The warning indicators had been there for Manchester United earlier than Arsenal struck.

With the ball flying out in direction of an Arsenal nook, Diogo Dalot sprinted to shortly rectify the state of affairs and concede a throw-in as an alternative. “That is fairly essential given how good Arsenal are from corners,” stated Sky Sports activities’ Gary Neville on co-commentary responsibility.

However simply 22 seconds later, Dalot may do nothing however concede a nook – and provides Arsenal their first set-piece of the Premier League season. And, in basic vogue, they ended up scoring from it.

It was virtually inevitable. Like final season, Declan Rice’s supply was on the cash. Like final season, Altay Bayindir was unconvincing in clearing from beneath his personal crossbar. Riccardo Calafiori couldn’t miss on the road.

It’s a widespread sight. For the reason that 2023/24 marketing campaign, the Gunners have scored 31 targets from corners, averaging a purpose each 16 makes an attempt.

And given they common slightly below seven corners a match, it means the possibilities of them discovering the web from a nook lies as soon as each two or three video games – in case you are fortunate.

Arsenal have been considered set-piece consultants for round 18 months now – however scoring from their first set-piece of this Premier League season is a message to their rivals: put loads of time and deal with attempting to cease this, or they may damage you.

So how can their Premier League rivals even begin to consider stopping them?

Break up their timing

Arsenal’s nook routine begins like some other – with the taker, usually Rice or Bukayo Saka, placing their arm up within the air so the gamers within the center know when to begin their combos.

However what these gamers within the center are going to do is extra unpredictable. Arsenal have had a number of routines but in addition a number of beginning positions. Typically the Gunners gamers group collectively on the again submit however at Outdated Trafford on Sunday, all of them gathered on the sting of the field.

The explanation why is to make quick runs into the field and create momentum for when the ball arrives within the hazard zone. But it surely additionally creates a little bit of chaos, with opposition gamers being blocked off from attempting to defend the ball.

“They’ve completed it for a protracted time frame when it comes to the timing – once they begin shifting, how they transfer, once they get to the harmful space, whether or not it is the entrance or the again submit,” set-piece coach Marc Orti Esteban informed Sky Sports activities.

Till final season, Orti Esteban was a set-piece analyst at Brentford earlier than leaving to supervise New England Revolution’s dead-ball division. Working below Keith Andrews, he was tasked with attempting to work out find out how to cease Arsenal from set-pieces.

And his finest recommendation to attempt to cease that Arsenal chaos? Management it.

“It is all about breaking their timing and what they do – they’re excellent at that,” Esteban stated.

“If you happen to can cease that with physicality, stopping their runs, making it laborious for them to maneuver like they need to do, then you have got a greater probability of defending that state of affairs.

“It is about being sensible and understanding that they’ll ship to the entrance or the again submit. So you need to be lined in these areas.”

Groups have tried that previously, placing a giant deal with attempting to halt Gabriel’s run in direction of the penalty field. The Brazilian defender – who has 17 targets from set-pieces within the final 5 years – can typically be seen hovering in the course of the penalty space, earlier than attacking the ball with a run from deep.

The one challenge with utilizing physicality is Premier League referees are clamping down on that this season. There shall be stricter punishments for tugging gamers again within the penalty space. “I might count on this time subsequent 12 months for there to have been just a few extra penalties given for holding offences than what we have seen this 12 months,” stated Howard Webb earlier than this season began.

Arsenal must deal with that too, as their ‘blocking’ of defenders shall be scrutinised much more. So it reveals the significance of being street-wise when the Gunners get corners.

The significance of a robust goalkeeper

A kind of ‘street-wise’ moments that Arsenal and their opponents have to observe is how the Gunners gamers have an effect on the opposition goalkeeper – an element Manchester United discovered on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Bayindir was deemed at fault for Calafiori’s purpose, however there was additionally some intelligent play involving William Saliba, with the Arsenal defender leaning into the United shot-stopper.

Regardless of the PGMOL trying to clamp down on holding within the field, the VAR deemed Saliba’s intervention on Bayindir as “regular soccer contact”.

With Arsenal trying to make the most of each marginal achieve a nook brings, this was one other rule they managed to bend of their favour – particularly given how they wish to assault the six-yard field throughout corners.

It’s not the primary time Arsenal have tried and benefited from that tactic.

Within the 3-2 north London derby win at Spurs, Ben White was seen doing an identical trick on Guglielmo Vicario – giving the Italian goalkeeper a shove – a bounce off the shoulder – so he can be unable to assert the cross, permitting Kai Havertz to nod in a close-range header.

It has not at all times labored, particularly involving White. The England worldwide tried an identical tactic in a 1-0 win at Leicester in 2023 – holding onto goalkeeper Danny Ward’s glove within the hope that VAR wouldn’t catch it. However when Leandro Trossard discovered the web, it was noticed.

Bending the foundations? Sure – however it’s one thing that’s seen quite a bit in Arsenal’s nook routines. So a robust goalkeeper is a should.

Does clearing the penalty space work?

Final season, some groups tried a brand new defensive nook tactic in opposition to Arsenal to assist their defenders get to and clear the ball, together with their goalkeeper.

Crystal Palace, Brighton, Monaco and Spurs all left two or three gamers up on the midway line, which means Arsenal had been pressured to go away just a few gamers again. That not solely decreases the variety of gamers in and across the penalty field but in addition creates area for goalkeepers to return and declare the ball.

“Normally they arrive with six operating into the six-yard field, inflicting plenty of noise and bother” Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner stated final season. “They’re blocking, pushing, after which it seems like each single ball involves the spot the place they count on it.

“The Man Utd sport in opposition to Arsenal [where Arsenal scored twice from corners in a 2-0 win], United had eight gamers within the six-yard field to defend, and I feel they might have conceded 5.

“We wished that the field is clearer. It was.”

The one drawback? Arsenal nonetheless managed to attain from a nook in opposition to Palace by way of Havertz. That was as a result of there have been fewer defenders readily available to react to the German scoring after the ball got here off the submit. “We defended the primary ball however we did not defend the second ball, the rebound,” stated Glasner.

“I feel it was not a difficulty of getting three gamers up, it was simply that we’ve to be so sharp in each state of affairs.”

After Palace tried that tactic, Spurs got here to the Emirates and tried one thing comparable – however ended up conceding a purpose from a nook themselves as Gabriel pressured a Dominic Solanke personal purpose. It has not been seen once more.

So it doesn’t matter what groups find yourself arising with to foil Arsenal, the Gunners carry on scoring. Leeds are their subsequent guests to the Emirates, with Daniel Farke’s facet placing a deal with set-pieces themselves this summer time.

All of Leeds’ summer time signings are 5ft 11in and above. “It isn’t a coincidence,” stated Farke – because of the significance of set-pieces of their survival combat. Will they’ve a solution in opposition to one of many largest particular person weapons within the Premier League?

Watch Arsenal vs Leeds stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League this Saturday from 5pm; kick-off 5.30pm