At Arsenal, corner kicks have been taken to a completely new dimension. It is difficult to fully express the precise impact in figures, because statistics and percentages do not always tell the full story. The bottom line is that Arsenal are currently about twice as effective at set pieces as any other club in Europe.
Dhe driving force behind this progress is Nicolás Jover, a 43-year-old Frenchman, born in Germany and partly educated in Canada, where he discovered the NFL. Although he has never played football himself, he makes a difference as a video analyst through his unique view of set pieces.
Specialist coaches are not new. For example, Feyenoord coach Brian Priske worked as a set pieces coach during his time at FC Midtjylland. What sets Jover apart is his eye for detail. His approach goes beyond what we have seen in football so far and will bring about lasting change. Just as building up from behind has become an indispensable element of modern football, the appreciation for set pieces will continue to grow thanks to Jover’s success. Trainers who do not take this aspect seriously will eventually no longer be able to compete in top football.
Leave a Reply