Arsenal Corners Analysis: Why Are the Gunners So Efficient?

Consistent Delivery

If you watch Arsenal games regularly, you will notice how consistent the team is when it comes to crossing from corners. Bukayo Saka (from the right) and Declan Rice (from the left) seem to always send the ball in two or three designated areas, very close to the goal.

They provide inswinging corner kicks with fantastic pace. The ball spends only a few seconds in the air, which makes it very hard to react.

The consistency shown by both players is remarkable, allowing their teammates in the box to execute Jover’s strategy. They know where the ball is going, they know the pace it’s arriving at, and they can just focus on getting into the right places. They don’t have to wait for the delivery and follow the ball, the ball follows them.

Furthermore, such a consistent delivery is very useful in training sessions, because the team can get enough repetitions.

As a result, Arsenal’s corners look almost exactly the same every time. While other teams might sometimes struggle to beat the first man or go too long, the Gunners almost always find the areas they want.

Credit to Rice and Saka here, who deliver time and time again, even under pressure. That’s the first critical step, but there’s a lot more!

Targeting the Deadliest Zone in the Box

The second important element that makes Arsenal corners so successful is the area they are targeting. Scoring with a header, especially under pressure from a defender, is not an easy task even from the penalty spot.

Finding the net from a few yards is much easier, since any contact with the ball could suffice. Timing is not that important and you don’t have to strike the ball with power when even the slightest touch is usually enough.

That allows the players to focus on their movement in the box, finding the right positions, and executing Jovel’s strategy.

The freedom to focus on the initial setup and your movement is critical, because the goal area, where Arsenal tend to send their corners, is usually dominated by goalkeepers. The goalie only needs to make a few steps to get to the ball.

That’s easier said than done against the Gunners, though, which leads me to the next point – overloads!

Overloading the Goal Area

The next element in Arsenal’s approach to corners is to overload the goal area. Usually, goalkeepers dominate this part of the box, but the Gunners send five or six players there, which is a huge problem.

Since you can’t leave the players so close to the goal open, this leads to congestion. Arsenal essentially use the opposition’s defenders to eliminate space and block the keeper.

7 – Arsenal had more shots from corners (7) than they did from open play (6) against Manchester United. Indeed, the Red Devils conceded two goals from corners in a Premier League match for the first time since January 2014 (v Chelsea). Targeted. pic.twitter.com/NHnzmR0hXb

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 4, 2024

At least two or three Arsenal players position themselves in key areas around the goalie, dragging defenders there as well. If you add the excellent pace of the delivery, keepers simply can’t find a way through to collect the ball, leaving them vulnerable.

Recruitment

Finally, you need the right players to execute the plan. If you look at most teams, their fullbacks usually occupy areas outside the box to prevent counters, while Arsenal’s fullbacks are always part of the action.

Ben White (6’1”), Jurrien Timber (5′ 10″), Riccardo Calafiori (6’2”), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (6’2”) are all tall and strong in the air, so you will consistently find them in the box when Arsenal is taking a corner. All these players were brought to Arsenal after Arteta arrived.

If you add the likes of Havertz (6’3”), Rice (6’2”), and Merino (6’2”), who are also Arteta recruitments, the pattern is very clear. Arsenal simply buys tall and strong players, which allows Jover to do his magic.

The balance comes from the likes of Trossard, Zinchenko (the rare exception among fullbacks), Martinelli, and Odegaard. They are the ones outside the box, waiting for clearances and making sure the opposition doesn’t counter.

As a result, Arsenal have multiple big guys in close proximity to where the ball is going. This creates havoc in the area, and we know the result: Arsenal have scored 41 goals from corners since 2021, at least 7 more than any other team!