Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has said that while he understands the need for Arsenal to score goals from set-pieces in the Premier League as they close in on their first title in 22 years, he was “expecting more from this Arsenal” team. Arsenal are five points ahead of Manchester City (who have a game in hand) as the title race reaches its final third. The two teams will face off in a Premier League clash at the Etihad on April 18. The Gunners managed to overcome Chelsea 2-1 at the weekend to stay in the lead. But the game saw all three goals from both teams being scored off corner kicks, which has come under some scrutiny. “From the Arsenal point of view, what really matters is the three points. It is really important for them and of course, when you look at the game a little bit more deeper, scoring two goals on the set pieces… it wasn’t really an open game as you would have expected. Obviously, Chelsea had a massive part in the game because they were quite well organized defensively. So, it was quite difficult for Arsenal to create chances. But of course, when you are on top of the Champions League table, you are top of the Premier League table, you are in a final in the League Cup and you’re still in a FA Cup competition, the expectation is higher and you expect more from this Arsenal football club. On the (attacking) side of the game, creating chances, going forward, and taking risks, I am a little bit disappointed, but what matters for them is to win taking the three points and I think they did it well today,” Vieira said on the Sky Sports Football podcast where he was joined by Manchester City legend Yaya Toure. Vieira played 406 games for the Gunners between 1996 to 2005 and scored 33 goals for them despite being a midfield general. That Invincibles Arsenal team had once gone unbeaten for a whole season and impressed even rival fans with flashy, eye-catching football. Talking about the current Arsenal team’s playing style, Vieira added: “It’s not about the style because I think the style is (influenced) by the fact that they didn’t win the title for so long. Maybe there is a little bit of exasperation and stress because you want to do well so badly that you are not taking the risks that you were taking at the start of the season. So looking at where they are, a little bit of nervousness, stress, pressure can have an impact on their games. But I believe that there is enough experience, quality, and personality for them to go on the field and to go to win the game.” WATCH: Patrick Vieira on Arsenal Vieira also said that at this stage, the Gunners need to cut out outside noise. “There’s a pressure—the pressure as a team you want to do well, but there’s outside noise as well that you have to manage, you have to control. I think when you’re looking at Pep (Guardiola, Manchester City manager) talking about Arsenal and saying that Arsenal are the best team at the moment, that is as well putting a pressure on the shoulders of Arsenal football club and that is part of the game as well. “But it will be really important, and especially when you get to the end of the season like that, there’s key games that you have to win and it doesn’t matter if you play well or bad, and I think today’s game was one of them.” Then, comparing the two contenders for the Premier League title, Arsenal and Manchester City, Vieira said: “If you compare Arsenal and Manchester City, I think when Manchester City go through a difficult period, they’re always going to keep the philosophy. I think the way that they’re going to play, try to build up from the back, that is part of the DNA. And even if they’re going through a difficult period, they are staying with that kind of philosophy. When Arsenal are going through a difficult period, they are capable of adapting themselves to how they are feeling at the moment. If they have missing players, they may go and tweak some of the tactical aspects of the game. I think that is kind of the difference between them.”
‘You expect more from this Arsenal team’: Patrick Vieira after Gunners’ scrappy win vs Chelsea
