Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta has defended his team’s approach to set-pieces, insisting that it is tactical structure is a key part of their identity.Mikel Arteta
Arsenal has been scrutinised by most football stakeholders especially after the game against Chelsea which saw hid team score two cornerkicks. The Spaniard remains confident that the work done on the training ground is paying dividends on matchdays.
Arsenal have become one of the most dangerous sides in the league from corners and free-kicks, with their routines often catching opponents off guard. The club’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, the Gunners have developed a reputation for clever blocking movements, well-timed runs, and precise deliveries into dangerous areas.
Arteta stressed that these situations are part of the game and should be maximized like any other tactical weapon. However he suggested that criticism of set-piece goals is misplaced, emphasizing that they require as much preparation and quality as open-play strikes.
What did Arteta say about Arsenal’s corner kicks?
“I was really upset the way we conceded a goal against Chelsea. And Chelsea, look, the quality that they have, the amount of set-piece they scored. Manchester United, they’re doing so well. The same, I was at Man City, we used to work a lot on them. So it’s something. There are phases, and there are moments when a team has an opportunity to do certain things and the game is evolving, and the game is becoming more and more difficult.” Before, when you used to do a game plan and you just invert a full-back and bring an extra player in midfield or a false nine, opponents are finished. Big overload.”
He continued,
“4v3 inside, 2v1 inside, time on the ball. So dominant 78% of possession, the other opponent two counterattacks, set pieces, the game is done now. Teams are adapting, teams know, after every sequence of play, whether it’s a throw-in, a restart of play, an open-page situation, after direct play, exactly what they have to do. And everything is almost man-to-man. So it’s going to be a different game unless we change the rules, because the evolution of the game is that.”
He noted that organization, timing, and bravery in the box are all crucial elements that his players execute consistently.