Arsenal continued their impressive form as they beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Premier League, thanks to goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. Despite Manchester United’s solid first-half performance, Arsenal’s strength shone through in the second half, further consolidating their position in the league and narrowing the gap to seven points behind leaders Liverpool.
Neville Takes Aim at Arsenal’s Set-Piece Coach
Gary Neville, who was watching the match live, couldn’t help but comment on Arsenal’s set-piece success. The Gunners’ set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, has been a key figure in Arsenal’s recent success, particularly with their ability to score from corners. Neville, however, was far from impressed, calling Jover the “most annoying bloke in football.”
He jokingly added, “He’s got to be, hasn’t he? He’s got to be though, hasn’t he?” Neville’s remarks came after Arsenal scored once again from a well-executed corner routine.
Jamie Carragher Joins In on the Praise
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher also weighed in on Jover’s influence, suggesting that if Jover were to ask for a significant pay increase, Arsenal would likely give it to him given his success in improving the team’s set-piece play. “If you were that set-piece coach for Arsenal, you could write your own contract, couldn’t you? You couldn’t get rid of him,” said Carragher.
Jover’s Role in Arsenal’s Success
Jover, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City under Mikel Arteta’s management, has been credited with transforming the team’s approach to set-pieces. Arteta has spoken highly of Jover, emphasizing his importance to the team’s strategy and the close professional relationship they share. Arteta revealed, “We share a clear vision of how we want to put everything together… for sure he is someone who is very, very important for the team.”
Jover, a German-born French coach, is widely regarded as one of the best set-piece specialists in football. Mads Buttgereit, a fellow set-piece analyst, described Jover as a “genius” for his detailed planning and innovative approaches to set-piece routines. Buttgereit remarked, “There are no coincidences at any point in any routine… whenever we discussed set-pieces, it was never simple.”
After the win against Manchester United, Arteta expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance. “I’m very happy, it was a special night in this incredible stadium,” he said. “We got into the second half and we changed a few things – the team was superb. The team needs every possible result to win the game – let’s continue that.”