Arsenal may already have a long throw specialist in their ranks, although he’s yet to feature under Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have pioneered a movement towards maximising threat from set-pieces in recent seasons, and have already found the back of the net from dead-ball situations eleven times this term.
Jamie Carragher has described Arsenal’s set-piece threat as ‘very special’, and there’s no doubt that Arteta will continue to leverage this moving forward.
The North Londoners are extremely dangerous from corners and set-pieces, although they’re yet to truly conquer the art of a long throw.
Arsenal youngster Marli Salmon has an ‘effective long throw’
Arsenal constantly threatened Paris Saint-Germain with long throws in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie last season.
However, since then, Arteta’s side have launched the ball into the box from the sidelines relatively frequently, but to no avail.
The tactician will no doubt be eager to increase his team’s threat from these situations in the coming years.
Arsenal are so deadly from corners and free-kicks largely because of the quality of the deliveries from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. The success of their long throws will also be dependent on having someone adept at chucking the ball into the box with pace.
Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber haven’t quite mastered this skill, but the Gunners may have a player developing through their academy who has.
According to Arsenal Youth expert Jeorge Bird, 16-year-old defender Marli Salmon has an effective long throw.
Showcasing this attribute in the Under-21s so far this season, the centre-back would have to translate the skill to the senior level.
Yet to feature for the first team in a competitive fixture, Salmon is well-placed to make an appearance in the next year or so if he continues to develop his long throw and becomes a specialist in this realm.
Who is Marli Salmon?
To many, Salmon’s name won’t mean much.
However, keen observers of the Gunners’ youth teams will be well aware of his potential and why people at Hale End are increasingly excited by the starlet.
Salmon went on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia in the summer, featuring off the bench against both AC Milan and Newcastle in Singapore.
Having only turned 16 in August, the central defender is already playing several years above his age group, which speaks to how highly rated he is.
Athletic, physically imposing and exceptional on the ball, Salmon has already been compared to William Saliba.
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