The image of Mikel Arteta hugging the Arsenal coaching staff after scoring a goal from a set piece is repeated ad nauseam. Against Manchester United (2-0) they scored two more (Timber and Saliba), but they could have ‘dropped’ five or six. Easily. And the great Gunner specialist was not there: Gabriel Magalhaes.
The head of the Gunner laboratory is Nicolas Jover (Berlin, 10-28-1981). This German, raised in France, has been earning more than enough merit for some time to be considered the best set piece coach in the world.
25.2% of Arsenal’s goals are strategic
Arsenal is, by far, the team that has scored the most corner goals (22) since last season started. There is a fact, if possible, more eloquent: 25.2% of the goals he has scored in the last year and a half have come from strategic plays.
Jover, who finished his degree in Sports in Quebec (Canada), immersed himself in local disciplines, especially American football, before returning to Europe. He made the leap to football as an analyst for Montpellier, with whom he became French champion in 2011-12.
He had a brief ‘cameo’ in Croatia (2013) before Brentford opened the doors of England with notable results: in three seasons (2016-19) they scored 46 goals from set pieces.
“Training strategy plays is still one of the most difficult things to teach because players want to play small games and finish, not stand still for a long time. You have to get them to accept, but Nico did it right away,” he recalls. Dean Smith.
He took City to another level
His good work at Brentford, first with Dean Smith and then with Thomas Frank, led to him becoming the first set piece coach in Manchester City’s history. Their imprint, again, was seen quickly: the ‘sky blues’ went from being the 10th team that had scored the most goals from set pieces in 2018-19 (11) to leading the ranking (17) in 2019-20. He also reduced the volume of goals received in strategic plays by Pep Guardiola’s pupils from 39% to 20%.
Transfer to Arsenal
He only spent six months at the Etihad with Mikel Arteta. Enough. When Andreas Georgson, also formerly of Brentford, announced his departure to Malmö, Arsenal did not hesitate and signed Nicolas Jover in 2021.
Coming from behind and gaining position from all his rivals
“His experience can be incredibly useful and valuable to us. It is a crucial part of the game. It is something that must be mastered and we are working on it,” Arteta acknowledged.
Jover’s experience can be incredibly useful to us. It’s a crucial part of the game
Mikel Arteta
Again. No sooner said than done. Arsenal scored six goals from set pieces in 2020-21, the second-worst record in the Premier, before his arrival. Last season they achieved 22, an increase of 266%. Of the 22, 16 came from corners, a record in the history of the Premier.
“He is having a very strong impact on the team,” underlines Arsenal’s Spanish coach. “We work a lot on set pieces. “It’s the worst, it’s the worst!” jokes Bukayo Saka.
“At City he enjoyed it, but surely the amount of information he received was limited due to the way Pep Guardiola trains. But, without a doubt, he has found himself at Arsenal,” notes Dean Smith.
At City he enjoyed it, but he was limited. He has found himself at Arsenal
Dean Smith
His simple figure, every time he comes out to give instructions in a strategy play, is already intimidating. “He’s a bit annoying, that set-piece coach, but he’s very good,” said Gary Neville.
“He is the best coach of set pieces”
It is not just a matter of having great throwers like Saka, Rice or Odegaard. Screens, blocks, clearings, unchecking, decoys… Anything goes. “I dream of developing a recognizable style of set pieces, like a style of play,” admits Nicolas Jover.
I dream of developing a recognizable style of set pieces, as a style of play
Nicolas Jover
Actually, it is already a reference. “Nicolas is a genius in the way he thinks and creates plans. There are no coincidences at any time. We could discuss a corner for more than an hour, without any problem. He was very, very detailed. I know several play-by-play coaches set pieces and he is the best. Set pieces are his passion,” Mads Buttgereit points out to ‘Sky’. Arsenal have changed the ‘cannons’ for planes and, to a large extent, it is Jover’s fault.
