Arsenal legend George Graham slams set-piece ‘professional wrestling on steroids’

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Arsenal legend George Graham has launched a scathing attack on modern football’s approach to set-pieces, describing the current tactics as “professional wrestling on steroids” that are ruining the game.

The former Gunners manager, who led the club to two league titles, spoke out after watching Arsenal lose the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City, with much of the first half dominated by physical battles at set-pieces rather than flowing football.

The dark arts destroying football

Graham catalogued a litany of offences now commonplace at set-pieces: “The bear-hugging, wrestling opponents to the ground, pushing and shoving and blocking players off the ball, wrenching arms almost out of their sockets, the non-stop shirt-pulling, the elbowing, the head-banging, the clambering onto rivals’ shoulders.”

The 81-year-old, who built his successful Arsenal teams on solid defensive foundations, was quick to point out that while the Gunners may be “the best at it,” they are far from alone in employing these tactics.

“If others are getting away with it, what are they supposed to do?” Graham asked, showing understanding for Mikel Arteta’s approach while lamenting the direction the game has taken.

Referees facing impossible task

Graham expressed sympathy for match officials, describing their job as having “become impossible” due to the prevalence of these tactics throughout matches, not just at set-pieces.

“The referees are always under pressure to keep the game flowing. So they only penalise a few of the worst offences. Otherwise there would be free-kick after free-kick, penalties galore,” he explained.

The former Scotland international called for urgent intervention from football authorities: “It needs a crisis meeting of all parties. And soon. To put a stop to this stuff before it gets worse and ends up ruining football.”

Arteta praise amid concerns

Despite his criticism of modern tactics, Graham had kind words for Arteta, describing him as a “nice man” during their brief encounters at the Emirates.

“Mikel worked all those seasons with Pep Guardiola and picked up the handbook on possession football. Now he’s adding playing for corners and maximising those as well as angled free-kicks with all that mayhem in the box,” Graham observed.

However, he warned of mounting pressure if Arsenal fail to deliver silverware this season: “Coming second three years running is not bad at all, but will that be enough? How long can his players keep responding to such hyper-intensive coaching if the rewards don’t come?”

Graham’s concerns reflect broader worries about football’s evolution, with his call for immediate action highlighting the urgency many feel about preserving the game’s integrity before these tactics become even more entrenched.