Arsenal’s Set Piece Prowess
11/12/2024 15:56:28
Arsenal currently sit 3rd in the Premier League 6 points behind leaders Liverpool, although Liverpool have a game in hand on the Gunners. Arsenal have had a resurgence in recent seasons under Mikel Arteta developing from a side struggling to make the top 6 into title challengers over the last number of seasons.
Initially, Arsenal were a side that focused on fluid attacking football, but over the last few months they have focused more on defensive stability with 4 centre halves playing across the back 4 and often 2 holding midfielders in front, with the hope that their attacking players will have the quality to win the game. This has been the case on a few occasions, but quite often their key goals are coming from set pieces. Arsenal have scored 23 goals from set pieces since the start of last season, more than anyone else in the league. Let’s take a look at Arsenal’s strengths from set pieces as well as what teams can do to stop them.
Innovative Set Piece Routines
Arsenal’s set piece coach Nicolas Jover has developed a variety of different set piece routines with the goal of disrupting the opposition's defence. Arsenal often utilise decoy runs as well as blockers, with multiple players running from the back post into the centre of the box, blocking the defenders and usually leaving one man free to get his head on the ball. Defensive teams are currently struggling greatly to deal with Arsenal’s set pieces with the fans of Arsenal even seen celebrating winning corners in their match versus Manchester United as if they were goals.
Delivery
Often the two players tasked with taking the corners and other set pieces for Arsenal are Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. They both have a great ability to whip in crosses but also can vary their crosses to a looped crosses to the back post as seen with Saka’s cross for Saliba’s goal versus Manchester United while Rice put in a near post cross with pace that caused United multiple problems before Timber scored.
Aerial Threats
Arsenal have many players who are very strong in the air and are great threats from both corners and set pieces. Their two centre halves William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have both been a major threat for Arsenal and have both been on the scoresheet multiple times this season with Saliba scoring twice and Gabriel scoring 3 times. Players such as Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz, Thomas Partey and Declan Rice are also strong in the air, making it difficult for defending teams to deal with Arsenal.
"Initially, Arsenal were a side that focused on fluid attacking football, but over the last few months they have focused more on defensive stability with the hope that their attacking players will have the quality to win the game."
How to Stop Arsenal’s Set Piece Threat
As of yet nobody has been able to stop Arsenal’s threat from set pieces with them even scoring a set piece versus leaders Liverpool and last years champions Manchester City. Arsenal’s set piece threat has been the difference maker for them winning and losing in many games this season, keeping them in the title race as a result. Many teams in the league use zonal marking from corners which often allows the Arsenal aerial threats the chance to make their runs from the back post into the centre with not much difficulty and then they block those who are zonal marking allowing other players to get free and create a scoring chance.
Zonal marking is the modern way of defending but if you are coming up against Arsenal it is certainly not the way to go. Teams should focus on man marking the key threats that were mentioned earlier, even if that means being exposed in the middle zone. They should follow them to the back post to stop them getting a run on them, and even beat them at their own game, by blocking them. As of yet no team has done this much to the delight of Arsenal, who must be thinking when it comes to set pieces if it is not broken don’t fix it.
In conclusion, Arsenal have been very impressive from set pieces this season and it has become a fundamental part of their attacking threat. Teams are finding it very hard to stop them, but will Arsenal’s set piece prowess finally lead to a title winning season?
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✒️ Jack Guing – Football and GAA Sports Expert
Jack Guing has a strong knowledge of the sport of GAA through the lens of performance analysis with multiple GAA teams. He holds a master's degree in sports performance. He has a huge love of all things sports, especially golf, soccer and GAA. He uses statistics and performance analysis in order to predict the outcome of matches and events.
