Arsenal’s Corner-Kick Mastery Leads Premier League

Arsenal’s dominance in corner-kicks has turned set-pieces, once a tool for underdogs into a key asset for title contenders. Over the past two seasons, the Gunners have scored a remarkable 22 goals from corners more than any other top European club. Much of their success stems from quality deliveries by Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, whose precise crosses have created numerous scoring opportunities.

Experts like Morten Gamst Pedersen and Ryan Shawcross emphasize that delivery is crucial. Pedersen a former set-piece specialist, highlights the importance of in-swinging corners that can go directly toward goal while Shawcross praises the impact of accurate deliveries in allowing players to attack the ball with perfect timing. Shawcross, who scored many headers in his career also notes that centre-backs are often more adept at heading than strikers, making them key figures in scoring from set-pieces.

In addition to technical execution, a psychological edge plays a role. Teams with strong set-piece records like Arsenal, instill fear in their opponents which opens up more opportunities to exploit. Arsenal also uses well-orchestrated blocking routines, a technique that frees up their best headers for clear runs at the ball. These “dark arts” of blocking and positioning are a hallmark of successful teams as demonstrated by Shawcross during his time at Stoke under Tony Pulis.

While only a small percentage of corners lead to goals, Arsenal’s training ground efforts have paid off with the team converting 6% of their corners in the current season. As set-pieces continue to influence big games, Arsenal’s dominance from dead balls serves as a reminder that marginal gains can make a huge difference in title races.