the team's performances and the way Arsenal had controlled games this season.

The manager nevertheless accepted that Sunday's performance left scope for improvement. He explained that facing a deep defensive block places different demands on a team from confronting opponents who press higher up the pitch. Arteta said Arsenal had things within their control that they could have done better against Forest, and that recognising those shortcomings was part of the response.

The discussion also comes with a change in the source of Arsenal's goals. BBC Sport reported that the club won last season's Premier League title while conceding fewer goals than any other team and scoring the most from set-pieces. This season, Arsenal have yet to score a set-piece goal in any competition, a contrast Arteta highlighted when discussing how the team's performances are being judged.

Goalkeeper David Raya also defended Arsenal's approach. He said the players were not irritated by outside criticism and stressed that they had lost only once in 11 matches. Raya described enjoying both the team's football and the daily effort to win matches, placing results at the centre of his response to questions about their style.