Arsenal’s Set-Piece Masterclass Reveals Why Corners Are Dominating

Arsenal’s corner kick routines have become the gold standard in the Premier League, with the Gunners scoring 14 goals from set-pieces to take the lead this season – more than any other team in the division.

The Corner Revolution

Nearly one in five Premier League goals this season have come from corners, representing an 18% figure that marks the highest proportion in a decade. Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea earlier this month provided the perfect case study for understanding why corners have become so dominant.

The tactical evolution centers around three key innovations: predictive preparation, sophisticated blocking systems, and the switch to inswinging deliveries.

Reading the Defense

According to the BBC analysis, Arsenal’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover meticulously studies opposing defensive setups before devising attacking plans. Against Chelsea, the Blues deployed a hybrid system with five players defending zonally – including Cole Palmer on the near side of the six-yard box and Pedro Neto on the penalty spot.

Recognizing this setup left the back post undermanned, Arsenal positioned their fullbacks Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie deep before making sharp sideways movements to break free from their markers. This tactical awareness allowed them to exploit the space Chelsea’s zonal system created.

The art of ‘blocking’ has become increasingly sophisticated. William Saliba used his marker Andrey Santos almost as a shield to push into goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, preventing the Chelsea keeper from claiming crosses – a tactic reminiscent of Tony Pulis’ successful West Brom sides.

The Inswinger Advantage

Bukayo Saka’s left-footed inswinging delivery for Arsenal’s opener represents another crucial trend. These deliveries bend towards goal and make it significantly harder for keepers to claim the ball, especially with teams now packing the six-yard box more tightly than ever before.

Liverpool’s dramatic improvement after switching from Dominik Szoboszlai’s outswinging routine to Mohamed Salah’s inswingers perfectly illustrates this tactical shift’s effectiveness.

For Arsenal’s goal, the inswinger targeted Gabriel’s deep run rather than the crowded near post. The Brazilian’s momentum from his starting position made him nearly impossible for Reece James to stop, while the deeper delivery minimized the impact of Chelsea’s zonal defender Joao Pedro.

Every major club now employs dedicated set-piece analysts who use advanced aerial duel metrics to identify which defenders are most worth neutralizing. Arsenal under Mikel Arteta has embraced this mathematical edge, with the irony not lost that Arsene Wenger once criticized such tactical approaches as playing ‘rugby.’

Arsenal’s mastery of these evolving corner techniques continues to provide them with a crucial advantage as they compete at the Premier League’s summit.