Arsenal: Henrikh Mkhitaryan swipe utterly wonderful

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has taken a swipe at Jose Mourinho in a recent interview with Four Four Two magazine. The Arsenal midfielder’s comments are utterly wonderful.

The antithesis of Arsenal football, Jose Mourinho, is not a particularly popular character currently. When you play such ugly, defensive football, results are a necessity. For Mourinho and his band of bus-parking brothers, those results have not quite been as positive as he would have hoped, especially with their neighbours relentlessly brilliant, bulldozing football.

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As a result, the pressure has begun to mount, from his own fans and from a vast array of pundits, including a number of former United stars. Well, Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s recent comments aren’t going to help Mourinho’s cause.

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I an interview with Four Four Two magazine, Mkhitaryan, who was a part of a straight swap with Alexis Sanchez in the January transfer window, stated that he jumped at the opportunity, desperate to play in a team that attacked, admitting that he had ‘missed playing offensively. Here is what he said in full:

"“When I heard I could swap Man United for Arsenal, I said, ‘Yes, I want to do that’, I didn’t think twice. It’s important for me to play in an offensive team. I couldn’t have imagined a better start. I’d missed playing offensively. I joined Arsenal because Wenger wanted me, not because he wanted to replace Sanchez. We are different players and characters, with different abilities and skills, so I’ll try my best to do everything for the club.”"

Now, I am not a bitter man. I do not wish ill on anyone. But I do admit that I take great pleasure in the demise of Mourinho. He is anti-football. He is short term. He is a willful spender without sensibility or sustenance. He is unfair to his players. He is harsh to reporters and fans. He, simply, isn’t likeable.

For all of his managerial faults, as a character, Arsene Wenger is totally different from his great adversary. Considered, caring, intelligent, loyal and trusting, he manages his players as men, not just commodities. He is self-aware, he holds himself with respect, and thereby respects others greatly. He speaks softly. He understands his position and carries himself accordingly.

And Mkhitaryan delves into such differences in his comments. While he is speaking about on-pitch tactics, about playing in a particular manner, it is not difficult to see that he speaks in a way that he values the input that he has had from Wenger during the first few months of his North London tenure.

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The subtle swipe that he has taken at Mourinho is just wonderful. I believe that there are few fans would disagree with that sentiment.

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