Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will continue seeking to be “dominant” in every aspect of the game — including set-pieces.
Arsenal have scored 21 goals from set-pieces this season — the most in the Premier League — but Arteta said he was “upset” his side do not have more.
The Athletic reported on Monday that the club’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover’s contract contains a bonus clause for goals from dead-ball situations.
“I’m upset that we don’t score more (from set-pieces),” Arteta, the Arsenal manager, told a press conference on Wednesday. “And that we concede as well. So we want to be the best and the most dominant team in every aspect of the game.
“And that’s the trajectory and the aim of this team. And as a club we want to be the same. So let’s try to do that.”
Arteta said he takes any criticism Arsenal encounter over the type of goals they score and playing style as simply “part of the job” — and reiterated that, with the team competing on four fronts, he regards every variety of goal as equally valuable.
“I don’t know how you celebrate one goal different to another one,” he shrugged. “Maybe for YouTube it’s nicer one over another. I don’t know, but the reality of football depends a lot.”
Arsenal scored twice from corners in the win over Chelsea (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Arteta’s opponent on Wednesday, Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler, has accused Arsenal of exploiting “grey areas” in officiating around set-pieces, sometimes taking “over one minute” before taking a corner.
Arteta suggested the way in which Premier League football has evolved means playing expansive, attacking football is more difficult than ever — and highlighted the fact that Arsenal are not the only team placing an emphasis on set-pieces.
“I would like to play with three players extra in my own half to get some beautiful football and play always against a free man,” he said. “This is not the reality of football. You want to watch that football, you have to go to a different country because in the Premier League, for the last two seasons or three seasons, this is not the case.
“The amount of set-pieces (Chelsea) scored, Manchester United is doing so as well. I was at Man City, we used to work a lot on them. So, it’s something.”
Arteta also issued an update on team news before the game at Brighton, suggesting there was a doubt over Kai Havertz, who came on as a second-half substitute against Chelsea.
“Kai has done a part of the session so we will have to wait and see if he is available and his condition,” he said.
“Martin (Odegaard) is the other one — we will see. We have to wait and see how comfortable he is to do certain actions.
“(Declan) Rice was much better today. Obviously we haven’t really trained, so hopefully he’s going to be better tomorrow.”
Arteta also confirmed that Ben White would not be available, but David Raya and Max Dowman were both fit for selection.
Arsenal go to Brighton with a five-point lead at the top of the table. Title rivals Manchester City kick-off at the same time at home to Nottingham Forest.
