Arsenal branded ‘the new Stoke City’ as their set-piece prowess continues to hurt opponents
Since the beginning of 2021/22 English Premier League campaign, no EPL team have scored more goals from set-pieces than Arsenal.
Football pundits are in awe and moved by the perfection in the deliveries and cross-to-goal conversion rates. “Perfection”, “impossible to defend”, “like Stoke City!”
Football analysts were left in amazement and shock once again by Arsenal’s effectuality after a series of dangerous corners resulted in both goals and many other chances in their 2-0 win over Manchester United last week.
Yet again, in Arsenal last game against their North London rivals, Fulham, Arsenal had to work themselves back into the game through a corner. They found themselves on the back heel following Fulham’s early lead and ended the match in 0ne-all draw.
In the post-match conference, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the he hoped that the opposition teams would continue to struggle to deal with his team’s set-piece strength, stressing that only a few teams can address it.
Stats and quotes will be considered to explore Arsenal’s new name “corner kings” and why they are being branded the “new Stoke City (under Tony Pulis).”
According to Opta, here are the data obtained from Europe’s top five leagues from start of 2023-24 season up to Dec. 2024.
Goals from corners – Europe big 5
Club Goals
- Arsenal 23
- Leverkusen 17
- Monchengladbach 17
- AC Milan 16
- Man City 15
- Atalanta 14
- Everton 14
- Bayern 14
- Liverpool 14
- Lyon 14
- Mallorca 14
- West Ham 14
The Gunners have had more goals from set-pieces (penalties not included) since the beginning of last season than any other team in the Europe’s top-five leagues
Arsenal have now scored twenty-three goals from corners since the beginning of last season, eight more than their main title rivals, Manchester City.
In Europe, Arsenal are also clear on top, with six ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who is placed in second on seventeen goals.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have recorded seven assists from set-pieces since the beginning of last season.
Analysing Arsenal’s ultimate comparison to Tony Pulis’ Stoke City’s Premier League ratio, Stoke City had 43.1% – 81 set-piece goals from their 188 goals Arsenal Branded ‘The New Stoke City’
EPL Goals From Corners Since 2023-24 (Opta)
Club Goals
- Arsenal 23
- Manchester City 15
- Everton 14
- Liverpool 14
- West Ham United 14
- Bournemouth 13
- Chelsea 12
- Tottenham 12
- Aston Villa 11
- Luton 11
- Wolves 11
Analysis: Tony Pulis endured two tenures as Stoke City manager−from 2002 to 2005 and 2005 t0 2013.
The former Stoke City boss jested, during his live chat on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports. He says he expects other EPL teams to follow his set-piece lead after being described as a “trailblazer” and a “set-piece guru”
“As Arsenal are showing it’s such an important part of the game.
“It is something that is coming more into fashion with teams up and down the country having set-play coaches,” Pulis said.
“It’s taken everyone a while to work it out, but it looks like the penny has dropped!”
Pulis praised Arsenal’s se-pieces as ”so good”, particularly against teams using zonal making. Arsenal now effectively wield set-pieces as a potent weapon against defensive sides.
“If you’re breaking it down, I think the quality of corner kicks that Arsenal provide people to attack is absolutely fantastic,” Pulis added.
“Also a lot of goals they have scored which I’ve seen have been scored against zonal marking. I always used to hope and pray teams would zonal mark because you have people standing and jumping.
“When it’s a running jump against a standing up, there’s not many people who will beat you. Arsenal are attacking the spaces in between the zonal markers and everyone is on the move.”
Since the beginning of last season, 25% of goals scored by Arsenal have come from set-pieces−not including penalties.
Modern elite football clubs are now making it mandatory to have set-piece coach, as evidenced by Arsenal’s appointment of Nicolas Jover.
As with the Gunners’ set-piece prowess, other data have also revealed Arsenal’s resilience and tireless work in training ground, which has been suggested to be the secrets behind Arsenal’s tactical success−compared to Stoke City team under Tony Pulis, as the club is dubbed as the archetypal direct, nonsense-bereft team who utilise their maximum physical strength.
