Liverpool manager Arne Slot just stirred up a massive debate about how football should be played. He basically said watching most Premier League games isn't fun anymore because teams rely too heavily on set pieces. And guess who he's mainly talking about? Arsenal.
Here's the ironic part: Slot made these comments right after his Liverpool team beat West Ham 3-0 with three goals from corners. But the real trigger was Arsenal's 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, which also saw all three goals come from corner kicks.
"If I watch other leagues, I do not see as much emphasis on set pieces," Slot complained. He talked about how in the Dutch league, referees blow the whistle more often when goalkeepers get touched. In the Premier League? You can almost smack a keeper in the face and play goes on.
Slot got nostalgic about Barcelona from 10-15 years ago, calling that the kind of football he loves. "Most of the games I watch in the Premier League are not a pleasure for me," he admitted. Ouch.
Arteta Fires Back at Style Critics
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wasn't having any of it. His team has become the poster child for set-piece domination, and he's totally fine with that.
"It's not ugly, you have to play the game that is there for you to play," Arteta shot back. He called the Chelsea match "a beautiful game" because of all the tactical adjustments and quality on display. For him, winning those small margins is what matters.
The numbers back up Slot's concerns though. More than 29% of all Premier League goals in 2024-25 have come from dead balls (excluding penalties and own goals). That's the highest percentage since 2010-11. For context, when Liverpool and Manchester City were battling at their peak under Klopp and Guardiola, they only scored two corner goals combined across 16 matches against each other.
The Bigger Picture
This debate isn't new at all. People complained about Spanish tiki-taka being boring back when it dominated world football. One French World Cup winner even called it "love without sex." Now? Everyone romanticizes that era.
The truth is, complaints about style usually come when your team isn't winning. Liverpool are currently chasing Arsenal in the table, and suddenly set pieces are ruining football. It's worth noting that Slot's own team just scored three goals from corners, so the hypocrisy is pretty thick.
For bettors, this trend toward set-piece goals changes the game. Backing teams strong in the air or betting on total corners might offer more value than traditional match outcomes. Arsenal's set-piece prowess makes them dangerous in tight matches, especially against physical opponents.
In ten years, we'll probably look back fondly at this era too. That's just how football nostalgia works. But for now, expect plenty more moaning about "ugly" football while teams keep winning with corners.
