Monday 4 May 2015 08:54, UK
Premier League managers were wrong to criticise Chelsea's style of play in the week in which they moved to within touching distance of the title, according to the Sunday Supplement panel.
Jose Mourinho's champions-elect came in for criticism following their resolute goalless draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last week - a result which all-but ended the Gunners' faint title hopes.
Sections of the Arsenal support chanted 'boring, boring Chelsea' at the full-time whistle, and Arsene Wenger claimed Mourinho showed a lack of respect for his comments about Arsenal’s wait for title.
But the Daily Mail’s Ian Ladyman believes Wenger doesn’t have the right to criticise a manager he has failed to beat in 13 competitive games.
"The manager who astonishes me the most is Wenger," Ladyman told the Sunday Supplement.
"Every time Wenger rises to Mourinho's, bait it absolutely astonishes me.
The manager who astonishes me the most is Wenger. Every time Wenger rises to Mourinho's bait, it absolutely astonishes me.
"For Wenger to have a go at Mourinho, in this week of all weeks, a couple of days after he failed to beat a supposedly below-par Chelsea is embarrassing.
"It's absolutely embarrassing. Arsene Wenger has never beaten Jose Mourinho - he should be embarrassed about that."
Asked why Wenger has failed to defeat a side managed by Mourinho, Ladyman added: "He's not good enough. He and his team are one and the same, they are not good enough."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who relinquished the Premier League crown to Chelsea, revealed he was not a fan of the Blues' style of play, despite acknowledging they had earned the right to play however they deemed fit.
Pellegrini was next in the firing line, with The Times' Oliver Kay slamming the Chilean for his comments, although he suggested managers were simply giving Mourinho a taste of his own medicine.
"In terms of what other managers would say, Mourinho probably brings a lot of criticism on himself in terms of showing respect," Kay said. "How often does he show respect to others?
"For Pellegrini, after the season he has had, to talk about Chelsea’s style is ridiculous. Manchester City haven’t really entertained us like they should have done this season.
"For other managers to be chipping away at Mourinho there’s a jealously thing there, but there’s also a sense those managers think Mourinho always has a go at them so they’ll have a go back.
"For Chelsea to be 13 points clear and being criticised is ridiculous. Of course we can nit-pick, but we really are nit-picking with Chelsea whereas we aren’t with the others."
