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6 hours ago
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Mikel Arteta has hit back at critics of Arsenal’s dependence on set-pieces, saying he is disappointed the Premier League leaders do not score even more goals from dead balls.
Arteta’s side have a five-point lead thanks in part to their success at set pieces. They equalled the Premier League season record for goals from corners by scoring two in the 2-1 win against Chelsea on Sunday, reaching 16 for the campaign.
But Arsenal’s excellence since Nicolas Jover took over as set-piece coach has sparked criticism of their reliance on the tactic. The debate on whether set pieces are ruining football as a spectacle is raging, with the Liverpool head coach, Arne Slot, revealing he no longer enjoys watching some Premier League matches.
The former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton, a Premier League winner with Blackburn, said Arsenal would be the “ugliest” champions if they clinch the title.
Arteta is unrepentant, saying his only concern about set pieces is making sure Arsenal are even more efficient with them.
“I’m upset that we don’t score more, and that we concede as well,” he said before the game at Brighton on Wednesday. “We want to be the best and the most dominant team in every aspect of the game, and that’s the trajectory and the aim of this team, and as a club, we want to be the same. So we try to do that.”
Asked whether he was surprised at the criticism aimed at his side, Arteta replied: “Part of the job.”
City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, believes teams should focus on adapting to the set-piece strategy rather than complaining. Arteta, who worked under Guardiola at City before joining Arsenal, agrees with his fellow Spaniard’s assessment.
“Now teams are adapting,” he said. “Chelsea, look at the quality that they have, the amount of set pieces they score. Manchester United as well. I was at Man City, I used to work a lot on them.”
Undeterred by the claims that Arsenal will be “ugly” champions, Arteta said: “I don’t know how you celebrate one goal different to another one. Maybe for YouTube it’s nicer one or another. I don’t know.
“I would like to play with three players extra in my own half to get some beautiful football. This is not the reality of football. If you want to watch that football, you have to go to a different country because in the Premier League, for the last two seasons or three seasons, this is not the case.”
