The Result Has A Second Meaning
William Saliba has a simple message for anyone still complaining about Arsenal's set-piece strategy: they're not changing a thing.
The France centre-back helped Arsenal finally end their 22-year Premier League title drought this season, and he sees no reason to apologize for the tactical approach that got them over the line. While the Gunners' reliance on corners, free kicks and long throws drew criticism throughout the campaign, Saliba points out that every team in the league now does the same thing.
The trophy did not need much decoration; the season had already done most of the talking.
"We were playing football," Saliba told L'Équipe. "Except it's true that sometimes we score a lot more from set pieces. That was crazy. Now you see, in the Premier League, everyone does long throw-ins, everyone focuses on corners... it's not just us. We just do it better than the others."
The Part Worth Keeping
The season ended with heartbreak in the Champions League final, where Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. But the domestic campaign was a triumph after years of near-misses. Arsenal had been accused of "bottling" previous title races—spending long periods at the top of the table before falling away. A 2–1 defeat to Manchester City in April appeared to hand the advantage back to Pep Guardiola's side, but Arsenal rallied to finish the job.
"There were a lot of jokes, people made fun of us," Saliba reflected. "Even when we were top of the league, they were saying that at some point we were going to bottle it and drop back to second place. That's football banter. If you want to change that, you just have to win. Now that we've won it, they can't say anything anymore."
Arsenal's first league title in 22 years was secured with a blend of attacking football and ruthless set-piece execution. The critics can now stay mad.