Arsenal is one of the clubs renowned for having a celebrated set-piece coach, but now their approach has become the subject of ridicule. Much of this season has revolved around how dangerous they are from dead-ball situations, with several goals coming from corners and free kicks.
A Strength That Exposes a Weakness
Earlier in the campaign, opposing teams feared Arsenal’s set pieces, often panicking whenever the Gunners had a chance from a dead-ball situation. It appeared almost inevitable that a goal would follow. However, that strength has revealed a glaring irony: Arsenal are remarkably poor at defending set pieces themselves.
While fans enjoyed watching their team profit from these routines, few paid attention to what was happening at the other end. The team’s vulnerability from set plays has gone largely unchallenged, until now.
Damaging Statistics Reveal a Defensive Flaw
According to the Daily Mail, 38.7 per cent of the goals Arsenal have conceded this season have come from set pieces. This statistic is deeply concerning and casts a shadow over their otherwise impressive record going forward. It makes little sense to invest so heavily in scoring from set pieces if the team is equally likely to concede from them.
This imbalance has now become a serious problem. Unless Arsenal improve their defensive structure at set plays, their attacking success in these situations will continue to be undermined.
The time has come to address this issue with the same focus given to attacking routines, or the club will continue to be punished for its lack of balance.
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So nearly 40% of our goals were conceded at set pieces? Wait for it!!!!! Someone will blame the injuries🫣
Yes, defenders were/are injured. Currently our best CB in Gab M is out, Calaufori has been in/out/in/out, White was out for a long time. This changing of the backline rattles the GK. Plus MLS is diminutive and error prone, (another penalty waiting to happen). Set pieces have to be defended by all 11 players, so many injuries to Kai ( a tall player), Partey was moved to RB for some games due to injuries to White and Timber.
OT
Just been reading Mr Postecoglou’s reaction comments on Arsene Wenger’s recent prescription that the Europa League winner should not automatically qualify for the Champions League. The Spuds coach’s comments seem to imply that the Arsenal legend’s recommendation was aimed specifically at Spurs’ likelihood to be beneficiaries next season.
But the man is getting all wrong!
Wenger has all along insisted that the two competitions are different and should be treated as such. He was first to speak against third-place CL teams dropping into the EL. Today the sage has been vindicated.
He spoke against EL champions qualifying for the CL long before Tottenham ever dreamt to play in the EL finals.
Mr Postecohlou should concentrate on winning the competition first before casting aspersions on people who are by far more class than he will ever be. A coach who would lead his team into the pitch to deliberately lose a game so Arsenal would not win the PL does not deserve an audience in the comity of football lovers
Wenger never complained about teams that didn’t win their national leagues competing in the Champions League…
How many teams would make up such a CL competition?
I bet you wouldn’t want to watch such a tournament. Neither would I
Well I used to watch it when it was just clubs that won their Leagues, it was called the European Cup, even went to watch The Arsenal when they were in it.
I enjoy the CL – especially if we’re in it, but to call it the champions league is wrong. It would be better calling it the European League Cup because that’s what it is.
I miss supporting what was our only club in the original European Cup. They were the true champions. When the likes of Spurs or Utd get a place in Europe’s top competition after finishing in a lowly position it makes my blood boil
My blood will be like a nuclear reactor failure if spurs win it SueP.
SueP,
I totally agree with your post. Unfortunately it’s all about money, and all the major players want their piece of the pie.
What’s wrong with me, I’m agreeing with SueP, again.🤦♂️ I need to see a shrink.
That’s cool
But my point was really not about the reasonableness or otherwise of Wenger’s advocacy; I just don’t agree with the insinuation that Spurs are his target
I’ve never been a coach so can’t speak from experience, but it seems obvious to me that when they practice set pieces both the attacking AND defending players must be in place and attempting to attack or defend at their best, otherwise it would be pointless, so Jover seems to have missed a trick and has overlooked the defensive side of these drills. Or perhaps that’s on next season’s schedule. Must be so difficult for him.😏
Mikel has had 5 phases, lets give phase 2 to Jover for defending set pieces. Phase 1 for Jover was goalscoring from set pieces and i give him a solid 4.5/5.
Yeah, but he’ll most likely neglect the defending Side of things and have to attend to that in phase three and so on ad fin.
Should have been….most likely neglect the ATTACKING Side of things
Jax,
As you say he’s not in that phase yet. OOPS!. There’s that word again. 🙄😂👍
When you have a good defense, it makes sense that teams will rarely score against you from open play. This means that the best way for opponents to score is set pieces. It is actually a compliment that teams can only score against us this way. For perspective, Liverpool,who have second best defense, are third on the list of teams to concede most from set pieces. Take a look at the teams that have had the best defenses over the years, you’ll realize set pieces form a significant proportion of goals they conceded.
That said, I think we have regressed to an extent. My theory is that it is largely because we are missing two of our best set piece defenders- Gabriel and Havertz. They are considerably more dominant in the air compared to everyone else. It is for the same reason that goals from corners have also dropped.
Onyango, I concur with your well articulated post.