Mikel Arteta confident Arsenal will rediscover set-piece potency
Mikel Arteta is confident Arsenal will rediscover their potency from set-pieces after breaking their duck in Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton.
The Gunners developed a reputation as set-piece specialists last term, scoring 29 times from corners, free-kicks and penalties en route to winning the title.
Yet Ezri Konsa’s scrambled, seventh-minute opener against the Toffees marked the first time the reigning champions had scored from a set play in eight top-flight games this campaign.
“I’m sure that’s going to unlock something and that belief of the players,” said manager Arteta. “So they are really convinced.
“You have to see them when we train the level of attention and how much they believe in what we do and what Nico (Jover, set-piece coach) does as well.
“There’s no question about that, but at the end he has to come through and he has to make the difference and we know that that is a massive welcome for us.”
Gabriel’s second-half header from a Ben White cross sealed Arsenal’s seventh win in eight league games.
Konsa’s first goal for the club, following a Martin Odegaard corner, set the Gunners on course to move level on 21 points with leaders Manchester City, on the back of a 2-2 Champions League draw away to Bayern Munich.
“We hadn’t scored from a set-piece, which we were disappointed with because we had generated so many chances as well,” said Arteta.
“I think in midweek we should have scored at least two in Munich and we didn’t and that would probably win us the game.
“We know that in every phase of play we want to be the best and we’re not going to stop until we do it.”
Arsenal sit second on goal difference after table-topping City suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 at Aston Villa in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
“We have to just focus on what we can do and we are very pleased with 90 per cent of the results and performances that we have apart from the Brighton game,” said Arteta, whose side lost 3-0 at the Amex Stadium last month.
Arsenal’s hectic fixture list continues with Tuesday evening’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie away to League Two Fleetwood before they travel to Liverpool in the league next Sunday.
Arteta was delighted to end a challenging week, which began with last Sunday’s 1-0 success at Nottingham Forest before the midweek visit to Munich, with two wins and a draw.
“Yes, we’re very happy with the (Everton) victory, with the performance and with the week, because we were given a terrible schedule,” said the Spaniard.
“We have overcome every hurdle, on top of some injuries, and I love the mentality of the team and the quality that we’ve shown.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub