Martin Odegaard has now spoken up in defence of one aspect of Arsenal’s game.
Plenty of attention has been afforded to Arsenal’s set-piece prowess recently. Since the start of last season, no other Premier League side has scored as many goals from set-pieces as the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s side are particularly effective from corners. Declan Rice has been hailed for his delivery, and Bukayo Saka can also whip a dangerous ball into the opposition box, too.
Meanwhile, the Gunners boast plenty of aerial threats, with the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, and Kai Havertz, amongst offers, all offering targets to aim for in the penalty area.
Martin Odegaard defends Arsenal tactics
It has been suggested, though, that the Gunners are over-reliant on their ability to make the most of set-pieces. Certainly, against Fulham in the Premier League last time out, Arteta’s side struggled to create chances in open play.
On top of that, Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover was recently dubbed the most “annoying” man in football by Gary Neville.
However, Arteta has defended the Gunners’ set-piece dominance, and has now been joined in that stance by Martin Odegaard.
As reported by journalist Chris Wheatley, the club captain said: “It’s funny to watch. Suddenly people start to criticise you for being good at something – that’s a bit funny.
“I think Mikel said we want to be the best at everything we do and set pieces are an important part of football.”
The secret to Arsenal’s set-pieces
Whilst Jover has, understandably so, been given a great deal of credit for the Gunners’ success when it comes to set-pieces, the plaudits ought to be more widely spread.
Not only does the French coach need to get his tactics right, and Jover is allowed to address the Arsenal players at half-time to reinforce his instructions, but several other crucial factors need to come together, too.
When it comes to corners, for instance, the delivery must be perfect. Without that, nothing else matters. Saka and Rice shoulder this burden with remarkable consistency.
Once the cross comes in, those tasked with attacking the ball must find space, overpower opponents, and time their movements perfectly. They are aided in this by their teammates, who provide decoy runs and block the paths of opposition defenders.
This alchemy all needs to slot into place for a corner to result in a goal, and Arsenal have proven themselves the masters of this craft – a feat befitting of praise, as suggested by Odegaard, rather than cynical scorn.
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