It's a zoo: Tottenham Hotspur striker Mathys Tel slams Arsenal tactics in 'boring' football rant

Tottenham Hotspur forward Mathys Tel has launched a scathing attack on the Premier League’s tactical trends, branding the English top flight “boring to watch” and singling out Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces as emblematic of the problem.

Speaking on the Zack Nani stream and quoted by Maxifoot, Tel did not hide his frustration: “I’ll tell you the truth, yes, it’s not exciting. It’s boring to watch; it’s really just a clash between two teams with their own ideas. There’s less spectacle. There’s no Vinicius pulling off a sombrero flick, no dribble, no Kylian [Mbappé] accelerating past you. Here, I’d say it’s more structured, maybe too much so.”

Arsenal lead the division by seven points and have scored 19 goals from set-pieces this season, more than any other club. Tel believes the emphasis on such routines has stripped the league of flair: “All those set-pieces, little details that can sometimes make the difference. But sometimes you think it might be too much. I told the assistant coach in charge of set-pieces, ‘Don’t put me on that one,’ because it’s a zoo.”

The comments land at a delicate moment for Spurs, who sit just one place above the relegation zone with nine matches remaining, while their north London rivals close in on the title. Tel, reportedly open to leaving Tottenham in recent months, contrasted the Premier League with La Liga, hinting that Spain offers a more expressive environment for attackers.

For Arsenal supporters, the aesthetic debate will carry little weight if set-piece efficiency delivers a first league crown since 2004. Yet for neutrals—and certainly for one disillusioned Tottenham striker—the spectacle of corner after corner offers little to celebrate.