Troy Deeney says an Arsenal player isn't good enough for Stoke.

The recent success of Arsenal in scoring goals from corner kicks has sparked comparisons to the formidable Stoke City team led by Tony Pulis. However, Watford legend Troy Deeney is not pleased with these comparisons and believes they are disrespectful to Pulis and his team.

In their match against Manchester United, Arsenal added two more goals from corner kicks to their impressive tally, making them the top team in Europe when it comes to scoring from set pieces since last season. United's manager, Ruben Amorim, even suggested that Arsenal's players were intentionally trying to earn corner kicks. Former Premier League striker Dimitar Berbatov went even further, dubbing Arsenal as "the new Stoke."

Stoke City's promotion to the Premier League in 2008 brought about a new era of physical, intimidating football. Pulis' team was known for causing chaos with their towering players and long throws by Rory Delap. Even Arsenal fell victim to their set piece tactics.

However, Deeney disagrees with the comparison and feels that it undermines the hard work and success achieved by Pulis at Stoke. He questions why there is a stigma attached to teams who excel at set pieces and points out the irony of being criticized for playing attractive football, like Southampton, but also facing criticism for playing a more direct style.

Deeney was present at the match between Arsenal and United and describes it as a "s**t game" that was ultimately won by Arsenal from two corner kicks. He also believes that Saka, one of Arsenal's rising stars, would not have made it into Pulis' Stoke team, not because he isn't good enough, but because the style of play is completely different.

The former Watford player also takes issue with Berbatov's comparison, believing it to be a lazy one from a "really smart guy" who is just trying to protect his old club. He points out that if United had won 2-0 from two corner kicks, it would have been praised as a tactical masterclass, but when Arsenal does it, they are labeled as "Stoke."

In the end, Deeney reminds everyone that Arsenal dominated possession for most of the game, showing that they are not just a team that relies on set pieces. Winning is winning, regardless of the style of play, and Arsenal's success from set pieces should be celebrated rather than criticized.

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