If Slot, Liverpool were perturbed by Newcastle set pieces, Arsenal present another challenge entirely

Kyle Bonn

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If Slot, Liverpool were perturbed by Newcastle set pieces, Arsenal present another challenge entirely image

Liverpool somehow emerged from their Monday trip to St. James' Park with all three points, snatching a dramatic 3-2 victory thanks to 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha's goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time.

Yet Arne Slot made it clear after the match what he thought of Newcastle's approach to their bout with the defending champions.

"I'm not too sure if I saw a football match," Slot told Sky Sports. "It was set-piece after set-piece, long throws. It didn't have a lot to do with tactics. But I liked a lot how we stood strong."

If Slot prefers to beat a team with tactics, he should get opportunities against expected title rivals Arsenal this weekend. But he'll also need to be mindful of the importance of set pieces, not just in the modern game but to their next opponent.

"In a set-piece, a long throw-in, a long ball from the goalkeeper, you don't need an extra man," Slot said of Newcastle, who were reduced to 10 men by Anthony Gordon's red card before halftime. "It's always nice to have an extra player on hand, but it's just not as beneficial as if they want to bring the ball out from the back and we can press them. So, yes, with the ball, the one and only attack that was good in the second half, apart from maybe [Hugo Ekitike's goal for] 2-0, that was the one that led to the [Ngumoha] goal, which was a great attack."

MORE: Why Arsenal are called known as "Set Piece FC" under Mikel Arteta

An opponent attempting to mitigate their greatest weakness? How dare they! This business is about the result, you'll remember, not how it's achieved.

Newcastle nearly pulled out the result, too, as they not only ground Liverpool down from set pieces but scored both goals off them too.

Arsenal won't look to use set pieces as a mechanism to prevent Liverpool from playing with the ball, like Newcastle resorted to in their situation, but that's far from the only way to optimise dead-ball situations. If anyone knows how to maximise set pieces, it's Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners have been by far the best executors of set pieces in front of goal in the Premier League over the past few seasons. Arteta has recognised their value and prioritised them, to great effect. Across the 2024/25 season, Arsenal averaged 0.1758 xG per shot from a corner, compared to 0.1294 xG from open play shots.

This season, Arsenal already have three goals from corners through just two games. It doesn't matter who their opponent is, dead-ball situations are opportunities for this Gunners team.

At least Arne Slot understands the entertainment value of a close football match.

"Maybe it wasn't the best game in terms of tactics or in terms of playing football, but I think every fan everywhere around the world enjoyed watching this game of football."

No future match can guarantee entertainment, but it certainly can guarantee stakes. Even if it's just the third game of the Premier League season, the game at Anfield this weekend will set the tone for the 2025/26 title race. Sometimes, an early lead at the top of the table can be just as important as a late one.

Arteta is clearly willing to do whatever it takes to secure results, no matter what the general public, or opposition managers, think about it. Is Slot?

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.