Arsenal may be the masters of the set piece, but the team aren’t going to settle for anything less than perfection.
The Gunners have been a large threat from corners, free-kicks and throw-ins, largely due to the sheer volume of them produced.
Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into a dominant outfit, so with plenty of teams sitting back and defending, more opportunities have arisen to score.
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It’s no secret that Arsenal are good at set pieces, and yet, no one can seem to stop them. They’re almost inevitable.
Some of that comes from the constant evolution seen within the team, something that was on display in Arsenal’s win over Slavia Prague.
Declan Rice readies a corner during Arsenal vs Brighton
Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal attempted a new corner routine against Slavia Prague
With Nicolas Jover as the set-piece coach, Arsenal have improved remarkably on their ability to score goals.
In Arsenal’s win over Slavia Prague in the Champions League, the coach was spotted on the sidelines instructing his team once again.
This time, there were a couple of clear instances where some changes were made to the routine for the corners.
The most notable thing was Declan Rice attempting to aim for the front post with a few of his deliveries.
Arsenal have been largely dangerous at the back post, finding the towering presence of Gabriel Magalhaes more than most.
Teams will naturally adjust to that, though, so aiming for the front post is a new option that means teams will have to stay on their toes.
On two occasions, Rice managed to find Leandro Trossard at the near post, once for a flick on, and another for a shot that hit the side netting.
The Belgian international isn’t the most immediate threat to pick out in the box, but that’s what makes him so dangerous.
It brings variation to the types of deliveries that Arsenal can put in, making it even scarier for Premier League rivals to figure out how to beat them.
Nicolas Jover instructs Arsenal players during a set-piece
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Arsenal’s opponents impact the set-piece discussion
Any time there is an Arsenal set piece, there is a sense of anticipation in the air.
It’s been a narrative strand that is overblown, largely because of this sense that a team like the Gunners should turn their nose up at scoring from those opportunities.
However, the reality is that they have had to maximise corners, free-kicks and throw-ins because of the opposition.
Other Premier League sides have identified Arsenal’s biggest strengths and weaknesses, and have decided that sitting back is the best course of action.
Therefore, the volume of set pieces has increased, with the focus on those that allow the side to take advantage more often.
They aren’t the most efficient from those opportunities; there are other sides scoring more per corner they receive.
But they are able to open up games in ways they weren’t before, leading them and eventually winning them.
Arsenal are more than a set-piece team, but while teams can’t stop them, they certainly won’t shy away from scoring them.