Gary Neville labelled Arsenal set piece Nicolas Jover as the ‘most annoying bloke in football’ after Manchester United fell to a defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Gary Neville has humorously dubbed Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s set-piece coach, as “the most annoying bloke in football” following Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United. The former Manchester United defender made the comment during a live watchalong on The Overlap, where he was joined by fellow pundits Roy Keane, Ian Wright, and Jamie Carragher.
Arsenal’s prowess from set pieces was on full display during the match, with goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both coming from corner kicks. This season, Arsenal has scored more goals from corners than any other team in the Premier League, a testament to Jover’s influence and tactical acumen.
Neville’s frustration was evident as he watched Arsenal capitalize on their set-piece opportunities. “The set-piece coach at Arsenal, he’s got to be the most annoying bloke in football,” Neville remarked. “He’s got to be, hasn’t he? He’s got to be though, hasn’t he?”. His comments were met with laughter from his fellow pundits, who acknowledged the effectiveness of Jover’s strategies.
Despite Neville’s playful criticism, there was also recognition of Jover’s significant impact on Arsenal’s success. Jamie Carragher, another pundit on the show, praised Jover’s work, suggesting that Arsenal should do whatever it takes to keep him. “If you were that set-piece coach for Arsenal, you could write your own contract, couldn’t you? You couldn’t get rid of him,” Carragher said.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has previously spoken highly of Jover, describing him as a “very special person” and a key figure in the team’s coaching setup. Arteta brought Jover to Arsenal from Manchester City, recognizing the potential for improvement in set-piece situations.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings