The job of pundits is to provide analysis, but it’s also to get headlines. Paul Scholes achieved that with his recent scathing comments about Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, saying that they could become the “worst team ever” to win the Premier League title. His critique was mostly around the lack of flair and over-reliance on set pieces and defensive rigidity.
When looking at the best betting apps in UK, a platform where fans can stay informed about the latest market insights and competitive odds, it’s clear that Arsenal are the favorites to win the title despite Manchester City’s uptick in form. But for a team that topped the Champions League, is in the final of the League Cup, and could win the quadruple, where is Paul Scholes coming from?
The basis of the "worst champions" argument
Scholes’ comments were mostly targeted in what he sees as a vacuum of superstar quality in Arsenal’s attacking line.
"Look at previous champions – Liverpool's forwards, brilliant. Possibly the only one is Saka, and I don't think he's been brilliant. He's not scored many goals this year or assists.”
The comments come soon after Rooney claimed the 2008 United team would “batter” Arsenal, and much of this also stems from the difference in attacking star power.
Both Scholes and Rooney played in a loose 4-4-2 system with plenty of freedom, a direction the league has moved away from. But evidence that attacking star power isn’t everything is that Madrid, who has an attack worth half a billion Euros, lost 5-1 to Arsenal. In the 3-0 win, it was only midfielders Rice and Merino to score for Arsenal.
Scholes’ argument has some truth in that Saka only has four goals this season, but ignores that Arsenal are far from goal-shy, with the largest goal difference in the league at +32.
Is the Premier League bad this year?
There is a feeling among football fans that, in credit to what Scholes is getting at, the Premier League doesn’t feel like it’s had its best year. He even recently alluded to the fact that it wouldn’t be Arsenal winning the league, so much as the other teams losing it and underperforming. This is backed up by the fact that total league goals have dipped, games are cagey, and a feeling of a lack of superstars across the board.
But how does this reconcile with the Champions League, which is currently being dominated by English teams? For the first time ever, five Premier League teams are in the Round of 16. These are arguments to suggest that the Premier League has never been this good, that there are no easy games, even against mid-table sides, and arguably the very existence of a Big Six has now disintegrated because of this competitiveness.
It’s all about efficiency, not artistry
The debate comes down to how aesthetic artistry conflicts with clinical efficiency, with top coaches swapping out playmakers and skillful wingers for powerful athletes who can get across the pitch and follow instructions. They have always been conflicted. But, when there was more volatility in the league - more headroom for error and a greater skill gap between the Top 6 and the rest of the league - then artistry and flair could still prevail. The issue in 2026 is that all teams are data-driven, efficient, and competitive, so Arteta feels he must be even more systematic.
Rival players like Amad Diallo have mockingly suggested that "corner kicks are Arsenal’s only hope". On the one hand, Arsenal are fourth this season in open-play goals. On the other hand, Arteta has weaponized a phase of the game that is repeatable and systematized. They are effectively "solving" the volatility of open-play football through these controlled restarts. It’s about creating phases of replicable processes and controlling the variables.
Saliba currently holds the highest win rate of any player in Arsenal’s history with at least 100 appearances. When Saliba and Gabriel start, Arsenal’s goals-against record (0.68 per game) is the best in the division. Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were often criticized for being “anti-football”, but eventually received their flowers.
Modern football and the end of the superstar era
The disconnect between Scholes and the Arsenal side is becoming a generational divide. High-intensity basketball-style transitions were exciting and opened up the floor to individualism. But with more money than ever poured into the game (a record £3 billion summer transfer spend in the league), with more data and science, efficiency increases. It’s a phenomenon across all sports, and it’s why many found snooker to be more exciting in the 90s than today.
Only eight points separate 6th and 14th place. The league is heading for one of the best relegation battles in recent memory, with even Tottenham Hotspur in the mix, along with a fierce fight for top 4. Whether the game is “better” or “worse” is a matter of opinion, but it has never been so competitive.
