Arsenal Have Transformed From 'Set Piece FC' to Open Play Kings

Remember when Arsenal were labelled Set Piece FC?

For much of last season, it became one of the most common narratives surrounding Mikel Arteta’s side. Every corner, every free kick and every goal involving Gabriel Magalhães or William Saliba seemed to fuel the same conversation. Arsenal were accused of being predictable, overly reliant on dead-ball situations and lacking the creativity needed to win football matches. They were even referred to as the reincarnation of Tony Pulis' Stoke City.

Paul Scholes claimed that the Gunners could be 'the most boring team' to win the title, whilst even league managers including Fabian Hürzeler criticised Arsenal's tactics.

In response, Arteta admitteed that criticism is 'part of the job', and joked on multiple occasions after victories that he was upset the Gunners didn't convert from a set-piece.

It was interesting that Arsenal were finding legal ways to score lots of goals last season which other sides failed to replicate. Instead of receiving praise, they were constantly hit with backlash and were told it wasn’t the correct way to win games.

Fast forward to now and the numbers tell a very different story. According to OptaJoe, Arsenal have scored 20 of their 21 goals this season from open play, giving them a 95% ratio. It is the highest proportion of open-play goals among Premier League sides, a remarkable turnaround for a side who had the complete opposite statistics surrounding their name last season.

So where has all the noise gone?

Last season, the conversation around Arsenal’s attacking football was relentless. Every goal that was being scored from a set piece was being disregarded or heavily dissected as if Arsenal were breaking rules and were not winning their games fairly. At the end of the day, set pieces are in the game to profit from, so why did it cause such a stir?

Arsenal’s reliance on set pieces was crucial to their title-winning campaign. They scored a Premier League record 18 goals from corners in 2025/26, with dead-ball situations playing a major role in ending the club’s 22-year wait for the title. The numbers were extraordinary, and it was fair to examine how much their attacking output depended on that particular strength. But there is a difference between analysing a team’s tactical approach and using one aspect of its success to undermine everything else it does.

Arsenal did not win the Premier League by accident. Their defence was superb throughout the season, and their ability to keep scoring crucial goals when they desperately needed them ultimately got them over the line and should not be criticised to the extent that it was.

Now it all seems a lot different. The 3-0 Champions League victory over Lille offered another example of Arsenal’s ability to break opponents down through open play. After a frustrating first half, Jurriën Timber broke the deadlock before Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka added further goals in a devastating seven-minute spell. The three goals came from open play, with Arsenal finding different ways to create and finish their opportunities.

It was not an isolated example, either. The FA Community Shield triumph against Manchester City in August was a ruthless display of how clinical and brilliant this Arsenal side have become from open play. The same was true of their 2-1 victory over Chelsea in September, with both goals being wonderfully crafted and finished. Bruno Guimarães’ goal on Saturday against Leeds was also a perfect example of how dangerous Arteta’s reds are in open play this season.

The criticism was tremendously high when Arsenal scored from corners. The numbers are just as striking now that they are scoring from open play. Perhaps people should just enjoy a team who are up there with the best and scoring goals, no matter how those goals are scored. If it was easy, then everyone would do it.

Arsenal have already proved they can win a Premier League title through set-piece excellence. This season, they are showing that they can threaten opponents in open play just as effectively.

The question is no longer whether Arsenal can score without a corner. The question is now whether the people who spent last season making that argument are prepared to acknowledge that the narrative has changed.