Ex-Stoke boss Tony Pulis delivers clear blueprint on how to stop Arsenal set piece chaos

Tony Pulis has provided a simple solution to stopping the amount of goals being scored from corners and set pieces.

The former Stoke City boss has also revealed why he thinks Arsenal have been compared to his old club.

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Mikel Arteta’s side have even been nicknamed ‘Set Piece FC’ by rival supporters due to the number of goals they score from set plays.

Sunday’s home win over Chelsea saw both of the Gunners’ goals come from corners.

They have now scored 22 times in the Premier League from set pieces this season, representing 38 per cent of their goals.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have 31 goals from set pieces in all competitions, with 24 of those coming from corners.

After joining talkSPORT Breakfast on Tuesday, Pulis was asked about the increase in goals from corners and long throw-ins in the top-flight.

The 68-year-old explained: “We’ve grown up with corners, free-kicks and long throw-ins 20 years ago.

“Football spins around and it’s come around again where set pieces are being recognised as very, very beneficial in every way.

“I think Arsenal have brought it to the fore. You most probably needed one of the top four or five clubs to be doing it really well for everybody to sit up and take notice and they did that and everybody has followed suit.”

Pulis’ solution for ‘Set Piece FC’

Pulis also revealed what can be done to stop the Gunners’ approach to corners, with players swarming the six-yard box to crowd the goalkeeper.

He continued: “Listen, there’s a lot of time spent on attacking set plays.

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“I sit down and watch corners today and the defending of the corners is absolutely shocking. The coaches are going to start talking about defenders defending properly.

“Referees have got to start giving penalties for people who are not even looking at the ball. They’re actually grabbing players.

“And they’re talking about ‘oh, there’s a melee in the box’. How many times do you see a referee blow his whistle before the corner is taken, have a word with two players? Waste of time because they never do anything afterwards anyway.

“Start giving penalties, start giving free-kicks and all of a sudden, you won’t believe it but it’ll stop. It will stop. There’s absolutely nothing apart from common sense needed in this situation.”

Pulis is best known for his seven years in charge of Stoke between 2006 and 2013.

Having guided the club to promotion into the Premier League in 2008, he followed it up with a 12th place finish in the top-flight.

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Wenger ‘tried to stop throw-ins’

The Potters’ debut Premier League season included a 2-1 home win over Arsenal thanks in part to Rory Delap’s infamous long throw-ins.

Stoke’s effectiveness from throw-ins even saw then Gunners manager Arsene Wenger attempt to ban them, says Pulis.

He recalled: “When we had the situation with Wenger all those years (ago), I think Arsene tried to stop throw-ins.

“He wanted the ball to be played every time the ball goes out, there was a box of five yards and you could play it in there and get it back and then play it there.

“He did everything he possibly could to stop it, but I do honestly think it’s part of the game.

“My big thing is watching players defend off set plays. It’s absolutely shocking and the referees have got to make decisions.

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“They’ve got to be bold enough to actually send around the clubs and say, ‘listen, we’re now going to start giving penalties. If people are not defending properly, we’re going to give penalties.’ And it stops.”

Stoke would go on to reach their first FA Cup final under Pulis in 2011 before a run to the last 32 of the Europa League the following season.

Meanwhile, they never finished lower than 14th in the Premier League during his tenure.

Although he later managed Crystal Palace and West Brom in the top-flight, Pulis has been away from the dugout since leaving Sheffield Wednesday in December 2020.