Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe believe Arsenal make up for lacking a prolific striker by being so efficient elsewhere.
The Gunners moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a narrow victory over Fulham on Saturday evening.
Leandro Trossard scored the game’s only goal, tapping home at the back post after Gabriel Magalhaes flicked on Bukayo Saka’s corner.
Keeping their fifth clean sheet of the season already in the league, Arsenal have now conceded just three goals in eleven games across all competitions this season.
Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe say Arsenal’s goal-scoring record from set-pieces is ‘incredible’
Arsenal scored yet again from a set-piece against Fulham.
This threat from dead-ball situations is prompting criticism from rival fans, who feel it’s not the most entertaining route to winning football matches, but Mikel Arteta and his players won’t care about this outside noise.
In fact, Jamie Carragher believes this obsession with set-pieces could suit Arsenal, as the Premier League’s style moves in this direction.
Viktor Gyokeres struggled again against Fulham, although it ultimately didn’t matter as the Gunners were resolute defensively and found their goal from a corner.
Speaking on the 2 Robbies Podcast, former Premier League stars Earle and Mustoe agreed that Arsenal’s efficiency from set-pieces essentially replaces what a prolific striker would give them in front of goal.
“Arsenal have got this thing with the corner kicks that not only gives them a confidence, I think gives the opposition a real fear,” Earle said.
“Oh, here we go again. Where’s Gabriel? Where’s [William] Saliba? It’s almost like panic mode when they get a corner.”
“Didn’t we show a graphic? I think two seasons and a bit, they’ve scored 16 more goals from set-pieces, or corners, I think, than any other team. It’s incredible. Sixteen,” Mustoe replied.
“That’s like having a different player. That’s a striker. That’s a striker’s goal tally,” stated Earle.
It probably won’t matter how good Viktor Gyokeres is
It’s clear that Arsenal are going to be almost perfect defensively this season.
Opposition teams find it so difficult to score against the Gunners, and thus, they’re always going to be in games at the very least.
It’s merely a matter of finding the requisite goals to keep winning, and their return from set-pieces, combined with the occasional piece of excellence from Saka, could be enough.
There was widespread discourse about Arsenal needing a prolific striker in the summer, but Gyokeres struggling and the Gunners still getting results proves that this probably was never the case.
Even if the Swede doesn’t click into gear, Arteta can reintroduce Kai Havertz, who will do several things that help Arsenal, without necessarily being efficient in front of goal.
Essentially, the Gunners’ success is not contingent on the success of Gyokeres.
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