With a smile, “Arsenal are the new Stoke City. Depending on set-pieces to give them the win,” according to former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov on Amazon Prime Sports after the game.
According to former Everton and current Portugal Head Coach Roberto Martinez, “We all suffered Stoke. I think it is a great credit to remember Tony Pulis.”
During Pulis’ Stoke City era, their Premier League goals between 2008 and 2013 (81 of 188) came from set-pieces (penalties not inclusive). This stats shows that Arsenal are not on the same pair with Stoke City yet, but really cannot tell if they manage to sign a long-throw maestro in the mound of Rory Delap.
Many pundits and managers were found willing to praise the Gunners, with Pundit like Gary Lineker, commending the Gunners on their set-piece consistency and delivery, calling it “extraordinary.”
In a post-match conference following Manchester United’s defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates last week. United manager Ruben Amorim branded Arsenal’s corner routines “incredible, especially the way they change the games, because sometimes they are not dominating. Today [the game] was really divided, no big opportunities and then one set-piece can change the game.
“You can see in every situation Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli go outside and they cross. They know if the cross is going well they can score. If it goes for a corner, they can score.”
Premier League set piece kings
Premier League data from start of 2023-24 to 4 Dec 2024 (Opta)
Club Goals Set Piece (no pens) % Set Piece
- Everton: 54 27 50.0%
- Luton: 52 16 30.8%
- Arsenal: 119 30 25.2%
- West Han United: 78 18 23.1%
- Wolves: 72 16 22.2%
- Leicester City: 19 4 21.1%
- Aston Villa: 98 20 20.4%
- Bournemouth: 74 15 20.3%
- Newcastle: 102 20 19.6%
- Manchester United: 74 14 18.9%
Can Other Teams Stop Arsenal’s Set-Pieces?
The unanimity appears to be yes, but might be a difficult task.
Also, there are many dimensions to Arsenal’s set-piece that make them almost impossible to stop. The first is excellent delivery.
Arsenal Branded ‘The New Stoke City’
According to Martin Keown, former Arsenal defender, during Match of the Day while analysing Declan Rice’s delivery for Jurren Timber’s opener against United, “Delivery is key, movement, blocking the goalkeeper.
“The ball is played over that first player [at the near post] and it’s perfection.”
Izzy Christiansen, while speaking on Football Daily, said of many Arsenal’s corners delivered higher than United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana who had himself surrounded by ‘blockers.’
And after the United’s match against Arsenal at the Emirate, Amorim seemed to second the opinion, stressing: “They put a lot of players near the goalkeeper and it’s almost impossible to fight for the ball.”
In the post-match conference after the match against United. Rice said: “We keep at it [set-pieces] all the time, we never get bored. With repetition you end up scoring goals.
“When you go up for a corner it’s a chance to score a goal, not a chance to relax and chill.”
Dynamism is key. The Gunners kept United confused after Arsenal first goal came from a front-post delivery and the second, from a corner.
According to Micah Richards, former Manchester City player and the Match of the Day pundit: “Sometimes they front-load the front post but then go to the back post, and sometimes they’ll have Gabriel in the middle. The key for Arsenal is being able to mix it up.”
However, Keown argued that United looked too easy to make it difficult for Arsenal to get goals from corners.
“[United] are in a zonal system, no-one is picking up and it’s far too easy for Arsenal.
He added: “They’re just passengers, it’s just naivety.”
The opposition teams have, on several occasions, deployed man-to-man marking against the Gunners without any positive result.
Fans of the other teams are expressing their distaste on social media over Arsenal’s set-piece tactic. They criticize their use of blocks and subtle pushes that go unpunished.
“As coaches, when we prepare these strategies, you know what the opposition are going to do”. Former Everton boss Martinez said on Amazon.
“The uniqueness of Arsenal’s work is that they always find a little trick that makes things impossible to defend if the delivery is right.”
Arsenal Branded ‘The New Stoke City’
