Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League title race with a set-piece-heavy victory over Chelsea, sparking debate over their tactical reliance on dead-ball situations as they move five points clear at the summit.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has doubled down on his team’s “Set-Piece FC” identity after utilizing two corner-kick headers from William Saliba and Jurrien Timber to secure a 2-1 victory over Chelsea, moving the Gunners five points clear at the top of the Premier League. The North London side has now equaled the top-flight record of 16 goals from corners in a single season, a feat attributed to the “masterclass” designs of set-piece coach Nicolas Jover despite criticism from detractors like Chris Sutton, who questioned if they would be the “ugliest Premier League winning team in history.”
While Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior expressed frustration that a “new scheme” failed to contain the barrage and suggested that officials “need to look at” the grappling that occurs before the ball is in play, Arteta remained unapologetic about the tactic’s efficiency. “We knew the importance of the individual duels at set plays because Chelsea are a top side attacking and defending them,” Arteta noted, emphasizing that having “these options is great” as Arsenal continues its pursuit of a quadruple heading into the final months of the season.