Ex-Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger is sure to be squirming.
Glenn Whelan couldn’t resist taking a playful jab as he watched Arsenal resort to long throws during their Champions League semi-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
The moment brought back memories of his Stoke City days, when Rory Delap’s missile-like throws frustrated then-Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger. Back then, Wenger was so irked by the tactic that he famously wrote to the FA, calling it “a little bit of an unfair advantage” and even suggested throw-ins be replaced with kick-ins.
Ironically, Wenger’s successor, Mikel Arteta, now appears to be embracing those very tactics. With Thomas Partey hurling multiple long throws into the box against PSG, Whelan posted on social media: “10 mins gone and Partey has sent 4 long throws into the box.. I would love to get a few words from Mr Wenger and get his reaction on how Arteta has reinvented the wheel.”
While Wenger, now a pundit, didn’t seem to comment on the scene, Arteta has made no secret of his desire to master every facet of the game—including set-pieces. When compared to Pulis’ Stoke by Dimitar Berbatov, Arteta took it as a compliment, stating: “We want to be the kings of everything… We take it as a big compliment, and as fuel to be better.”
Tony Pulis, who famously used set-pieces to keep Stoke competitive in the Premier League, isn’t surprised Arsenal have finally adapted. He noted how crucial set-pieces were to his success, with 43.1% of Stoke’s goals under him coming from dead-ball situations. Now, he says, the rest of the league—including Arsenal—has caught on.
Interestingly, Wenger, now off the touchline, praised PSG’s own use of set-pieces in their win over Arsenal. “Tonight, we’ve seen a different PSG… not guided by possession but by refusing to concede goals and taking advantage on the counter and set-pieces,” he said, adding that Arsenal’s inability to score remains a familiar issue.
What do you think of Arteta’s evolving tactics?
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