Queiroz's Boasts Ignore Arsenal's Style
Manchester United's assistant manager Carlos Queiroz's pride in the Red Devils' title-winning campaign is justified and understandable.
But in contrasting United's panache with what he perceived to be Chelsea's pragmatism, Queiroz has gone a little too far, effectively claiming that United invented the flowing attacking game that Arsene Wenger's Arsenal have been purveying for years.
Quieiroz has somewhat immodestly claimed that United have helped rescue the game with their approach.
He said: "The Manchester United culture is to win by playing great, creative football. It is about winning and entertaining. It has always been like that.
"Sometimes, with so much competition from all the other sports, football needs to be innovative to keep the title of the best sporting entertainment.
"For some time now, the game has moved in one direction. The systems and strategies and the general way teams approached the game had become so defensive.
"That is why it was so important, not just for Manchester United but for the game as a whole, that we won the championship. We proved it is possible to win trophies with an attacking style of football."
That - as Brant Parsons was also quick to point out on Florida's OrlandoSentinel.com - effectively ignores the football Wenger's Gunners have been playing more or less since the cerebral Frenchman took over at the North London club in 1996.
By the 2003-04 season, when Arsenal won their third Premiership title, he had honed his attacking principles to such an extent that his team went unbeaten throughout the campaign, blowing opponents away with the speed and goal-laden attacking verve of their slick-passing game.
The "Invincibles" have seen been broken up by Wenger, who is building a new side; but the approach remains the same.
Yes, United have also pursued an attractive, attacking game, but for Queiroz to claim sole credit for that for the Red Devils smacks of rewriting history.
Whether or not Wenger will have anything to say about it is a matter for conjecture. It would be surprising, though, if Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho did not interpret his compatriot's comments as a dig at the Blues, and respond in kind.
The new Premiership season has not yet begun, but the competition is already warming up nicely...
What do you think? Are United the undisputed kings of attacking football? Are Chelsea boring? Would you prefer to watch Arsenal than United as a neutral? Let us know your views...
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