Arsenal’s Premier League rivals are terrified of playing them, they aren’t boring – but their critics are

Arsenal’s opponents are to blame for their ‘boring’ matches in the Premier League this season.

That is the view of former Gunners midfielder Adrian Clarke after his old side’s Carabao Cup semi-final win over Chelsea.

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Liam Rosenior‘s approach for Tuesday’s second leg at the Emirates Stadium resulted in a cagey affair in north London.

The Blues set out to keep the match tight despite trailing 3-2 from the first leg.

Rosenior then brought on Cole Palmer and Estevao in the second half in a bid to grab the late goals Chelsea needed to advance.

Instead, Kai Havertz‘s stoppage-time goal sent Arsenal to the final as 4-2 victors on aggregate.

Chelsea’s game plan followed similar approaches from Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League this season.

Their visits to face Arsenal resulted in underwhelming spectacles, which ended in draws.

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta‘s side have been involved in entertaining clashes with the likes of Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan in Europe this term.

Rivals to blame for ‘boring’ Arsenal matches

Clarke believes this is down to the differences in approaches from clubs in the Champions League compared to their domestic rivals.

He discussed the tactical set-ups of City, Liverpool and Chelsea on the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Inside Gooners show this week.

The Arsenal academy graduate explained: “I think they’re respecting Arteta, but they’re respecting the team, the quality of the team.

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“City did the lowest block in the history of Pep Guardiola’s management career.

“Liverpool came and didn’t try to score a goal, they put (Florian) Wirtz up front and basically played strikerless.

“We’ve seen a cup semi-final, Chelsea desperately needed goals and they played with a 5-4-1. This is all a nod to Arsenal.

“Those people that say that Arsenal are boring, are boring themselves because it’s a garbage opinion.

“Look at Arsenal in the Champions League when we come up against opponents that worry about their own game. We are entertaining, we score goals, we play great football.

“The English clubs are scared witless of Arsenal and no one wants to come and attack us.

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“That unfortunately makes for sometimes dull spectacles, but ultimately, we’re getting points, we’re winning games.”

As for their midweek win over Chelsea, Clarke added: “What I wanted to see maybe a little bit earlier was us going longer because they had that high-ish line and it took us about half an hour to flick one over the top.

“Gabriel Martinelli got in and he probably should have done a little bit better.

“In the second half we went long quite a lot. The quality of those passes weren’t great, but it was a good tactic because what normally happens if you start turning a defence, they get sick of that and they’re like ‘right, we’re dropping off a bit’ and that’s what we wanted.

“I thought it was a tactical chess match, but ultimately Arteta wins that duel with Rosenior because we win the game.”

Arsenal will now face Man City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 22.

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The Carabao Cup is one of four trophies the Gunners could still win this season.

As well as sitting six points clear at the top of the Premier League, they will face Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round and are into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Arteta’s side finished top of the league phase in Europe and have won every single game of the campaign so far.

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