Arsenal had 10 corner kicks but still lost: Has their "special weapon" lost its effectiveness?

The rehearsed corner kick routines were insufficient to prevent Arsenal from suffering a 1-2 defeat against Bournemouth in this season's 32nd round Premier League match.

Looking back to April 14, 2024, when the Gunners were defeated 0-2 by Aston Villa on the same Emirates Stadium pitch, it's evident that old habits persist at the club. Despite Manchester City's inconsistent performance this season, Arsenal continues to undermine itself in the title race.

Arsenal had 10 corner kicks but failed to score

Arsenal's issue is not merely a lack of desire; it's a deficiency in resilience and inherent weaknesses that have existed since the unbeaten campaign of the "Invincibles" generation in 2004.

The defeat to Bournemouth might not be an immediate disaster, but it offers hope to Arsenal's rival, Manchester City. Pep Guardiola and his players will strive to seize this opportunity, exactly as they did in 2023 and 2024.

Manchester City dropped points against Tottenham, Sunderland, Chelsea, Brighton, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest, and even lost to Manchester United in their last 12 matches. Yet throughout such a season, Arsenal under manager Arteta has not fostered a sense of security. Despite leading the standings, the Gunners still worry their fans, especially after the recent loss.

Even set pieces, Arsenal's potent weapon, could not help them avoid defeat.

Arsenal had 10 corner kicks during the match but could not score. In the post-match interview, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola stated: "In terms of defense, except for the penalty, we handled the set-piece situations well. The whole team played very courageously. A complete performance."

Bournemouth's goalkeeper, Djordje Petrovic, with his height of 1.94m and long reach, effectively dealt with Arsenal's set-piece situations.

Without scoring from corners, Arsenal did not win

Arsenal's failure to score from dead-ball situations against Bournemouth is noteworthy. Last week, ESPN reported that the Gunners had scored 21 goals from dead balls and conceded only 8, with a +13 differential, double that of the second-placed team, Manchester United (+6).

According to Goal's viewpoint, Arsenal players failed in their movement and positioning inside the penalty area against an opponent inherently weak in defending dead-ball situations. This failure is abnormal and entirely unacceptable, with the same panicked scenario recurring whenever Arsenal nears a trophy.

The loss to Bournemouth raises many questions for Arsenal

Arsenal's only goal in the match was Gyokeres' penalty kick following a handball incident by an opponent. Apart from that situation, Arsenal rarely troubled the visiting team's defense.

Given the current situation, Arsenal is likely hoping Chelsea will defeat Manchester City tomorrow. However, Manchester City could also win this match to "apply pressure" on Arsenal.

After the defeat to Bournemouth, Arsenal needs to quickly regroup and find solutions to its problems.

Ultimately, the loss to Bournemouth shows that corner kick strategies do not always bring victory for Arsenal. Or viewed from another angle, without scoring from corners, Arsenal cannot secure points, let alone win.

And if Arsenal continues to fail to score from set-piece situations, can they win the championship? This will be the question Arteta and his players must answer in the upcoming matches.