Premier League hits and misses: Arsenal’s psychological edge at set-pieces key once more in Man Utd win

Arsenal’s corners have change into a type of psychological warfare

Even within the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Manchester United, earlier than Jurrien Timber’s breakthrough objective, the house supporters contained in the Emirates Stadium may very well be heard celebrating corners as if they had been objectives. Arsenal’s opponents know what’s coming. However stopping it’s one other matter.

Arsenal’s complete of twenty-two objectives from corners for the reason that begin of final season is probably the most by any Premier League aspect. Manchester United had not conceded from two in a single sport in a decade and but they had been lucky, because the deliveries rained in, that it was solely two.

Timber’s objective got here throughout a sequence of near-post deliveries that brought on utter chaos within the Manchester United field, as Arsenal repeated the strategy that did for West Ham on Saturday, with gamers congregating on the far publish and charging throughout objective.

Then, when Ruben Amorim’s aspect had been anticipating Bukayo Saka to comply with Declan Rice’s instance and direct his supply to the identical spot, he as an alternative outfoxed Manchester United by looping one to the far publish, the place Thomas Partey was ready to go throughout objective for William Saliba to attain.

It’s a testomony to the standard of the routines devised by their specialist coach Nicolas Jover, and the deliveries despatched in by Saka and Rice, that Arsenal had been capable of inflict this a lot harm with out their most harmful set-piece weapon in Gabriel Magalhaes.

As Arteta acknowledged in his pre-match press convention, their set-pieces are a collective effort. It’s one thing Amorim understands. The Manchester United boss even claimed afterwards that Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are blissful to power corners, realizing the harm they will do.

They’ve change into a type of psychological warfare, the stress enhanced by rigorously orchestrated delays over taking them. Manchester United had been simply their newest sufferer. There might be extra.
Nick Wright

The storm arrives for Amorim at Man Utd

Amorim noticed this coming. Forward of the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal, he had warned a storm was coming. “We are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games,” he mentioned as a warning to any followers getting carried away by a 4-0 win over Everton.

The storm arrived within the second half on the Emirates Stadium, as corners rained down on the Man Utd six-yard field and Arsenal discovered the web twice at hand Amorim a primary defeat of his reign and first defeat in league soccer in a yr.

United did properly to comprise Arsenal within the first half. Noussair Mazraoui and Tyrell Malacia mixed to restrict Martin Odegaard and Saka and there was proof of Amorim’s training-ground work.

However when United wanted to go up a gear within the second half they may not discover it. Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee had been as ineffective as Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount. Amad Diallo offered some spark however a Matthijs de Ligt header was as threatening because the guests bought.

Amorim spoke afterwards a couple of “time limit” on the sport time a few of his gamers have, given their health and damage points. Nottingham Forest after which Manchester Metropolis are subsequent up and extra short-term changes are sure – Amorim made six modifications right here. However the repair required to take United to Arsenal’s stage is clearly going to take a very long time.
Peter Smith

De Bruyne masterclass pulls Man Metropolis out of winless rut

Kevin De Bruyne’s long-awaited return to the Manchester Metropolis beginning XI didn’t disappoint. Pep Guardiola lauded the midfielder’s “presence” when chatting with Amazon Prime after the Belgian masterminded his aspect’s first win in eight video games.

It was greater than the objective and help within the first half that buoyed Metropolis to their 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, De Bruyne appeared to be concerned in every thing the Premier League champions produced positively in possession. The 33-year-old mentioned it himself when requested why his team-mates had been seeking to him for inspiration in the course of the sport.

“It’s been a difficult spell,” he mentioned.

“Maybe they [his team-mates] look towards the older guys to bring a bit of calmness to the game. I was able to do that.”

The composure he added to his aspect’s show was evident because it even raised the efficiency of Jack Grealish, who taking part in in a barely totally different central function the place he was capable of feed off De Bruyne’s creativity to make issues occur himself.

His affect speaks for itself. Metropolis at the moment are unbeaten in every of their final 31 Premier League video games with De Bruyne within the beginning line-up (W26 D5), with the Belgian immediately concerned in 25 objectives throughout these matches (9 objectives, 16 assists).

Metropolis’s chief creator walked off the pitch to an embrace from his supervisor who might be hoping his key man will proceed to alleviate the problems brought on by a darkish November.
William Bitibiri

Mo Salah – No one does it higher when it issues

He makes it look really easy. That’s the fantastic thing about Mohamed Salah. When the ball drops his means within the last third, his composure in having the ability to make the right last determination in entrance of objective stands him out from the gang.

There may be an argument rising that he simply is likely to be the best ahead participant this league has ever seen. His supporters will level to Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Newcastle as a chief instance.

Liverpool bought one thing out of this sport due to Salah’s greatness. Two objectives and an help simply when his workforce wanted him as Liverpool had been flat and appeared brief on concepts in a one-sided first half that Newcastle dominated.

Salah has each scored and assisted in 37 totally different Premier League matches now, overtaking Wayne Rooney (36) because the participant to have performed so on probably the most events within the competitors. Signal him up.
Lewis Jones

Are Chelsea title contenders?

“We’ve got our Chelsea back” sang the away finish in the course of the 5-1 thrashing of Southampton as additionally they serenaded head coach Enzo Maresca, who in flip acknowledged their assist by applauding again.

The temper round Chelsea is totally different lately and a few might properly consider they’re absolutely within the title race.

