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There is one set piece blind spot which even the King Jover seems to have tho - kick offs

Whyyyyyy from every kick off do we play the ball back to the keeper who in turn just hoofs it long???

I’ve been desperately trying to work out what the objective is with this one and I’m yet to see it adding any value at all

Half the time we lose the ball outright. A third of the time it ends up going for a throw in just past the halfway line. The remaining time Havertz or whoever wins the header and it goes backwards to a midfielder near the halfway line…

I’ve never once seen it achieve any clear goal like catch a team cold and win a corner kick or create a chance or anything. Given how it usually ends with us just losing the ball or at best keeping it with minimal advantage gained, surely keeping the ball from kick off makes far more sense?

We spend all this time coaching Raya to play one twos with CBs rather than hoof it long, but every kick off we turn into Peter Kay shouting ‘about iiiiit’ like the old John smiths beer advert

Drives me mad lol

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It's a 'field-tilt' tactic. If we pin the oppo into their end-- for the first action-- we may win the ball back and possibly score quickly. If not, it's almost assured-- the oppo will not score on us-- early in that half.

We are controlling the first segment of a half-- by decree.

Not necessarily a fan of it-- but do grasp what Mikel is dictating-- by eliminating the first 2-3 minutes of one half from contention-- unless it's Arsenal who have advantage.

Winning-- by whatever margins available.

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Keep on pushing 2x points slashed, we move.

On another note the United path has really been a thing to behold, wasn't so long ago we'd shutter when that fixture appeared, god forbid it being a UCL encounter like the one CR7 abused the entire side and I drank myself silly.

They now rock up playing a Christmas Tree formation and pray for a counter attacking goal. Trust thy process they made fun of... well dig in chaps it's just begun.

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I honestly think Jover just borrowed the bunched group at the far post from watching what other sports do from set plays . Basketball stacked formation on inbounds play or Nfl Bunched formation with all the receivers in a group. These are zone buster plays as the defenders don't know who to mark and they have to turn their head away from the direction the ball is coming to find somebody to mark or they don't know who is coming into their area. And it's almost impossible to man mark as you have natural picks and moving screens. And to adapt it to Football is pretty genius.

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I think that’s a good summary.

I also think tbh he’s doing what set piece coaches/managers should’ve been doing 50 years ago. Honestly the amount of damage you can do with a bit of creativity on set pieces is untold and is by far the most untapped potential in the sport.

99% of all set pieces are entirely routine and are basically just hit and hope at a certain spot rather than clever.

The one that really irks me is when two players stand relatively near a free kick. One takes a step forward and pretends to lean in then pulls out. AFTER first guy pulls out the second guy runs up and takes it. That pause is so dumb. You’d cause far more confusion by having the first player and second player start their approach at similar times, have the first player follow through with a full dummy and the second player arriving to hit the ball only a second after (of course mixing the routine up, it’s just one example)

There’s honestly so much that can be done on free kicks and corners to catch teams with their pants down and it just never ever happens.

Jover is at the cutting edge of this time in that he’s clocked that nobody has any idea how to defend this current batch of routines so we’re milking it now. But eventually he should consider adding some other mix ups once teams get slightly wiser to it

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3hEdited

Middy you're probably right because there have been articles like this for past few years.I assume the Kroenkes encouraged Arteta and McVay this relationship.

"The Arsenal head coach spoke to his Los Angeles Rams counterpart this week to get insight into training methods"

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/mikel-arteta-arsenal-stan-kroenke-18221049

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Jover is a fucking evil genius.

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Jover MVP

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Long balls / Accurate long balls

Raya - 16 / 7

Kiwior - 11 / 5

Partey - 6 / 6

Clearly instructions from Arteta.

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My thoughts exactly Habesha.Once again,there’s was no need for a check.It was a clear goal.But that c**t Gillet saw an opportunity to intervene.Did his best to find an excuse not to allow it but sadly for him.No chance.There would have been an uproar the PGMOL. Outdoor do without.

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Most goals from corners in the PL since Nico Jover signed for Arsenal in summer 2021

Arsenal 48 (one goal every 16.4 corners)

Liverpool 41 (21.7)

Man City 40 (24.1)

_______________________________________

Surprise, surprise - best teams score from corners.

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5hEdited

Arsenal (2.97) 2-0 (0.28) Man Utd

A well deserved win.

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Choked the life out of United-- at their probable best.

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We *need* to win our next few games and see where it leaves us. Doing so well definitely improve our placement relative to the big six teams as they take chunks out of each other. Everton play a few big six teams so have a real role to play in the standings in this period

Arsenal next 3 games

Fulham away

Everton home

Palace away

Pool next 3 games:

Everton away

Fulham home

Spurs away

City next 3 games

Palace away

Utd home

Villa away

Chelsea next 3 games

Spurs away

Brentford home

Everton away

Spurs next 3 games

Bournemouth away

Chelsea home

Southampton home

Utd next 3 games

Forest home

City away

Bournemouth home

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What did we glance from this day in the EPL? 7 points of the top, Chelsea is also a real competitor maybe not for top spot but definitely for top 4. Never seen the top 10 places so congested and it will be tough as almost from now on it seems like every game is a must win.

Arteta lacks nous in setting up the starting 11 as well as the subs. Martinelli was terrible for 70 minutes all our attack came down our right side. Trossard did more in 5 minutes then Martinelli did in70. Why he was not subbed at half time only Arteta knows but more likely he doesn't know. In the Jan TW we need to bring in players for the left side that can finish and score goals.

The set piece coach needs a salary increase or he will be gone in the summer.

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'The set piece coach needs a salary increase or he will be gone in the summer.'

Immature take, grasshopper.

Not only is Nick Jover respected, and well compensated-- he and Mikel are close friends as well.

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I can't bring myself to answer that rat but on top of what you said JW1 jover never worked out at Brentford or City he was offered a job in the summer and turned it down. He has found his home and is well paid as a coach for us

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I thought the check for the 2nd goal was a bit too long. And what do you know, it is Liverpool fan Jared Gillet on VAR. Cunt.

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I'm so glad Arteta has quickly realized that Merini is a very good squad player, not a starter

When everyone is fit, the starting midfield is Partey-Rice-Ode.

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Just checked out the goals via the short clips Arseblog post on the live blog when we score.

And it's yet on another 2 corners that gets us the goals.

It's really nice to see us become so lethal on corner set pieces.

That Timber and Saliba's arse can be so effective is nice to see.

Jover has got us working hard on our setpieces and it's paying off really well.

Very nice to see!!!

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In the old days under wenger I used to find set pieces a hopeless waste of time unless it was an Henry free kick. We were t scoring shit from corners

Nowadays every time it goes out for a corner you get that tension inside and that feeling of here we go. For Arsenal 4 corners is equal in threat to 1 penalty. So every time we get one the probability just sits there telling you this very well may a goal

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See Tim Stillman's piece today over at Arseblog-- for a really good angle on our set-piece routines--

https://arseblog.com/2024/12/absolute-cinema/

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For some reason we used to always kick them to the first post and waste them. It was as if they were never coached with kicking them.

Now it's the total opposite which is nice to see!

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Yeah ever the mighty TH14 couldn’t beat the first man on corners. Neither could pires

God knows why their corners were dreadful. And we never improved after they left because delivery was shite and giroud was the only aerial threat as well lol. Bad memories

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There's nothing as enjoyable as beating Man United, matter the context.

The win I've enjoyed most this season.

Amorim rubbing his head is pure gold. We handed his former club their first defeat and extended the grace to him too.

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