Following Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Liverpoolin August, Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane were among those to raise questions over the Gunners’ style of play under Arteta. Schmeichel was also critical of the Spanish coach as he labelled the Gunners’ style of football “ugly” and “annoying” and admitted he wanted Liverpool to win the clash.
Now, Arsenal icon Keown has hit back at Schmeichel, claiming that the former Denmark goalkeeper’s comments were “deranged”. The ex-England defender did, however, admit that Arteta’s side need to change their mentality to win the Premier League this season.
Speaking on talkSPORT the 59-year-old said: “We want more. Arsenal I feel now are at the stage where it’s a mentality change, they need to change gear, they’ve really got to go after it. You’ve got to have the eye of the tiger to really go and win these games. Looking back, I hope we don’t regret it, but it’s too early in the season to write Arsenal off.
“I don’t know if it’s been calm in the media. I’ve listened to some people, sometimes these ex-players like Peter Schmeichel has said that Arsenal bring something “ugly” to the Premier League. I think that’s deranged, what’s he talking about.”
Keown added: “Was it they changed the back-pass rule in 1992 because it was him [Schmeichel] that was one of the advocates of that? Everyone kept passing it back to him, that was ugly as well. Arsenal are a long way down the line to being successful. I think Arsenal look good right now. It’s not lucky Arsenal anymore, by the way, with all these injuries. That will clear up and they’ve now got a squad to go the distance, but Liverpool are still ahead.”
The Gunners will be back in action in the Premier League this weekend as they take on Nottingham Forest at home.
