Arsenal’s set-piece success under Mikel Arteta has become a big part of their Premier League season. The Gunners scored 22 goals from 360 corners which means they get a goal every 16 corners, and they’re the best in the league at it. But this success also shows they maybe rely too much on set-pieces because they’re actually pretty average when it comes to scoring in open play, with an expected goals (xG) of 74.94 from 15 matches.
- Arsenal is best in the league for set-piece goals with 22 from 360 corners.
- The team is somewhere in the middle for open play goals with an xG of 74.94.
- Arteta’s way of doing things puts a lot of weight on set-pieces, which makes you wonder about how good they are in regular play.
Arteta’s Set-Piece Strategy
With Arteta in charge Arsenal has really worked on turning set-pieces into goals, and some people say it reminds them of how Stoke City used to be really good at this. They’ve scored 30 of their 119 league goals from set-pieces since last season, and that’s become like their signature thing under Arteta. Even though it’s working real well, people are starting to talk about whether they need to get better at scoring in other ways and not just from dead-ball situations.
For more details about how Arsenal is doing overall including tactics and player stats, check out their overview page.
Have set-piece experts Arsenal forgotten how to score from open play? 🤔
Mikel Arteta’s side excel in dead-ball situations but rank mid-table for goals from open play in the Premier League this season
Read more ⬇️ | ✍️ @garyjacob
https://t.co/USwfRMQtkb— Times Sport (@TimesSport)
December 14, 2024
Challenges and Future Directions
While Arsenal is doing great with set-pieces they still have trouble scoring from regular play, and that could hurt their chances in the league. Arteta is working with young players like Bukayo Saka who’s been really important in their UEFA Champions League games which shows he wants to build a team that can do everything. Saka got 8 goals and 6 assists in 14 matches which shows the team can score in different ways.
To see how Arsenal has been doing in recent matches and how set-pieces helped them, look at the Premier League Matches Analysis.
Player Development and Impact
The way Arteta helps young players like Bukayo Saka grow is really important for where Arsenal is going. Saka’s done really well in the Champions League getting 8 goals and 6 assists which shows how important he is to the team. Working with young players is part of how Arteta wants to make a team that can play different ways.
To learn more about what Saka’s done for the team, read about Arsenal’s Rising Star in the Champions League.
