Steven Gerrard has picked out the unsung hero of Mikel Arteta's resurgent Arsenal in a keen-eyed observation.
In a glowing appraisal of the Gunners boss and his coaching staff, the Aston Villa manager noted how much Arteta and co have improved in the set-piece department season. That is mostly thanks to the work of coach Nicolas Jover, who rocked up in north London over the summer after leaving Manchester City, and is labelled a "genius" for his dead-ball acumen.
Speaking ahead of the two teams' Premier League matchup this Saturday lunchtime, Gerrard told a news conference: "They've got some real top talents within the team. Defensively, they've improved. Set-piece wise, they've improved. So credit to the coach and his coaching staff."
And the numbers show that the Villa boss is not wrong, as while Arsenal's budding squad are rightly garnering plenty of praise after putting themselves in the driving seat to qualify for the Champions League, Jover has been busy behind the scenes laying the groundwork. Last term, the Gunners ranked a dismal 18th for Premier League goals scored from set-piece situations (six) and they now boast a tally of 10 which is only bettered by four sides - the top three and Saturday's hosts, Villa.
Jover was thrust into the spotlight back in October, as Calum Chambers - coincidentally now playing under Gerrard - broke the deadlock in a Carabao Cup tie at home to Leeds from a corner and ran towards the dugout in his jubilant celebrations. But the substitute, brought on just seven seconds earlier, was not looking for Arteta. "That's why I went running over to [Jover]," Chambers said post-match when asked if he had been briefed on what to do once he entered the fray. "It was a nice moment."
At that time in the season, only Liverpool had profited more set-pieces in the top flight. That was a far cry from when Arsenal only bested relegated Fulham and Sheffield United in that category for 2020-21, as they slumped to an eight-place finish and missed out on European football for the first time in a quarter of a century.
Arteta had worked with Jover at City under Pep Guardiola until December 2019, with the Gunners boss describing the Frenchman as "someone whose expertise can be incredibly useful and valuable for us" shortly after their reunion was confirmed last July. "It's a crucial part of the game nowadays. It's something you have to dominate and master and we are in that process."
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As a man who knows all about the importance of set-pieces, it comes as no surprise that Gerrard has heaped praise on Arteta and Jover's work. But not only have the coaching staff been lauded, but their club too. After Arsenal lost their first three games of the campaign, it looked as if the Spaniard would get the chop.
But Gunners chiefs held their nerve, allowing Arteta to lead his team out of the mire and into fourth place with 11 fixtures left in what has been a dramatic change of fortune. "He's come through a couple of periods where the pressure was certainly on him and his team," Gerrard added ahead of their meeting.
"You've got to give people at Arsenal credit for supporting him, backing him and giving him the time to stamp his identity and philosophy on how he wants the team to play. With that time and with that support, they've grown, improved and got better. Now, they're showing everyone what a consistent and strong team they can be."
