[Sport] Why Arsenal are being called 'the new Stoke City'

[Wolf.17]

 

"Perfection", "impossible to defend", "like Stoke City!"

Pundits were left purring once again by Arsenal's set-piece prowess after a series of dangerous corners led to both goals and a host of further chances in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United.

Post match, manager Mikel Arteta said he hoped opponents would continue to struggle to find a solution to a strength everybody is aware of, but few can find a way to address.

We have taken a look at the best stats and quotes to explore Arsenal's emergence as "corner kings" and why they are being compared to the Stoke City of Tony Pulis.

• Arsenal have scored 22 goals from corners since the start of 2023-24, seven more than the next highest in the Premier League, Manchester City

• Across Europe's top-five leagues, Arsenal are also top and five clear of Bayer Leverkusen in second (17)

• Mikel Arteta's side have scored 30 goals from all set-pieces (excluding penalties) in that period, accounting for 25.2% of their 119 league goals

• Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have the most assists from set plays since the start of last season (7)

• However, Everton (50%) have the highest ratio of set-piece goals as a proportion of all goals in that same period

• For the ultimate comparison, Stoke's Premier League ratio under former manager Tony Pulis was 43.1% - 81 set-piece goals from a total of 188 goals.

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It is now the norm for elite clubs to have set-piece coaches, and in Nicolas Jover Arsenal arguably have the best.

But as well as the hours of data analysis and tireless work on the training ground, another factor has been jokingly suggested as being behind Arsenal's success - a similarity to Pulis-era Stoke City, the club often cited as the archetypal direct, no-nonsense team who maximised their physical strengths.

"Arsenal are the new Stoke City - depending on set-pieces to give them the win," former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov said - with a smile - on Amazon Prime Sports after the game.

Portugal head coach and former Everton manager Roberto Martinez added: "We all suffered Stoke. I think it is a great credit to remember Tony Pulis."

Under Pulis, 43.1% of Stoke’s Premier League goals between 2008 and 2013 (81 of 188) came from set-pieces (excluding penalties), so Arsenal aren't quite on their level yet. Perhaps a long-throw specialist in the Rory Delap ilk is needed?

Other pundits and coaches were far more willing to praise the Gunners, with Gary Lineker describing the consistency of Arsenal's set-piece delivery as "extraordinary."

Speaking to Amazon, United manager Ruben Amorim labelled Arsenal's corner routines "incredible, especially the way they change the games, because sometimes they are not dominating. Today [the game] was really divided, no big opportunities and then one set-piece can change the game.

"You can see in every situation Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli go outside and they cross. They know if the cross is going well they can score. If it goes for a corner, they can score."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c7084ejn1lxo