Arsenal have a major problem defending set-pieces

Mikel Arteta knew first-hand what he was getting when Nicolas Jover was hired as the club’s set-piece specialist in the summer of 2021.

Jover had played an unsung role in Man City’s success under Pep Guardiola, and Arteta was keen to add the coach to his staff once Andreas Georgson returned to Malmo. His impact at north London, as it did in Manchester, had long gone under the radar before his brilliance became clear during the first half of the 2022/23 season.

Arsenal were almost impossible to penetrate from set-piece situations, while they’d often catch opponents out with Jover’s clever routines from an attacking perspective. Only Brentford (15.81) and Newcastle (14.3) have notched a higher xG from set plays than the Gunners this term (13.7), while Arsenal’s 12 goals from such situations is the fourth-best record in the division.

However, at the other end, concerns have surfaced over Jover’s structure.

Arsenal have a major problem defending set-pieces

The Athletic has compared data from before and after the World Cup, and the numbers depict a pretty stark decline in Arsenal’s ability to defend set pieces in 2023.

In the 14 league matches before the players jetted off to Qatar, Arsenal faced 30 shots from set pieces, conceding once from them, and had an xG against of 2.36 for set pieces. In 17 games since the tournament (which doesn’t include the 3-3 draw with Southampton), they have faced 41 shots from set pieces, conceding five times, and have an xG against from set pieces of 5.51.

The average quality of chance conceded from set pieces has also nearly doubled from 0.08 xG per shot to 0.15.

What’s more concerning is that there doesn’t seem to be an obvious solution. Arteta recognised the need to “dramatically improve” at defending set-pieces after his side conceded from a corner in the 2-2 draw with Sporting CP, but since then, Arsenal have twice conceded from set plays (against Crystal Palace and Southampton).

And before you play the blame Rob Holding card, this has almost nothing to do with William Saliba’s injury. Arsenal’s set-play defending came under scrutiny before he picked up a lower back injury in March. Instead, the issues appear to be an exploitable structure and a lack of focus from individuals. Thomas Partey, in particular, has let his man go on a couple of occasions, leading to goals.

Teams have caught onto Jover, it appears, and it’s a surprise that Arsenal’s marking scheme hasn’t changed despite their recent issues. The Gunners continued to adopt a zonal arc around Aaron Ramsdale with the rest of the players – depending on how many the opposition commit forward – man-marking. Near-post flick-ons seem to be an avenue of joy for opponents, as we saw last Friday for Southampton’s third goal.

However, Arsenal’s issues at defending set pieces could stem from a greater problem surrounding control. The Gunners have not been able to assert control on matches throughout the second half of the season compared to the first half, where they were often utterly dominant. Their evolution isn’t complete. They’re not Manchester City quite yet. As a result, teams are starting to enjoy a greater share of the possession against Arteta’s side, which renders them more liable to surrendering corners or free-kicks.

While Arsenal are conceding 3.72 corners a game, City are conceding a mere 2.3. Thus, it’s no surprise that the Citizens’ xGA from set plays is the best in the Premier League at 4.69. They rarely give their opponents a chance to score from dead-ball situations because, well, they typically enjoy over 65% of the ball – the highest possession share in the league. Arsenal’s average share of 59.9% is the fourth-highest.

Arteta’s Gunners are still in the primitive phase of asserting all-out control akin to Guardiola’s side week in, week out.

Nevertheless, what was once a strength for Arsenal has emerged as a vulnerability at a crucial point in the season. For once, the issue can’t solely be blamed on poor Rob Holding.