Tony Pulis: 'I know Mikel Arteta sees comparisons to Stoke as a compliment'
Tony Pulis has praised Mikel Arteta for blocking out to noise
Tony Pulis has heaped praise upon Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for refusing to succumb to the criticism from opposition coaches and fans when it comes to his team's knack for scoring goals from set pieces.
Pulis likened this backlash to his tenure with Stoke City where the team were known for their direct style of play and similar aptitude for set piece goals.
In his new BBC column 'Going Direct', the former Stoke, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion manager homed in on the rise of set-pieces in the modern game and how more teams, primarily the current Premier League table toppers, are using this as their secret weapon.
"Like me, he (Arteta) has recognised how important clean sheets are and he has also recognised that a lot of his games last year were drawn. So, he has looked for a way to turn those draws into wins," said Pulis.
"More than 20% of all the non-penalty goals scored in the Premier League last season came from corners or free-kicks so Arteta has probably looked at those stats and thought if we can get a chunk of it to add to what we've got, we've got a good chance of becoming a winning team.
"His ambition is to win the Premier League for Arsenal, and he has now added another string to his bow. His team is full of talent and can now outplay sides in open play, keep clean sheets and, on top of that, they can score regularly from set-plays too."
The Welshman stressed how he didn't care what people thought or said about his philosophy during his Premier League managerial years because it was valuable to his club and it often yielded big results.
Arteta may have higher aspirations with Arsenal, but it is apparent that he has adopted the same attitude and it has served his team well so far.
"I think it's brilliant that Arteta has embraced set-pieces and, like me, I don't think he will give a damn about the people who want to knock him for doing it.
"Whichever club you are at, and whatever your approach, you are always going to be in a situation where there is going to be noise and criticism from outside but if you are winning games then your supporters will be absolutely delighted about it.
Pulis found time to criticise former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for his attitude towards Stoke and their style of play at the time.
"I do find it funny that 10 or 12 years ago, I was taking a lot of flak from Gunners supporters and Arsene Wenger was saying that Stoke were a rugby team because of our corner routines and long throws.
"That's another reason why I have got nothing but respect for Arteta, because he has seen all of that at the time and just thought, 'you know what, doing that could help us'.
"Wenger is probably shaking his head about what Arsenal are doing but I know Arteta sees the Stoke comparisons as a compliment and so do the other Premier League managers who are doing the same."
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