Arsenal’s solid defence and set-piece supremacy fuel Mikel Arteta’s title dreams

LONDON – The miserly defence of Arsenal has conceded three English Premier League goals so far this season, and manager Mikel Arteta hopes their fortress-like foundation can finally deliver the silverware that has eluded the Gunners for so long.

With David Raya in goal and the commanding centre-back partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, clean sheets have become the team’s trademark in this campaign.

Their defensive solidity even extends to Europe where the backline remains unbreached after three Champions League games and will be put to the test again when the Premier League leaders host Crystal Palace on Oct 26.

“We hope that these records that we are getting bring silverware at the end and the trophies that we want. The more we can produce, the closer we are going to be able to achieve what we want to do,” Arteta told reporters on Oct 24.

“Our defensive record is very good, but we need to be consistent. It’s only the start of the season and our aim is to keep improving things, which we can do to keep getting better.

“The teams with the best defensive records, most of the time, you normally win the title. The stronger we are with the foundations, the more probability we have of winning.”

While Arsenal’s defensive wall has frustrated opponents, it is their prowess from set pieces that has been rewriting the record books at the other end of the pitch.

The Gunners have already plundered 10 goals from set plays in eight games, the earliest any side have reached double figures for set-piece goals in Premier League history.

Arteta credited the training ground obsession that has turned dead-ball situations into their secret weapon.

“First of all, creating the culture, giving to that part of the game the importance it has,” he said.

“Also, understanding that football is evolving and the way opponents are acting against us, we have to maximise certain things that happen very frequently.

“Something that happens very frequently has a lot of value to us, so we try to maximise that and be effective.”

He added that that his team’s set-piece prowess has been a decade in the making.

The Spaniard, who is now approaching six years in charge at Arsenal, was asked at what point he thought it would be smart to hone in on the importance of set pieces and he replied: “Ten years ago.

“I started to have a vision and try to implement a method and try to be surrounded by the best people to deliver that. I could see where we could have improvements, and it was clear because at some point I was doing that and I wasn’t the best person in the world to do it.

“So if I’m not the best person in the world to do it and the best method to do it, there are ways to improve it.”

The Oct 26 encounter carries extra significance after Palace held Arsenal to a damaging 2-2 draw in April, a result that effectively handed Liverpool the title initiative.

“It’s the fourth game in a row that we have played against an opponent that we dropped points against last year,” Arteta added.

“This season we’ve been able to beat them, so our focus is on continuing that.”

The match also gives attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze the chance to face his former club after the

England international’s £60 million (S$104 million) move

in August.

Eze scored the winner for Palace in last season’s FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley as the London club won 1-0 to lift their first major trophy.

“For Ebs (Eze) we know it is going to be a very special match with the history and what he did for Palace, but the focus is on the team,” Arteta said. REUTERS