Arsenal's long wait for European glory ended in the cruellest of fashions on a stifling Budapest night, a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint Germa...
Arsenal's long wait for European glory ended in the cruellest of fashions on a stifling Budapest night, a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint Germain that left the Emirates faithful numb. But if the pain of missing out on their maiden Champions League crown was not enough, the knife was twisted further by the most unlikely of critics. Sir Alex Ferguson, the grand old patriarch of Manchester United, has called Mikel Arteta's side "boring".Ferguson was quick to congratulate PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi on the triumph, but could not resist taking a swipe at the Gunners in the very same breath. For a club that prides itself on the 'Arsenal way' this is a strange and bitter pill to swallow. Anyone who watched that final knows it was a gruelling tactical chess match. A 1. 1 draw after 120 minutes. Arsenal set up with a disciplined low block for long spells, frustrated PSG's ball progression, and largely nullified their attacking threats. The problem was that they offered precious little in return.Let's be honest about it. This is not the invincible vintage of Henry or Bergkamp. Arteta's side is built on structure, on control, on defensive solidity. They do not blow teams away. They grind them down. And against a PSG side that can flip a game with a single moment of individual brilliance, that approach can leave you exposed in the most painful way. Ferguson, a man who built dynasties on fearless attacking football and players who could produce the unexpected, simply does not recognise this Arsenal. To him, it is sterile. It is safe. It is boring.Does that tag sting Absolutely. Arsenal fans will feel a deep, visceral anger at hearing that word from a man who spent decades trying to bury their hopes. But there is a grain of uncomfortable truth in the criticism. Arteta's tactical flexibility is often praised, yet in the biggest match of their modern history, the Gunners chose restraint over risk. They parked the bus in a Champions League final. And eventually, the bus got a puncture from twelve yards. Heartbreak is one thing. Being called dull by your greatest rival is another matter entirely.
