The Arsenal corner which resulted in an own-goal by Tottenham's Dominic Solanke.
Image: Glyn Kirk / AFP
Arsenal scored their 10th goal from a corner this season in the 2-1 Premier League win over arch-rivals Tottenham on Wednesday night.
It's become a massive weapon under Mikel Arteta in a campaign where the Gunners have struggled to find the back of the net in open play.
Since Arteta's appointment at The Emirates, the focus on set-piece execution has become paramount. Arsenal's ability to convert corners into goals has transformed from a mere afterthought into a potent weapon in their tactical arsenal. This shift can be attributed to the strategic hire of set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, who joined the club in 2021. Under his guidance, Arsenal's fortunes from free-kicks and corners have seen a dramatic improvement, as they have found the net with increasing regularity.
Jover's influence at Arsenal is noteworthy; he has received widespread acclaim for instilling a renewed focus on the finer details of set-piece play. His methods have quickly paid dividends, allowing the Gunners to become a genuine threat every time the ball is placed in the corner area. Their players now approach these situations with confidence, employing drills that emphasise both delivery and finishing.
A further enhancement to Arsenal’s set-piece prowess can be attributed to the strategic reshaping of their squad. The introduction of sizeable target men, such as Gabriel Magalhaes, has added a physicality that was previously lacking. These players not only dominate aerial duels but also create an intimidating presence for opposing defenders, greatly enhancing Arsenal's chances of capitalising on corner kicks.
Magalhaes was again at the thick of the action at a corner in the 40th minute that led to the goal, attempting a header far post. The ball then snuck over the line off Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke.
However, it should have never have been a corner to Arsenal in the first place after replays showed that the ball came off an Arsenal player before going out of play. It proved to be a match-defining mistake, as Arsenal scored the equaliser from that corner before going into the break 2-1 up after pouncing on a Tottenham mistake in midfield.
With Arsenal targeting the opposition from corners, the referees need to get these calls right because it does have an impact on the match. This begs the question if VAR shouldn't be used to clarify these tight corner decisions?
Currently, VAR is only used for serious foul play, such as red cards, offsides and fouls when a goal is scored and penalty decisions inside the box. But on Wednesday it could have cleared up a mistake that ended up in a goal. It literally took two replays to clear everything up.
That mistake ended up possibly costing Spurs the match. VAR was brought in to rectify mistakes and make the game better and a lot more fair. However, it doesn't seem like it's being used properly and it should definitely now be including the awarding of corners. Especially when teams such as Arsenal use it as such a great weapon.
@JohnGoliath82