Andy Townsend picked up on Arsenal’s ‘secret’ set piece routine, just before David Luiz scored their opening goal of their game against Leicester City at the weekend.
Speaking to the Premier League Analysis Show on Optus Sport, Townsend showed clips of how Arsenal coach Andreas Georgson was holding up cards with colours on them before dead ball opportunities.
The colours seemed to indicate to the players to try a specific set piece that had been worked on on the training ground.
And the innovative idea paid dividends for Arsenal at the weekend, as they found a way back into the contest against Leicester.
Luiz’s first goal came from a Willian cross from a free-kick.
And Townsend noted: “It’s been fascinating to watch this. Arsenal have employed a guy called Andreas Georgson, who was a set piece coach at Brentford. He’s now working for the Gunners.
“We’ve seen lots of new themes and ideas being introduced that the actual benches and coaching staff and support team seems to be getting bigger year on year.
“We may now have a first person we’ve seen as a set piece specialist.
“In the technical area he’s holding up these colour coded cards, which indicate that he’s sensed it’s the perfect opportunity to take a free kick they have rehearsed.
“It was really well spotted, Will Perry was at the game and he spotted him showing this card.”
David Luiz was then asked by the same broadcast team about the idea after the game, but the Brazilian was giving little away.
“You just say [it’s a], secret,” he responded, when asked to shed some light on the tactic.
Whether opposition teams will now be wise to Arsenal’s ploy remains to be seen.
But the Gunners’ methods deserve huge credit as they clearly helped them pick up a huge three points at the weekend.
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