Liam Rosenior Fires Bold 'Set Piece FC' Warning Shot at Chelsea Ahead of Arsenal Showdown
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior firmly dismissed Arsenal's "Set Piece FC" label, cautioning that the Premier League frontrunners are "excellent across all areas."
The Gunners have established themselves as dead ball specialists over recent seasons. The nickname "Set Piece FC" initially emerged as criticism, suggesting an excessive dependence on this particular facet of football, but has now been adopted proudly by Arsenal supporters.
Fans who made the trip to Portsmouth, amid their vocal criticism of Gary Neville, continuously chanted "Set piece again, olé, olé" while witnessing their side net from three corner kicks and a swift free kick in a commanding 4–1 triumph.
Rosenior faces the challenge of countering Arsenal's dangerous near-post crosses in Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final opening leg at Stamford Bridge. During his pre-match briefing, the new Chelsea manager was questioned about the Gunners' reputation. "I'm not sure who's labeling them 'Set Piece FC'—certainly not me," he responded dismissively.
The set-piece characterization held some validity early in the campaign. Twelve of Arsenal's opening 17 Premier League strikes (71%) this season originated from dead-ball situations as Mikel Arteta's team methodically secured victories while adjusting to an attack centered around Viktor Gyökeres.
Since November 1st, Arsenal's effectiveness in open play has enhanced—their total of 25 goals from regular play situations ranks behind only Manchester City (37) and Liverpool (28) in the division this campaign—yet the perception persists.
"Arsenal excel in every department," Rosenior emphasized. "They're a quality side. It's not about reverting to outdated tactics. You optimize every small advantage to become the most complete team capable of winning through various methods.
"They're a squad that performs exceptionally well defensively. They possess a crystal-clear vision of their preferred playing style with possession. Additionally, they're extremely well-drilled with precise delivery from dead balls. That's the standard you need if you aspire to achieve success."
Arteta Unimpressed With 'Set Piece FC' Tag
Arteta Dismisses 'Set Piece FC' Label
When questioned about this subject prior to Arsenal's winter clash with Brentford, another club that clearly builds their strategy around set pieces, Arteta rejected the idea that any team specializes solely in dead balls.
"I'm unaware of any Premier League club that doesn't want to score from set pieces," Arteta reasonably observed. "I believe we should all be considered set-piece teams since we all find the net and concede from these situations, regrettably."
Certain teams have embraced these incremental advantages more eagerly than others. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou displayed obvious contempt for the approach. "I simply have no interest in it," he stated bluntly at the conclusion of his first season in north London. "I never have been."
Arteta remains deeply committed to extracting every possible advantage from his squad in pursuit of those coveted trophies. Arsenal recruited Brentford's specialist set-piece coach Andreas Georgson during summer 2020 before bringing in the renowned Nicolas Jover as his replacement the subsequent year.
Throughout Jover's five-and-a-half years patrolling the touchline, Arsenal have accumulated 78 Premier League goals from set pieces, 14 more than any other club (Manchester City and Liverpool each have 64).
As Rosenior observed, set pieces aren't Arsenal's sole attacking threat. However, they remain their most lethal option.