'Stupid way of playing' – Allardyce blasts Arsenal boss Emery

The former England boss is clearly not a fan of the slow build-up play favoured by so many teams in the modern game

Sam Allardyce has laid into new Arsenal boss Unai Emery for having his side play out from the back against .

Emery underwent a baptism of fire in the opening day weekend of the Premier League, facing off with the champions at the Emirates on Sunday.

The Gunners fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Pep Guardiola's charges, although it could have been a larger scoreline in favour of the visitors, who dominated proceedings throughout.

Well known for their high pressing game, City took Arsenal to task, and Allardyce has laid the blame squarely at Emery's doorstep.

“It's the manager's fault,” the former boss told Talksport . “Don't ask someone to do against Manchester City what you shouldn't do.

“What do Manchester City do? Press, press, press, so why do you try and play out [from the back]?

“Even the Arsenal crowd cheered when they dropped one in the opposition's half!

“You cannot just force 'the only way to play is this way' in this country.

“We're getting obsessed with this stupid 'let's play out from the back, split the centre-halfs either side of the 18-yard box and go and play from there'.

“It's utter rubbish to play like that all the time.”

It was put to 'Big Sam' that City themselves took risks, with Guardiola's preferred method of play also to build from the back, to which he replied:

“When you're the best you can do it.”