Roy Keane Slams Mikel Arteta’s “Dinosaur” Tactics In Arsenal’s 2-2 Draw With Manchester City

Roy Keane has slammed Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his “dinosaur” tactics in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

Arsenal’s tactics were heavily criticised following their 2-2 draw against Man City, with Keane labelling Arteta’s side as “dinosaurs” for their ultra-defensive approach in the second half.

After Leandro Trossard was sent off in the first half, Arteta instructed his players to retreat deep into their own half and focus on defending their slender lead.

Despite their efforts, Arsenal conceded a late equaliser from John Stones, and their negative play throughout the second half drew significant criticism.

Keane, speaking on SkyBet’s Stick to Football, was particularly scathing in his assessment. “If Tony Pulis, Sam Allardyce, Steve Bruce, or Neil Warnock set up a team like that for the second half, they are ‘dinosaurs’,” he said. “When Arsenal do it, it’s called ‘brilliant’; it’s ‘concentration levels’.”

The former Manchester United captain also criticised Arsenal’s lack of ambition, suggesting they played like a “small team” with a “small mentality.” “I’m on about when you’ve got it [the ball], still look after it,” he said. “Don’t even worry about playing one up front, but when you do get it, try and get four, five, six passes. They were just booting it like a small team with a small mentality.”

“You're saying about 10 men like it's never been done before!” 😅

Roy and Ian can’t seem to agree on Arsenal’s performance vs. Man City, what’s your view? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/DlpPEf3rOh

— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) September 26, 2024

Arsenal will now look to build on their promising start when they host Leicester City on Saturday. Three points against the struggling Foxes will be essential before they prepare for an important Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.