Mikel Arteta upset that Arsenal do not score more goals from corners

By Andy Sims, Press Association

Mikel Arteta says he is upset that Arsenal do not score more goals from corners.

The debate on whether set-pieces are ruining modern football has been raging this week, with Liverpool boss Arne Slot revealing on Monday that he no longer enjoys watching some Premier League matches.

Arsenal are the corner kings this season, with 16 goals coming from them, including both in Sunday’s win over Chelsea.

But despite criticism about the Gunners’ tactics from some quarters – pundit Chris Sutton claimed Arsenal will be the “ugliest” Premier League title winners should they go on to clinch it – Arteta was unapologetic.

“I’m upset that we don’t score more, and that we concede as well,” he said.

“We want to be the best and the most dominant team in every aspect of the game, and that’s the trajectory and the aim of this team, and as a club, we want to be the same. So we try to do that.”

Asked if he was surprised at the criticism aimed at his side, he replied: “Part of the job.”

The Spaniard admits football has evolved over the last few years and that teams have had to adapt.

“You, as an opponent or whatever, you get upset when you concede a goal,” he added. “I was really upset the way we conceded a goal against Chelsea.

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“Chelsea, look at the quality that they have, the amount of set-pieces they score. Manchester United as well. I was at Man City, I used to work a lot on them.

“There are phases and there are moments when a team has an opportunity to do certain things. The game is evolving and the game is becoming more and more difficult.

“Before, when you used to do a game plan you’d just invert a full-back and bring an extra player in midfield.

“Now, teams are adapting. Teams know after every sequence of play, whether it’s a throw-in, a restart of play, an open-play situation, after direct play, exactly what they have to do.

“And everything is almost man-to-man. So it’s going to be a different game unless we change the rules because the evolution of the game is that.”

Arteta believes that if people want to watch “beautiful football” they will have to look elsewhere.

“I don’t know how you celebrate one goal different to another one,” he said.  “Maybe for YouTube it’s nicer one or another. I don’t know.

“I would like to play with three players extra in my own half to get some beautiful football and play always against a free man. This is not the reality of football.

“If you want to watch that football, you have to go to a different country because in the Premier League, for the last two seasons or three seasons, this is not the case.”

Midfielder Declan Rice is expected to be fit for the trip to Brighton on Wednesday despite limping off against Chelsea.