Arsenal have been in superb form so far this season, and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has been impressed by what he has seen from Mikel Arteta’s side
Jamie Carragher has had his say on what makes Arsenal such a formidable force in the Premier League title race against Liverpool. The Gunners currently hold a three-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City in the top-flight standings following eight matches.
Mikel Arteta‘s team have claimed six victories, secured one draw and suffered just one defeat, with that solitary loss arriving in August’s 1-0 reverse to Liverpool at Anfield. However, despite achieving what many considered a potentially crucial triumph over Arteta’s troops, Liverpool have endured a torrid spell in recent weeks.
Arne Slot’s side have suffered four consecutive defeats across all competitions for the first time since November 2014. Three of those reverses occurred in the league, leaving the Reds trailing Arsenal by four points in third position.
Now, former Liverpool centre-half Carragher has shared his assessment of what makes the Gunners so challenging to face – highlighting the threat they present from dead-ball situations. Arteta’s team have established a fearsome reputation for their set-piece excellence, with eight of their league goals coming from either corners or free-kicks this campaign.
“I’m a Liverpool supporter, I’m watching Arsenal and every time they get a corner, my head is in my hands,” Carragher told the Sky Sports Premier League Podcast as he highlighted the Gunners’ key advantage over rivals.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before in football. I think the whole football world feel every time they get a corner, they’re going to score a goal.”
Gunners set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has built himself a prestigious reputation since arriving in north London. The Frenchman, who previously worked at Manchester City, is a recognisable figure on the sideline as he provides animated instructions to the players on the pitch.
And it has been put to Arteta that his side have become corner kings. That title is by no means enough for the Spaniard however, who has loftier ambitions.
“We want to be the kings of everything. Set-pieces, the best in the world. High press, the best in the world. In open spaces, the best in the world. The best atmosphere in the stadium and the best at everything,” he said.
“Before it was we didn’t score enough, we were soft at defending, we didn’t have mentality, we were not physical enough, we didn’t beat big teams away from home for 17 years, 20 years, 22 years.
“We want to be the best at everything. We want to have the best academy, be the best at player development, recruit the best players, best coaches. That’s the aim.”
Arteta’s squad are currently joint leaders of the Champions League group stage table, sharing the top spot with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and last year’s finalists Inter Milan. Carragher was notably impressed by their performance in Tuesday’s 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid, and has revised his opinion on their prospects after they made it to the semi-finals last season.
“Right now I think Arsenal and Bayern are the two most impressive teams I’ve seen when you look at their performances domestically and what they’re doing in the Champions League,” he said on CBS Sports.
“I’ve said before on this show that I’ve never had Arsenal down as a Champions League club. I know that might sound obvious because they’ve never won it before but I’ve always thought there’s something about them that doesn’t connect, they’ve never really gone close.
“Thierry’s [Arsenal] team was the best team I ever played against in the Premier League and even that team didn’t come close enough to winning the Champions League. It wasn’t that team that got to the Champions League final.
“I do look at this team now and see how strong they are defensively. My Liverpool team that won the Champions League [in 2005] were not a great team attacking-wise but we were strong defensively.
“That always gives you a chance, especially when you get to the knockout stages and the two-legged ties. If you’re strong defensively you’ve always got a chance. So, yeah, I see Arsenal as one of the four or five teams that can win this competition.”
Arsenal are next set to face Crystal Palace at home on Sunday afternoon, aiming to maintain their lead in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Liverpool could narrow the gap to Arteta’s side before they play this weekend, with a trip to Brentford on Saturday evening (8pm kick-off UK time) following their Wednesday match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
