Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has challenged William Saliba to show his effectiveness at attacking set-pieces more consistently. The Frenchman scored a vital goal in the Gunners' 3-1 win against Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Saliba headed home from Leandro Trossard's corner kick just minutes after Burnley equalised through Josh Brownhill. Following the 1-0 defeat against Newcastle, Gary Neville slammed Arsenal's set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, for shouting instructions at Trossard before he took a series of corner kicks that failed to produce a goal.
The former Manchester United defender said on the Gary Neville Podcast: «It was driving me crazy. The set-piece coach down here [Nicolas Jover], he was doing my head in as well.
»He was screaming on like crazy like he was the manager. I’m not sure that helps. He’s screaming on at Trossard who was taking the set-pieces… sit down, he knows what to do, you’ve gone through it in the week, it’s up on the board in the dressing room before the game, and you’ve told him three, four times.
«To me it felt like he was putting more pressure on Trossard taking the corners, which, to be fair, Trossard didn’t handle because his corners were appalling,» Neville added. Jover may or may not have seen Neville's criticism — Arsenal certainly proved the United legend wrong after the defeat to Newcastle as they scored two goals from set pieces against Burnley.
The constant threat to score more, was something that was pointed out by their head coach Vincent Kompany. However, Arteta clearly wants more from the taller and more physical players in his squad, including Saliba.
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