This spectacular efficiency, albeit towards a 10-player backside aspect, will solely louden these whispers as Chelsea took benefit of Liverpool’s slip-up at Newcastle.

Chelsea definitely have the depth to go the space. Maresca has a humiliation of riches at his disposal, proven by his much-changed aspect as they strolled to a dominant victory that noticed them have 26 pictures at objective.

The Blues look extremely assured proper now and are a really entertaining watch – their present goals-per-game ratio of two.6 is their finest in a single season of their total historical past.

More durable checks await them, nevertheless, with Sunday’s journey to London rivals Tottenham, stay on Sky Sports activities, offering a significantly better yardstick of the place they’re at.

But when they cross that take a look at then Maresca’s aspect have a really beneficial fixture run as they face only one top-half workforce – Brentford at dwelling – till they go to Manchester Metropolis on January 25, stay on Sky Sports activities.

Chelsea might properly be severe title contenders come that journey to the Etihad.
Declan Olley

Wolves followers activate O’Neil

Gary O’Neil was below stress going into Wolves’ sport towards Everton however that can intensify after such a hapless efficiency. Any 4-0 defeat is unhealthy. This was worse. The raggedness of the show, the failure to concentrate to the main points, doesn’t replicate properly on him.

Wolves parted firm with set-piece coach Jack Wilson in October, a call that can come below extra scrutiny following a sport by which O’Neil’s workforce conceded all 4 objectives from set-piece conditions and had been lucky to get away with a fifth.

The primary objective was curled across the wall and into the web, astonishingly straightforward. “Basic stuff. Can’t even get the wall in the right place,” mentioned O’Neil afterwards. They had been bullied from each dead-ball scenario thereafter. That ought to not have been a shock.

There may be expertise within the workforce however there may be little probability of that saving Wolves in the event that they defend this poorly, following up conceding 4 at dwelling to Bournemouth by delivery one other 4 right here. That is the worst defence within the Premier League and that leaves O’Neil susceptible.

The Wolves supporters contained in the stadium ran by a sequence of chants for O’Neil’s departure, questioning substitutions, the standard of his soccer and his future on the membership. They completed by turning on house owners Fosun, which is never good for the coach.

O’Neil was defiant afterwards but additionally slightly determined, itemizing the totally different personnel and formations that he had tried in his seek for an answer. Nevertheless it was the road about Everton’s strategy that was most hanging. “Everton didn’t do anything complicated as you all saw. It was real direct stuff, real low risk.”

Sean Dyche responded by saying that his job was to get the most effective from the group. If O’Neil can not make Wolves extra strong than this, slicing out not less than among the errors, the chance for him is that his employers flip to someone else to get the most effective from his.
Adam Bate

Weight lifted for Emery and Villa

A weight has been lifted for Aston Villa boss Unai Emery and his squad after the 3-1 dwelling win over Brentford they usually can now head into one other dwelling sport towards bottom-of-the-league Southampton with some well-needed confidence.

Emery has by no means gone 9 video games and not using a win throughout his managerial profession – and it was clear from the opening minute that his gamers weren’t going to let it occur.

Villa appeared again to their easiest at instances as Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey all flooded ahead into area frequently on the counter.

All three objectives arrived in fast, sweeping strikes up the pitch and, after transferring up into seventh with the win, the run of eight video games with out tasting victory already looks as if a distant reminiscence.

“We break the spell of bad results we were having. Of course, to feel like home is our fortress and the supporters respond well, this is how you have to try and create,” Emery mentioned after the sport.

“I think we did fantastic. They were letting us have transitions and letting us create chances. Today, the match we played will give us confidence again.

“It isn’t sufficient however we’ve to attempt hold going. An important factor is to try to focus.”
Patrick Rowe

Brentford away type now a fear

“You’ll be able to’t argue that we’re higher dwelling than anyway,” said Thomas Frank after another defeat on the road.

Brentford sit in a promising position in ninth but their form away from the Gtech Community Stadium is holding this team back.

Just one of their 20 points has arrived away from west London, but it was also the manner of this latest defeat that will worry the Brentford boss.

“Two of the seven video games away from dwelling have been unhealthy performances. At present and Fulham,” Frank continued.

“I’m assured come the top of the season; we could have wins away from dwelling. They [Villa] hit a excessive stage and confirmed why they play Champions League soccer.”

Three of their five games between now and the end of 2024 are away. The Bees will need to address this mental block on their travels or this season will quickly spiral into obscurity.
Patrick Rowe

Conflicting feelings on the King Energy

Leicester’s 3-1 victory over West Ham was a case of two groups at reverse ends of the spectrum concerning optimism.

For Leicester, it was the proper introduction to Ruud van Nistelrooy, as his aspect took their probabilities in a way the boss would have been pleased with in his taking part in days, and backed this displaying up with a defensive efficiency to go alongside it.

Nonetheless, the scenario for West Ham is rising bleaker by the day. The win towards Newcastle has merely papered over the cracks for this workforce, who look absent of concepts and id when video games start to show towards them.

Whereas one workforce can look forward with hope and pleasure for his or her subsequent outing, Julen Lopetegui and his gamers will possible be dreading the banana-skin sport towards his former aspect Wolves, stay on Sky Sports activities, subsequent Monday.

The problems defensively towards Arsenal and now struggling on the reverse finish towards Leicester. Add of their ever-changing midfield and the widespread issues inside this workforce change into clear to see.
Patrick Rowe