When people talk about Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, they often point to his tactical precision, structured pressing, and technical recruitment. But the Spaniard recently revealed that the real foundation of Arsenal’s current dominance might trace back to an obsession he developed ten years ago — when he was still wearing the armband, not holding the clipboard.
The Gunners have turned into one of the most dangerous teams in Europe when it comes to set pieces, scoring ten goals from corners and free kicks in just 12 games this season. For a club once known for flowing, possession-based play, their transformation into a powerhouse of dead-ball efficiency is both unexpected and impressive. And, as Arteta admitted this week, it’s far from accidental.
Speaking to reporters, Arteta explained that Arsenal’s set-piece revolution didn’t start with data analysts or fancy technology — it started with curiosity. “Ten years ago, when I was finishing my playing career, I began to study how much impact set pieces could have on the game,” he said. “It was an obsession for me — a vision I had before I even became a coach.”
Back then, Arteta was taking his UEFA coaching badges while serving as Arsenal’s vice-captain. That period, he says, planted the seeds for what would later become his tactical hallmark. His fascination only deepened when Pep Guardiola, then his mentor at Manchester City, tasked him specifically with improving the club’s efficiency from dead-ball situations.
During his three years at City, Arteta absorbed Guardiola’s attention to detail — but also noticed something missing. “At City, we were great in open play, but there was a huge opportunity in set pieces,” Arteta recalled. “When I saw what could be improved, I knew that one day, if I had my own team, we’d master it.”
That opportunity came in December 2019, when Arsenal made him head coach. One of his first decisions was to bring in Nicolas Jover, the set-piece specialist he had worked with at City. Together, they built a culture of precision and aggression that has made Arsenal’s corners and free kicks almost as feared as their counterattacks.
Rival fans have mockingly dubbed Arsenal “Corner FC”, but for Arteta, that’s a title of pride. “If people call us that, it means they fear us,” he said with a grin. “You can call it whatever you want — for us, it’s efficiency.”
It’s hard to argue. In the Premier League, Arsenal currently lead all clubs in set-piece goals, and across Europe’s top five leagues, they’re the first team this season to reach double digits from such situations. Those numbers have helped them climb to the top of the table and dominate in the Champions League, where their delivery from wide areas has become a nightmare for defenders.
