Jamie Carragher aims subtle dig at Arsenal set-piece trainer Nicolas Jover.
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Former Liverpool defender and football pundit Jamie Carragher has directed a subtle but harsh dig at Arsenal set-piece trainer Nicolas Jover.
Arsenal’s set-piece prowess has been a defining feature of their season, with Nicolas Jover’s expert coaching transforming the team into one of the most formidable in Europe from dead-ball situations.
However, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has highlighted a glaring imbalance in Arsenal’s approach, citing their vulnerability when defending set pieces as a major concern.
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Under Jover’s guidance, Arsenal has consistently threatened opposition teams with precision and creativity, scoring crucial goals that have won them several matches. Statistically, they rank among the best teams in the Premier League in attacking set pieces.
Yet, Carragher’s criticism centers on the team’s defensive frailties, pointing out that Arsenal concedes more set-piece goals than they score.
“In terms of percentage, only Manchester United are worse than Arsenal set-piece-wise this season,” Carragher said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
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“So when we make a big deal about the set-piece coach… he’s absolutely out of this world in terms of going forward, but they’ve got a big problem defensively. So should we be cutting his wages in half? Do they need a defensive set-piece coach?”
Mikel Arteta and Nicolas Jover celebrate after Declan Rice stunning freekick goal against Real Madrid(photo credit:Getty Images)While their attacking prowess is undoubtedly an asset, it is rendered meaningless if the team cannot protect its own goal in similar scenarios. For every goal scored from a corner, conceding one from a defensive lapse cancels out the advantage.
Alternatively, Jover may need to expand his focus and invest more time in correcting the flaws in Arsenal’s structure when defending these situations.
Jover’s job at Arsenal popularly came into limelight during Arsenal’s first-leg clash in the quarter-final of the Champions League, where the tactician was pictured from the sidelines gesturing to Declan Rice to bend the ball to the far corner of the post. The result was just astonishing, as Rice did not only score that particular set piece but added another to give the Gunners the much-needed lead in the first leg.
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