Ex-Chelsea captain slams Mikel Obi’s comments over Arsenal’s set-pieces

Former Chelsea and England defender John Terry has slammed people describing Arsenal's set-piece prowess as illegal, Mikel Obi included, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Gunners have scored the most goals from dead balls in the English Premier League this season, converting 19, five more than any other team.

However, Mikel Obi is not a fan of the hassle that goes on when Arteta's men have to take a corner kick, especially after his beloved Chelsea fell short to the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium last week.

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“We [Chelsea] used to park the bus, yes, but we won legally,” the AFCON 2013 winner said.

“When I watch Arsenal play right now, they depend solely on corner kicks.

“You have spent almost a billion, Mikel Arteta, almost a billion. And you’re telling me the only way you can win games is through corner kicks? It’s ridiculous.

“For me, every time I watch them during the corner kicks, during set pieces, what they do during set pieces, for me, it’s illegal. You can’t do that.

“First of all, they’re impeding the goalkeeper, and now they start holding players. When you hold a player, when you impede a player from jumping.

“How can the referee not see that? Even if the ball goes in, how can VAR not see that?

“So that is what I mean, that Arsenal are trying to cheat their way to winning the Premier League,” Mikel Obi concluded.

John Terry reacts to Mikel Obi's criticism of Arsenal's style

The former Chelsea captain has come out to describe talks about the illegality of the style employed by Mikel Arteta's men as ‘rubbish'.

“I want to talk about set-pieces and the roles of set-piece coaches in today's game. There have been loads of rubbish talk about Arsenal having an asterisk over them if they go on to win the title, which is ridiculous,” the former England defender said on his Tik Tok page.

“They've been the best side by far, and also from set-pieces, they're the best by a million miles, they're very well drilled.

“Their set-piece coach deserves a lot of accolades, and also Mikel Arteta as well, for being the best in both departments,” John Terry concluded.

Chelsea are currently 5th on the English Premier League table with 48 points, while Arsenal are top of the summit, seven points above Manchester City.