Arteta says Konsa goal has 'unlocked' something in Arsenal's set pieces
Mikel Arteta believes Ezri Konsa's scrappy opener against Everton could reignite Arsenal's set piece threat, admitting he had been frustrated that it took until the 2-0 win at the Emirates for the Gunners to find the net from a dead ball situation.
Konsa bundled in Arsenal's opener from a corner on Saturday, with Gabriel Magalhaes adding the second from open play after heading in a Ben White cross. The win moved Arsenal level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
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Set pieces were a crucial weapon for Arsenal during their title winning campaign last season, and Arteta thinks Konsa's goal will restore the squad's confidence in that area of the game.
'I'm sure that's going to unlock something and that belief of the players,' Arteta said. 'So they are really convinced. You have to see them when we train the level of attention and how much they believe in what we do and what Nico [Jover, set piece coach] does as well. There's no question about that, but at the end he has to come through and he has to make the difference and we know that that is a massive welcome for us.'
He added: 'We hadn't scored from a set piece, which we were disappointed with because we had generated so many chances as well. I think in midweek we should have scored at least two in Munich and we didn't and that would probably win us the game. We know that in every phase of play we want to be the best and we're not going to stop until we do it.'
Gabriel praised for battling through injury scare
There was concern among Arsenal's players when Gabriel appeared to go down injured just minutes before scoring his goal in the second half. Arteta praised the Brazilian for pushing through the discomfort to make the difference.
'He is a clear example of when I talk about the mentality of the team,' Arteta said in his post-match press conference. 'The mentality of the team is the mentality of the players. And he is a great example of that. We were all scared not only for the way he went down but for the reaction of the players that were next to him. Immediately he says he wants to continue and he scores the goal that helps us win the game.'
Martin Keown was similarly effusive about the centre back's performance on BBC's Match of the Day, describing him as a club legend. 'Gabriel is into his sixth season at Arsenal now and this guy is just a machine,' Keown said, as reported by Metro. 'You rarely see a striker get the better of him. I've seen him mature a lot and become the leader at the back. He was immense again today. He just loves defending and the fans just buzz of him. He's a legend of the football club now.'
With Arsenal level with Manchester City at the summit and set pieces now back among the goals, Arteta will be hoping Konsa's contribution proves to be the catalyst his side needed heading into the next run of fixtures.
