Arsenal’s Set-Piece Mastery: How Corners Became a Goal-Scoring Weapon

In the final moments of the Arsenal vs. Leicester City Premier League match, as Arsenal bombarded Leicester with corner kicks, a sense of anticipation filled the air. The Gunners had come agonizingly close on several occasions, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori narrowly missing the target. Then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Leandro Trossard, cleverly positioned at the back post, unleashed a powerful volley into the goalmouth. The ball deflected off Wilfred Ndidi, inadvertently finding the back of the net and giving Arsenal a crucial 2-2 lead. Arsenal went on to secure a resounding 4-2 victory. This dramatic own goal was Arsenal’s 17th corner of the game, their second-highest tally in Premier League history. Remarkably, this marked Arsenal’s third consecutive match in which they had scored from a corner kick, having previously done so against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. These corner-kick goals proved to be decisive, putting Arsenal ahead in all three matches (though Manchester City later equalized in their encounter).

Arsenal’s remarkable success from corner routines has elevated them to a level akin to field hockey’s penalty corners. This newfound potency can be attributed to the arrival of set-piece specialist Nicolas Jover, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2021. Jover had previously worked under Mikel Arteta at City, playing a pivotal role in their set-piece strategies. Since Jover’s arrival, Arsenal has emerged as the most successful attacking set-piece team in the Premier League, amassing an impressive 45 goals from set-pieces. Last season, the Gunners scored a league-leading 16 goals from corners, contributing significantly to their overall tally of 91 goals. In fact, they have scored an astonishing 30 goals from corners in the past two completed seasons. Arteta himself has publicly lauded Jover’s impact, calling him “the best in the business” and highlighting his ability to instill belief in the players.

During the Arsene Wenger era, Arsenal was often criticized for their lack of physicality, relying primarily on technically gifted players who struggled in aerial duels. However, under Arteta, the team has undergone a significant transformation, incorporating physically imposing players while retaining their technical prowess. The current Arsenal squad, with an average height of 182 cm, boasts towering figures like Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Gabriel, William Saliba, Ben White, and Thomas Partey, with the addition of Calafiori this season. This height advantage, coupled with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice’s precise corner deliveries, has given Arsenal a potent scoring weapon.

Arsenal’s corner kick strategy revolves around inswinging deliveries into the six-yard box, drawing opposition defenders towards the ball and creating space for attackers to exploit. This tactic has been highly effective, with Arsenal executing the most inswinging corners in the league since 2021, exceeding the second-best team by nearly 150. In the match against Leicester, all 17 of Arsenal’s corners were inswinging deliveries, consistently targeting the back post.

Center-back Gabriel has emerged as a key attacking threat from corners, scoring nine goals from set-pieces since the 2020-21 season, including goals against Spurs and City. Gabriel typically positions himself near the penalty spot, drawing defenders’ attention, while other attackers crowd the space in front of the goalkeeper, hindering them from coming out to clear the ball. This strategy allows Gabriel to outmaneuver his marker and attack the ball with confidence, leading to numerous scoring opportunities.

Former goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, known for his time with Aston Villa and Stoke City, highlighted the deliberate nature of Arsenal’s corner-kick tactic. “What they do well is they obviously try to eliminate the keeper by not going in and tangling with him before the kick, but they actually just before the kick gets into position,” he explained on the Optus Sport Football Podcast. This meticulous approach ensures that Arsenal maximize their chances of converting corners into goals.

In the game against Leicester, Arsenal further refined their strategy, switching up their attacking focal point in the closing stages. The last three corners were delivered deeper at the far post area, where Arsenal overloaded the box with players, drawing the away side’s defenders into a zonal marking system. This created gaps in the defense, allowing Calafiori and Trossard to have free shots on goal, resulting in the decisive own goal that sealed Arsenal’s victory.

Despite questions about their goal-scoring prowess due to the lack of a traditional striker, Arsenal demonstrated last season that they can score plenty of goals, netting 91 in total. With captain and key playmaker Martin Odegaard sidelined due to injury, Arsenal may find themselves relying more heavily on their corner-kick strategy to secure victories in the coming weeks.

Arsenal’s corner-kick statistics since 2021 paint a clear picture of their set-piece dominance:

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Inswinging Corners:

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Straight Corners:

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Outswinging Corners:

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Short Corners:

This meticulous approach and tactical brilliance have transformed corner kicks into a potent weapon for Arsenal. As they navigate the challenges of the Premier League season, their mastery of set-pieces will undoubtedly play a crucial role in their quest for success.