Jose Mourinho has now admitted that he has a question he’d like to ask Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta this season.
The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has had some heated duels with Arsenal over the years.
Particularly during Arsene Wenger’s tenure, the Portuguese manager seemed intent on damaging Arsenal’s aspirations, whatever they may have been at the time.
Of course, for much of Mikel Arteta’s time as Arsenal boss, Jose Mourinho has been away in Italy managing AS Roma.
But now a free agent, it’ll be very interesting to see if the three-time Premier League winning manager makes a return to England.
That seems pretty unlikely for now, given Mourinho has perhaps burned bridges with most clubs in the top six one way or another.
But that certainly hasn’t stopped ‘the special one’ from keeping a close eye on this season’s campaign and the fascinating title race.
Jose Mourinho wants someone to ask Mikel Arteta why Arsenal play so many centre-backs
A manager who values the art of defending himself, Mourinho admitted that he’s been fascinated by how both Manchester City and Arsenal deploy so many centre-backs.
Mourinho said each side can sometimes play six, and said he would be asking why if he was a journalist.
He explained: “Look to Manchester City, look to Arsenal – just to give two examples. How many central defenders do they have in the team? Sometimes they have six. As a matter of principle.
“Then they play in other positions. They play right-back, left-back, they play midfield. But they play with five or six central defenders on the pitch.
“Why? If I am a journalist I would ask the manager.”
Of course, it was a concern among some Arsenal fans earlier in the season that their side had become almost too focused on defending.
Arsenal are absolutely right to follow Pep Guardiola’s lead
However, Mikel Arteta has certainly nailed that balance since the turn of the year, even if it has involved Jakub Kiwior playing out wide.
As is often the case, Pep Guardiola seems to have pioneered the idea of playing four centre-backs across the back four in the last few years.
And that ploy arguably did lead to Man City finally lifting a Champions League trophy last season.
And although Mourinho would like someone to question Arteta on this choice, he would surely understand the benefits it provides Arsenal.
That being said, the Gunners would be well advised to address their actual full-backs ahead of the new season.
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s shortcomings have been evident in recent months once again, and perhaps an improvement needs to be sought.
Although, it is a different member of Arsenal’s leadership group that Juventus are now said to be interested in.
