Arsenal versatility pleases Arteta with set-piece reliance over

Mikel Arteta is encouraged to see Arsenal finding other routes to goal, with their reliance on set-pieces now a thing of the past.

Arsenal have scored 10 Premier League goals from dead balls this campaign, with 16 coming from open play (excluding penalties).

The Gunners have created a total of 8.4 expected goals (xG) from set-plays, compared to 16.2 xG from open play.

Arteta’s side were accused of being predictable and overly reliant on set-pieces earlier this season, but their last 11 goals in all competitions have now come from open play.

And if Arsenal are to be crowned champions of England for the first time since the Invincibles triumphed in 2004, Arteta knows they must be productive in as many situations as possible.

“The fact we have the resources to score from various positions, from different players in different manners, that’s a great thing,” Arteta said ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Wolves.

“We want to be the best in every situation. This is football, it has waves.

“You try to analyse five or 10 games, and the sample is so small you get very confused.

“Even 40 games are not enough to have a sample of what your team looks like, it’s too small.”

Arsenal’s 18-match unbeaten run was ended last week as they lost 2-1 to Aston Villa following Emiliano Buendia’s stoppage-time effort, but they returned to winning ways in the Champions League after brushing aside Club Brugge 3-0.

The Gunners are still top of the Premier League table, two points clear of Manchester City, and they are also leading the Champions League standings after six matches, but Arteta hopes more plaudits arrive at the end of the season.

When asked whether his players receive enough credit, he said: “That’s not for me to judge.

“We are in a very strong position in the three competitions we are involved with so far. We have to continue to do that.

“The credit comes at the end of the season when we measure what we’ve done.

“In order to achieve that you have to be achieving every day the objectives you want. At the moment we are in a strong position.”