O'Hara brands Premier League champions Arsenal 'worst to watch'
Jamie O'Hara has launched a scathing attack on Arsenal, describing the Premier League champions as the 'worst to watch' and branding Mikel Arteta's side 'unbearable'.
The former Tottenham midfielder made the comments on Sky Sports, taking aim at the style of football Arteta's team have produced on their way to the title. Arsenal have built a reputation under Arteta for being a meticulous, structured side, with set piece routines and defensive organisation often cited as cornerstones of their success.
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O'Hara's criticism arrives at a time when Arsenal sit as the reigning Premier League champions, a position that has invited plenty of scrutiny from pundits across the division. Arsenal have also been working through their Champions League campaign, having recently drawn with Bayern Munich, a result that prompted discussion about the squad's ability to compete at the highest defensive level against elite opposition.
Not the first critical voice
O'Hara is not alone in questioning aspects of Arsenal's approach this season. Jamie Carragher has previously suggested Arsenal lack 'star power' up front, pointing to a perceived gap in individual brilliance compared to some title rivals. Paul Merse has also discussed struggles in the final third, including comments on Eze's form and calls to 'let him off the leash'.
Arsenal have, however, continued to grind out results, including what Merse described as a 'comfortable' win over Everton, with goals from Konsa and Gabriel helping the Gunners move top of the table. The win underlined the kind of controlled, efficient performances that have become a hallmark of Arteta's tenure, even if they do not always produce the open, free flowing football some critics crave.
Arteta has shown no sign of being troubled by outside noise, recently calling out other managers after picking up a technical area booking, a sign of the competitive edge that runs through his touchline demeanour. That same edge has defined Arsenal's title winning campaign, built on resilience and game management rather than flair for its own sake.
Substance over style
Whether Arsenal are 'unbearable' to watch is, inevitably, a matter of taste. What is not in dispute is the end product: Arsenal currently hold the Premier League crown and sit top of the table, with a Champions League campaign still very much alive against sides of Bayern Munich's calibre.
For Arteta and his squad, results have consistently taken priority over aesthetics, and as long as the trophies and points keep arriving, criticism of the style is unlikely to change the approach in north London.
