ARTETA HITS BACK: ARSENAL BOSS UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT "RUTHLESS" CORNER TACTICS BEFORE BRIGHTON CLASH
Mikel Arteta isn't backing down! Read about Arsenal's record-tying corner goals and the "time-wasting" row with Brighton's Hurzeler.
Mikel Arteta isn’t losing sleep over the criticism of Arsenal’s set-piece tactics, even after Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler stirred things up before their Wednesday clash by taking a few shots at Arsenal’s style. Set pieces have become a big deal in the Premier League this season, and honestly, Arsenal are running the show. That kind of dominance is bound to ruffle some feathers.
Sunday’s win over Chelsea made it pretty clear that both Arsenal goals came from corners. That puts them at 19 set-piece goals in 29 league games, five more than Newcastle and a whopping 12 ahead of Brighton. Brighton might not score as many from set pieces, but they’re tough to break down, having conceded just five set-piece goals, the best defensive record in the league.
This whole debate blew up again after Liverpool’s Arne Slot complained that set pieces are ruining the flow of matches, making games less fun to watch. Stats back it up: nearly 28% of Premier League goals this season have come from non-penalty set pieces, the highest since 2009-10.
Hurzeler didn’t hold back when asked for his take on Tuesday. He pointed fingers at Arsenal, saying set pieces mess with the game’s rhythm and that there aren’t clear rules about how long teams can take for corners or throw-ins. “Some of the blocking or the way teams are blocking, there’s no clear rule; sometimes it’s a foul, sometimes it’s not,” he said. His main gripe? He wants clear rules on how much time teams can waste. “When Arsenal are leading and have a corner, sometimes they take over a minute just to kick the ball. We end up with 50 minutes of actual game time instead of 65. The difference is huge.”
He added, “Fans pay a lot to watch us play. They want to see football, not 40 minutes of standing around while the ball isn’t in play.”
Arteta faced the criticism in his press conference. When asked if he thinks other teams would love to be as ruthless on set pieces as Arsenal, he didn’t hesitate. “I want us to be the best. I get frustrated that we don’t score more and that we still concede, too,” he said. “We want to dominate every part of the game. That’s our goal as a team and as a club. So let’s keep pushing.”
And as for the critics? Arteta just shrugged: “Part of the job.”
GABRIEL JESUS RANKS BUKAYO SAKA ALONGSIDE VINICIUS JUNIOR AND RODRYGO
Gabriel Jesus compares Bukayo Saka to Vinicius Junior as Arsenal sit nine points clear in the Premier League.
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Gabriel Jesus isn’t shy about putting Bukayo Saka right up there with the likes of Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, and Rodrygo. When Rio Ferdinand asked him where Saka ranks among the best wide players in football right now, the Brazilian striker didn’t hesitate.
“They’re all at the same level,” Jesus said. He knows Saka as well as anyone, having played alongside him for four years at Arsenal. “He’s at the same table. Sure, they each play their own way, and they’ve had their ups and downs, but all of them step up in big moments. Saka’s earned his place in that group. He still needs to win a few big trophies, but those will come.”
For Jesus, it’s not just Saka’s talent that stands out; it’s his attitude. Despite all the pressure and the spotlight at Arsenal, Saka’s kept his feet on the ground. “Honestly, I’m a huge fan of his personality. He’s strong but so humble. These days, you don’t find many players who rise through the academy, become huge for the club, and still stay the same,” Jesus said.
With Arsenal heading into the season’s final stretch, Jesus sounds more optimistic than ever. He sees how the team’s grown under Mikel Arteta, with players like Saka leading the way, and he truly believes this is the squad to finally win the Premier League again. “I’m really confident. We’re in a great spot, and we have such a strong squad,” he said. “I believe 100% we’re doing something special this season.”
Saka’s influence has been massive. His form has kept Arsenal on top of the Premier League table, holding a nine-point lead over Manchester City even though City have a game in hand. Jesus, who arrived from City in 2022 with four league titles under his belt, thinks this team’s ready. They’ve fallen short before, but he’s convinced they can finish the job this time.
HOW EBERECHI EZE’S MONTH-LONG INJURY BLOW RESHAPES ARSENAL’S TREBLE PURSUIT
Arsenal playmaker Eberechi Eze is out for six weeks with a calf injury, missing the Champions League and FA Cup.
Arsenal’s hopes for a historic treble took a real hit with the news about Eberechi Eze. He’s out for at least a month, maybe longer, after picking up a serious calf injury at a pivotal point in the season. Honestly, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Mikel Arteta now has to face some tough fixtures without one of his key creative forces.
The BBC reports Eze will miss four to six weeks after getting injured in the Champions League win against Bayer Leverkusen. He already sat out Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City and pulled out of international duty. Arteta is still waiting for a full assessment from the medical team, but either way, the timing stings. Arsenal is chasing silverware in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup, and losing Eze now is just brutal. On the bright side, captain Martin Odegaard is nearing his return from a knee injury, which should take some pressure off in midfield.
Eze has been a huge part of Arsenal’s attack this season. Before his injury, he played in 43 matches – two for Crystal Palace before his late-August move and the rest for Arsenal. He’s racked up nine goals and six assists for the Gunners, cementing himself as a key figure up front. In the Premier League, he’s appeared 26 times and contributed six goals and two assists. His Champions League stats are solid, too: one goal and two assists in nine games.
With Eze out, England manager Thomas Tuchel called up Harvey Barnes from Newcastle United. Barnes is in red-hot form, with 14 goals across all competitions, and this move finally ends his nearly six-year absence from international play and shuts down any talk he might switch to Scotland.
Looking ahead, Arteta has a rough road without his star playmaker. Arsenal sits at the top with 70 points, nine clear of Manchester City (though City still have a game in hand). The team returns after the international break with an FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on April 4. Three days later, they head to Sporting CP for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. Then, there’s a massive Premier League clash with Pep Guardiola’s squad on April 19. It’s a brutal stretch; Arsenal’s depth is about to be tested like never before.
