Mikel Arteta is the manager to beat in Europe right now, but he’s arguably not the Arsenal coach that oppositions fear most.
That title belongs to Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s set-piece coach, who has transformed how the Gunners orchestrate dead-ball scenarios.
Jover joined Arsenal in 2021 at the expiration of his contract at Manchester City, a decision that Pep Guardiola might’ve been more reluctant about had he been able to peer into the future.
Arsenal’s set-piece superiority has had Arteta compared to Tony Pulis, but the man behind it all is Jover, who is making the North Londoners unbeatable from set-play, particularly corners.
- READ MORE: Declan Rice reveals what Nicolas Jover told him just before he started taking set-pieces for Arsenal
Arsenal have made a bold decision about Nicolas Jover
Arsenal are 25 goals up from set-pieces in 2025/26, which is absolutely mind-blowing.
If you could send Nicolas Jover a message, what would you say?
We are a joke 🤯
No team can match, nor prevent, what Arsenal are doing from set-play, which makes the club’s latest decision all the more understandable.
Arsenal have decided not to let Jover take part in interviews, aiming to keep their ‘secret weapon’, well, secret.
It was reporter Anita Nneka Jones who broke the news on CBS Sports after Arsenal’s win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.
“Many Arsenal fans want to hear from the man, the mastermind behind 25 Arsenal goals from set pieces this season, because they got another one in this game, rightly so, being called set-piece kings,” Jones said.
“Nicolas Jover is the man, but Arsenal are not letting him do interviews; they are aware that people want to hear from him, that he’s a secret weapon. But unfortunately, he’s not going to be revealed to the public.”
It appears that Arsenal want to keep the man behind their greatest strength under wraps, and rightly so.
Arteta might partake in media duties multiple times a week, but Jover won’t be doing the same anytime soon.
Jover hasn’t just used set-piece goals to unsettle Arsenal’s rivals
It must be wondered what Man City are thinking right now, looking at the coach they used to have transform their Premier League title rivals into a different beast.
An idea of City’s thoughts spilt out in 2023, as Kyle Walker was involved in a post-match argument with Jover after Arsenal’s win over Guardiola’s side.
What rival managers have said about Arsenal’s set-pieces 🔥
Jover went to shake Walker’s hand, which was rejected, with the ex-Man City defender then wanting to take his interaction with the Arsenal coach further.
After tempers flared, Guardiola was coy about the situation when asked about it after his side’s defeat.
“I know what happened, but I don’t want to say anything; they [Arsenal] know it,” Guardiola said at the time.
If we were Man City, we wouldn’t want to see Jover either, as the Frenchman continues to separate Arsenal from the rest.
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