Criticism of Arsenal's style and set-pieces is utterly absurd - they aren't dour, they are a beautifully balanced team that is the class of the league, writes OLIVER HOLT

For two decades – in fact for the 21 years since they last won the Premier League title – the criticism aimed at Arsenal for their attempts to play beautiful football has been so withering it turned some players into stone and left them broken and in ruins.

Everyone has had fun ripping them to shreds and mocking them for the emptiness that was said to be at their heart.