Unai Emery's 'utter rubbish' tactics are why Arsenal lost to Manchester City, says Sam Allardyce

Alex Young @alexwsyoung13 August 2018

Sam Allardyce has laid the blame for Arsenal's loss to Manchester City with new manager Unai Emery's "utter rubbish" tactical approach.

After a summer of promise, with a number of shrewd signings through the door early, the new dawn at the Emirates Stadium was handed a reality check as City once again made easy work of the Gunners.

Allardyce faced strong criticism from Everton fans over his style of play last season, and was sacked six months into an 18-month contract, but was the one to point the finger on Sunday.

Emery wants Arsenal to play out from the back with a high-pressing game, a ploy which Allardyce feels played into the Premier League champions' hands on Sunday.

"It's the manager's fault," he told talkSPORT. "Don't ask someone to do against Manchester City what you shouldn't do.

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Manchester City | 12/08/2018

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"What do Manchester City do? Press, press, press, so why do you try and play out [from the back]? Even the Arsenal crowd cheered when they dropped one in the opposition's half!

"You cannot just force 'the only way to play is this way' in this country.

"We're getting obsessed with this stupid 'let's play out from the back, split the centre-halfs either side of the 18-yard box and go and play from there'.

"It's utter rubbish to play like that all the time ... When you're the best you can do it."

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