Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is usually very complimentary when he’s speaking about Arsenal.
The German has faced the Gunners many times in the past, first with Norwich City and most recently with the Whites.
In the last meeting between Arsenal and Leeds, Mikel Arteta’s men absolutely battered them and won the game 5-0.
One thing that happened during the win at the Emirates may have annoyed Farke.
Daniel Farke appears to fire shots at Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover
Nicolas Jover has been a very popular figure over the last few years.
The Frenchman joined Arteta’s coaching staff from Manchester City, replacing Andreas Georgson as the club’s set-piece coach.
Since then, Jover has transformed Arsenal into the best set-piece team in Europe and even has a mural outside the Emirates.
However, for whatever reason, people seem to have a problem with him standing on the touchline and giving instructions to his players.
Gary Neville called Jover ‘the most annoying bloke in football’ once, which was absolutely unnecessary.
Now, Farke has expressed his irritation about set-piece coaches getting all the attention on the touchline. He didn’t name Jover, but it sure feels like a dig at the Arsenal coach.
He said in his press conference: “I don’t like, you know, we have the tendency nowadays that at each and every corner, the broadcasters have the name of the set-piece coach. And then always his face is on the camera, and he’s celebrated.
“I don’t believe in this. It should still be, in general, my responsibility, and sometimes we have the tendency right now to produce some superstars that shouldn’t be too much in the spotlight.
“Not criticising any club, but I don’t believe in this so much. I don’t believe in people who do the hard work behind the scenes and not like just to be in the spotlight each and every set-piece, and jump forward so that everyone can see their face. So I don’t believe in this modern hype.
“Anyhow, if some clubs want to do this and speak too much about this, yeah, then, well done.”
If Daniel Farke is talking about Arsenal and Nicolas Jover, he’s wrong
We hope that Farke was not speaking about Jover and Arsenal, but if he was, he couldn’t be more wrong.
The Arsenal set-piece coach doesn’t stand on the touchline to be in the spotlight or to show his face to the world. He is there to do his job, which is to instruct the players.
If you look at the numbers over the last few years, Jover’s guidance has made Arsenal a real force with set-pieces, so what he has been doing is working.
Perhaps, Farke is still annoyed about the fact that his side lost 5-0 against the Gunners. Two of the goals that day – both from Jurrien Timber – came from set-pieces.
That again shows that Jover’s instructions from the touchline are actually beneficial!
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
