Mikel Arteta Making Changes in Arsenal as Rivals Remain Sharp
Mikel Arteta has been clear: Arsenal must keep getting better at set-pieces. The reason? Other teams are working hard to copy them and win games the same way. As the Premier League title race heats up in March 2026, the Arsenal boss has made a big admission.
Arsenal’s Set-Piece Strength
Arsenal have scored 16 goals from corners this season. That ties the all-time Premier League record with nine games still to play. In their big 2-1 win over Chelsea recently, both goals came from corners. It put them five points clear at the top.
Mikel Arteta brought in set-piece coach Nicolas Jover years ago. Since then, the Gunners have turned throw-ins, free-kicks and corners into weapons. Players train these moves like penalties. The routines are smart โ players block, move and create space in seconds. Fans love the results. But not everyone is happy.
Rivals Fight Back
Brighton boss Fabian Huerzeler hit out this week. He said Arsenal sometimes take over one minute to take a corner. He wants stricter rules so fans see more real playing time. Other managers have called the style “ugly” or said it is ruining football.
Even Chelsea, who lost to Arsenal, are now strong at set-pieces too. Pep Guardiola at Manchester City has told critics to stop moaning and start copying instead. The message is simple: if Arsenal are winning games this way, everyone else wants to do the same.
Arteta knows this is happening. He said teams now mark man-to-man after every stoppage. Open-play chances are harder to find because defenders are so well organised. “Teams are adapting,” he explained. “They know exactly what to do.”
Arteta’s Honest Admission
After the Chelsea game, Arteta made his clearest admission yet. When asked if Arsenal had to take their set-piece work to another level because rivals were catching up, he agreed. “Yes,” he said, pointing out that every big team now scores from dead balls.
He went further. “I’m upset that we don’t score more from corners โ and that we concede from them as well. We want to be the best in every part of the game.”
But he defended the style strongly. “It’s not ugly,” Arteta said. “You have to play the game that is there. For me, it’s a beautiful game because there is so much quality. You have to adapt so much to what they do, and they have to do the same against us. The margins are very small, and the duels decide these games.”
Why the Change Matters
Arsenal used to rely more on open play. Now set-pieces make up a huge part of their goals. Critics say this shows they lack creativity. Arteta disagrees. He points out they also score plenty in normal play. But when games are tight, the extra edge from corners wins titles.
Rivals trying to beat Arsenal at set-pieces forces the Gunners to keep improving. They study new ways to attack and defend. Training is sharper. Small details โ who stands where, tiny movements โ can decide three points. This arms race shows how smart Arteta has been.
Title Race Gets Tougher
With nine games left, Arsenal are in the driving seat. Five points clear of Manchester City (who have a game in hand). But every match is a battle. Teams park the bus and wait for set-pieces. Or they copy Arsenal’s routines to hurt them back.
For Arsenal fans, it is exciting. Their team does not just play pretty football โ they win in every way possible. As rivals try to beat them at their own game, Mikel Arteta is ready to change again and stay one step ahead.
