The debate around Arsenal’s playing style this season has been fierce. Some call it pragmatic genius. Others call it downright ugly. But would the Gunners really be the most aesthetically displeasing Premier League title winners in history if they clinch the trophy this campaign ?

Set-pieces and physical football : ugly or just effective ?

Much of the criticism directed at Mikel Arteta’s side centres on their heavy reliance on set-pieces and physicality. Yet former England striker Wayne Rooney pushed back strongly against this narrative. Speaking on his own show this week, the five-time Premier League champion was unambiguous in his admiration. “I actually enjoy watching them play,” he said. “Set-pieces are part of football — why would you not use it ?”

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler had been one of Arsenal’s most prominent critics, voicing his concerns both before and after his side’s 1-0 defeat to the Gunners earlier this month. Yet even he softened his stance by Friday, revealing a respectful text exchange with Arteta. “He shared his opinion and I shared mine,” said Hurzeler, adding that he holds “huge respect for everyone at Arsenal.” His parting verdict was telling : “If they win the Premier League, they definitely deserve it.”

That kind of grudging acknowledgement speaks volumes. Arteta’s methods may divide opinion, but they are clearly working. David Moyes, current Everton manager and someone who worked closely with Arteta during the Spaniard’s five-year stint at Goodison Park, was equally supportive. Arteta himself expressed “massive gratitude” for Moyes, describing him as “one of the greatest Premier League managers.”

Moyes put the debate bluntly : “You are making it sound as if it’s a problem because they are good at set-pieces and they are a strong, physical side. I don’t see any problem. It’s part of the game.” He also referenced the concept of dark arts in football management — something Arteta has embraced. “You have got to find ways of winning,” Moyes said. “Winning is the thing that really matters.”

Historical precedent : past champions who won without pretty football

Before labelling Arsenal as uniquely ugly title contenders, it is worth examining how previous Premier League champions actually played. The history of the competition is dotted with sides who prioritised results over aesthetics.

Consider Leicester City’s miraculous 2015-16 title triumph. While celebrated worldwide, their football was far from a masterclass in attacking beauty. Here are some telling statistics from that campaign :

• Ten of their 68 goals came from the penalty spot.
• They recorded the fewest shots and touches in the opposition box on record that season.
• Fourteen of their 23 wins came by a single goal, representing 61% of their victories.

That is a portrait of ruthless efficiency, not free-flowing football. Claudio Ranieri’s side ground out results week after week, relying on a compact defensive block and lightning-fast counter-attacks. Yet their achievement is universally respected.

The numbers reveal something important. José Mourinho’s Chelsea side won 11 league games by a single goal in 2004-05 — a team often labelled as boring yet crowned champions with ease. Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United did the same in 2008-09 with 10 narrow victories. Arsenal’s current tally of just five such wins this season actually makes them less reliant on grinding results than those historic champions.

The phrase ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ has followed the club for decades, yet the data challenges whether it truly defines this particular squad. Their ability to score from dead-ball situations does not automatically equate to defensive negativity — it simply reflects tactical intelligence and meticulous preparation.

Arsenal’s title credentials go well beyond the set-piece argument

Reducing Arsenal’s entire campaign to their set-piece proficiency misses a much broader picture. Arteta has built a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts simultaneously. With the club still in contention for all four major trophies this season, the scale of their achievement is hard to dismiss.

The Gunners host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, with Arteta facing his former mentor Moyes on the touchline. That match carries extra emotional resonance for the Arsenal manager, who spent five formative years at Goodison Park developing under Moyes’s guidance. The warmth between the two managers makes the narrative around Arsenal’s supposed ugliness feel even more overstated.

Football has always rewarded teams that adapt, that find solutions and that impose themselves on opponents. Winning ugly is not a new phenomenon in English football — it is a well-worn path trodden by some of the competition’s most celebrated champions. What matters ultimately is the final points tally and the silverware collected.

Whether Arsenal lift the Premier League trophy this season or not, the debate around their style will persist. But the evidence from past title winners, combined with support from respected figures like Rooney, Moyes and even Hurzeler, suggests one thing clearly : effective football is never truly ugly. It is simply winning football — and that has always been the point.