Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

Arsenal: 5 tactical improvements during unbeaten run

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel (L) and Arsenal's English defender Ben White (R) celebrates their win in the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 26, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel (L) and Arsenal's English defender Ben White (R) celebrates their win in the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 26, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Tomi
Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel celebrates with team mates after he scores his team’s opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Arsenal. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

4. Adding Threat From Set Pieces

It’s quite the stat: in the last four matches in all competitions Arsenal have scored more goals (5) from set pieces (excluding direct free-kicks) than they did in the entirety of the 2020/21 Premier League season.

Hats off to Nicolas Jover on this one.

The former Manchester City set piece specialist was headhunted by Arteta over the summer as Andreas Georgson departed for Malmö FF, who had left behind some fantastic framework to build on.

Exceptional organisation and solidity in defensive set pieces, the issue was at the other end. Arsenal were toothless. They had put all their eggs in one basket.

Jover has taken time to start putting his stamp on this team, having already come under scrutiny during pre-season when Arsenal were leaking goals from corners and free-kicks galore. Clearly premature thoughts, he’s now overseen significant change.

Introducing Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka on dead balls more often and abandoning some of the ludicrous routines that were previously in place, Arsenal now offer genuine threat from such situations – no team in the division has score more set piece goals this season.

A marked improvement.

Continued…

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