Mikel Arteta Responds to Arsenal Being Labelled ‘The New Stoke City’

Mikel Arteta deemed comparisons with Stoke City a ‘compliment’ as Arsenal sustained their impressive set-piece record in midweek.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s head coach, has responded to comments labeling his team as “the new Stoke City” due to their set-piece prowess. The comparison was made by former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov following Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United, where both goals came from corners.

Arteta took the comparison in stride, stating, “I understood very well what Dimitar Berbatov said, and it was said in the best possible way. We take it as a big compliment because Stoke were so good at it.” He added, “We want to be the kings of everything. Set-pieces, the best in the world. High press, the best in the world. In open spaces, the best in the world. The best atmosphere in the stadium and the best at everything.”

Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal has become a formidable force from set pieces, scoring 22 goals from corners since the start of last season, more than any other team in the Premier League. This success has drawn both praise and frustration from opponents, with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville recently calling Arsenal’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover “the most annoying bloke in football”.

Arteta emphasized his ambition for Arsenal to excel in all aspects of the game. “Before it was: ‘We didn’t score enough, we were soft at defending, we didn’t have mentality, we were not physical enough, we didn’t beat big teams away from home for 17 years, 20 years, 22 years. We want to be the best at everything. We want to have the best academy, be the best at player development, recruit the best players, best coaches. That’ the aim.

All links on ArsenalTalks Shop are affiliate links. We may earn commissions that support our content—at no extra cost to you. Read our full Affiliate Disclosure for more information.