Kai Havertz has revealed that Arsenal’s relentless work on set pieces played a major role in the club’s Premier League title success last season.
The Gunners ended their 21-year wait for the Premier League trophy after finishing above Manchester City, with their effectiveness from dead-ball situations emerging as one of their biggest strengths.
According to The Athletic, Arsenal scored more set-piece goals than any other Premier League team last season, excluding penalties.
Arsenal regularly turned to carefully rehearsed set-piece routines to break the deadlock and settle closely contested matches. Their ability to vary their routines and consistently convert opportunities made them a significant threat from corners and free-kicks.
Havertz explained that the squad approached set pieces with the same confidence they would have when taking a penalty, while dedicating countless hours to perfecting them in training.
“Set pieces have become a huge part of our game,” Havertz said in a chat with JioHotstar.
“We treat them like penalties; every time we get one, we feel like we can score. We work on them tirelessly in training, and it shows in matches.
“We scored so many goals from set pieces last season, and that was a major reason why we lifted the Premier League trophy.”
The German forward believes Arsenal’s commitment to set pieces ultimately gave them an important edge in their title-winning campaign, highlighting how preparation on the training ground can make the difference in decisive Premier League matches.
