The London Derby Feels Like a Dead Ball, Arsenal Are the Kings

LONDON, SUNDAY — The influence of set pieces is becoming increasingly crucial in the English Premier League. High-level matches, such as the London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea, must be decided through a battle of strength from corner kicks. Arsenal successfully demonstrated who the true "king of set pieces" and "king of London" is.

Three goals from corner kicks highlighted Arsenal's victory over Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Monday (2/3/2026) early morning WIB. There were no goals other than from set pieces, and golden opportunities were very limited. Both teams managed to cover each other's strengths in open play.

Arsenal, dubbed the "king of set pieces" since the beginning of the season, has truly demonstrated its superiority. The home team took the lead first with a header from defender William Saliba in the 21st minute. Just before halftime, Chelsea equalized due to an own goal by defender Piero Hincapie.

As they began to lose control during the last 20 minutes of the second half, Arsenal managed to regain the lead from a corner kick. This time it was wing-back Jurrien Timber who capitalized on a precise pass from midfielder Declan Rice. That goal became decisive in the derby titled the battle of set pieces.

"This is football now in 2026, 90 percent of goals are likely to come from set pieces. They (Arsenal) are one of the greatest in the world (in set pieces). They are so difficult to stop, they can score two goals. We only scored one goal from several opportunities," said Chelsea captain Reece James.

Not only in the derby, overall statistics also show Arsenal's dominance in dead-ball situations, particularly from corner kicks. According to Opta, they have scored 16 goals from corners in the league. That number equals the highest in league history, with nine games remaining.

Nine of the goals, including the match earlier, have been decisive in securing victory for "The Cannoneers" this season. The team, managed by Mikel Arteta, is highly reliant on set pieces. "Set pieces have become an important part of the game, and that applies to both sides," Timber stated.

Timber presents a reality. Arsenal is not alone in relying on set pieces; Chelsea does as well. They struggled significantly to counter the visiting team's corner kick schemes throughout the match. Meanwhile, "The Blues" produced twice as many corner kicks as Arsenal, totaling 10.

Before Chelsea's first goal, Arsenal was nearly scored against from a corner kick just seconds earlier. The ball hit Rice's elbow and then sped towards the goal. Goalkeeper David Raya was able to neutralize that threat, but not in the subsequent attempt.

Arsenal and Chelsea both use the inswinging technique, or passing inside, during corner kicks. However, their focus differs. Chelsea focuses on sending passes to the near post. Liam Rosenior's team crowds the area to create a chaotic situation.

The results were quite effective. Chelsea created two opportunities with the assistance of Arsenal players, Rice and Hincapie. Early in the second half, they almost took the lead first. James' cross to the near post was successfully deflected by defender Trevoh Chalobah, then executed by striker Joao Pedro. Raya saved the chance right in front of the goal.

"They (Chelsea) are a nightmare that we have to face when we are in a defensive situation. On the tactical board, we can resolve their situations (corner kicks), but in reality, they are very aggressive, effective, and difficult to contain," explained Arteta.

Arsenal is different. The corner kick executors, Rice and Bukayo Saka, focused on delivering the cross to the far post. There are two groups of players in the opponent's penalty area. One group is tasked with blocking the movements of the opposing players to prevent them from reaching the far post, including the goalkeeper, while the other group is designated for heading the ball.

Rosenior stated that Arsenal's corner kick scheme is very complex to limit. Chelsea should also have been able to defend better. "Their first goal was of high quality. For the second goal, we could have done better. There were issues in marking, including the involvement of the goalkeeper," explained the coach.

The momentum throughout the derby truly revolved solely around set-piece situations. This includes the second yellow card received by Chelsea winger Pedro Neto, just four minutes after Arsenal's second goal. The red card stemmed from the visiting team's corner kick scheme.

Chelsea was very committed when executing corner kicks. Only two of their players, aside from the goalkeeper, were outside the penalty area. The rest were engaged in duels in front of the opponent's goal. As a result, they were vulnerable to counterattacks. Arsenal took advantage of that gap through the speed of substitute player Gabriel Martinelli.

Arsenal faced considerable difficulties against ten Chelsea players in the last 20 minutes. They opted to defend, suffering a significant loss in ball possession with 35-65 percent. Imagine if the visiting team could have played with a full squad until the final minute; "The Gunners" would certainly have been in a much more challenging situation. This disciplinary issue "killed" Chelsea.

From Arsenal's perspective, the performance was far below standard. Nevertheless, a poor victory is still a victory. Moreover, the league leaders need full points to widen the gap from the pursuit of second-placed Manchester City. (AP/REUTERS)