{"id":296891,"date":"2023-11-12T23:24:37","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T23:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/?p=296891"},"modified":"2023-11-12T23:24:37","modified_gmt":"2023-11-12T23:24:37","slug":"mikel-arteta-credits-arsenals-big-lads-after-burnley-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/soccer\/mikel-arteta-credits-arsenals-big-lads-after-burnley-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Mikel Arteta credits Arsenal's 'big lads' after Burnley victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
As William Saliba rose head and shoulders above the Burnley backline, awaiting Leandro Trossard\u2019s corner, you could sense where the ball would go.<\/p>\n
It duly ended up in the back of the net for Arsenal\u2019s second goal.<\/p>\n
Their third, courtesy of an Oleksandr Zinchenko scissor-kick, initially came from Burnley centre back Dara O\u2019Shea heading the ball on to his own bar.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Shea did that because of the pressure being put on him by Saliba in the air again. At 6ft 4in, the France defender is a real handful at corners but, until this game, had not scored this season.<\/p>\n
When asked about these two goals, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: \u2018We are big lads! Willy is a real presence but he hasn\u2019t showed yet that skill consistently and we are really working with him because he can be much more dominant, and the goal today is a real example of that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is proud of his side for becoming a real threat from set-pieces\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u2018Credit to the coaches and to him as well for the work they are doing. We are the team that generates the most set-pieces, teams are really low against us and preventing the spaces so it is a really good way for us to score goals as well.\u2019<\/p>\n
The numbers show a pattern. After 12 league matches, the north London club have won 153 aerial duels across the pitch, and had 21 headers at goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This time last season, it was 138 aerial duels won and 18 headers.<\/p>\n
The aerial improvement makes sense, particularly when you look across the back line.<\/p>\n
In Zinchenko, Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Takehiro Tomiyasu \u2014 who has an unusual build for a full back at 6ft 2in \u2014 the Gunners have a physical presence that has not been there in years gone by.<\/p>\n
Zinchenko is 5ft 9in, but Ben White, who was not in the squad on Saturday as a precaution, would usually start and is 6ft 2in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their recent typical back four (of White, Saliba, Gabriel and Tomiyasu) is the tallest starting defence in Arsenal\u2019s Premier League history.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
William Saliba celebrates after putting Arsenal back in\u00a0 front with an important header<\/p>\n
Further up the pitch, there\u2019s Kai Havertz, whose biggest contribution thus far has been winning aerial duels.<\/p>\n
It is why the Gunners were more than happy to see the ball cross the byline time and again \u2014 they had 13 corners to Burnley\u2019s three.<\/p>\n
Arteta has clearly recognised an area to exploit and is doing so against sides who are happy to sit back and relinquish the lion\u2019s share of possession.<\/p>\n
Burnley had their chances, Johann Berg Gudmundsson denied in the first half by an excellent David Raya save, and Luca Koleosho stopped from shooting at an open goal by a last-ditch Saliba tackle, yet it was from corners that Arsenal were able to regain control.<\/p>\n
The best sides find different ways to win, regardless of the opposition, and this was a blueprint Arsenal fans can expect to see again this season.<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off\u00a0is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.<\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify<\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n