In their recent victory against Everton, set pieces played a crucial role in Arsenal’s success. According to research, Everton had the tallest team in the Premier League with an average height of 6ft 1in and were known for winning defensive duels. Arsenal had previously suffered defeat at the hands of set pieces against Everton, so they had to come up with a strategy to avoid being exposed again.
Mikel Arteta and his set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, devised a plan to counter Everton’s height advantage. Throughout the game, Arsenal opted for short corners instead of sending the ball directly into the box. Their goal came from a set-piece routine, with Leandro Trossard finding the back of the net with an impressive finish.
Gary Neville, on co-commentary duty for Sky Sports, noted that the Arsenal players executed the set-piece routine to perfection. The ball was in the corner for 26 seconds, which is a significant amount of time. Arteta and his coaching staff celebrated the goal, indicating that they had been working on this strategy in training.
This goal is a testament to Arsenal’s attention to detail during set-piece training sessions. Since the beginning of last season, Arsenal have scored 16 goals from corners, more than any other team in the Premier League. Arteta emphasized that they work on all aspects of the game to exploit the weaknesses of their opponents and minimize their own.
The success of Arsenal’s set-piece strategy against Everton highlights the importance of meticulous planning and preparation. These fine details on the training pitch can make a significant difference in games and ultimately determine the outcome. With their focused approach, Arsenal will continue to utilize set pieces as a weapon in their arsenal.
Sources:
– Liverpool Echo: [source not available]
– Sky Sports: [source not available]
– football.london: [source not available]
