Tony Pulis Responds to Arsenal’s Set-Piece Success After ‘New Stoke City’ Label

Tony Pulis has responded to Arsenal being labeled as new Stoke City (Image credit: Getty).

Mikel Arteta’s team draws comparisons to Stoke City due to their consistent quality from set-pieces this season.

Former Premier League manager Tony Pulis has responded to Arsenal’s impressive set-piece success, which has led to comparisons with his former team, Stoke City. Pulis, known for his emphasis on set-pieces during his tenure at Stoke, commented on the Gunners’ recent performance following their 2-0 victory over Manchester United, where both goals came from corner kicks.

Under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta and set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, Arsenal has become a formidable force from dead-ball situations. Since the start of the 2023/24 season, the Gunners have scored 22 goals from corners, the highest in Europe’s top five leagues. This success has drawn comparisons to Stoke City’s approach under Pulis, who made set-pieces a key part of his strategy.

Pulis acknowledged the comparison but emphasized that Arsenal’s success is a testament to the growing importance of set-pieces in modern football. He told BBC Radio 5 Live, “They get it now. What I would say, and I want to make this clear, is that I think for corners – and we were very, very good at set plays at Stoke – but for corners, it was one season at West Brom when we scored the highest number of goals (from corners).”

Pulis highlighted the quality of Arsenal’s corner kicks and the players’ willingness to attack the ball. He added, “The quality of the balls in is absolutely fantastic. Then you’ve got to have people who want to attack the ball and want to score. Arsenal have got that in abundance.”

Pulis’ legacy at Stoke City is well-known, with the team scoring 81 set-piece goals during his tenure from 2008 to 2013. His approach has influenced many managers, including Arteta, who has adopted similar tactics to great effect.

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