In Arsenal’s preparations for Wednesday, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has especially been focusing on how to block Brentford’s most aerially decisive players – namely, Sepp van den Berg – from “accessing key zones”. Jover’s much-discussed work isn’t so much about delivery routines as attempting to coordinate what actually happens in the box; the smaller details that define the finer margins.
None of this will be any secret to Brentford, since they essentially came up with it all – at least in terms of applying new science to a traditionalist football approach. There is more to it than the admittedly impressive rigour of Tony Pulis. Along those lines, Brentford generally go about their business in a modest way, but the manner in which Premier League rivals get praise for something they pioneered has irked certain figures at the Gtech Community Stadium. Manager Keith Andrews has even made a few public comments, with such sentiments no doubt spiked by how the Irishman’s very appointment was questioned.
