Arteta's Set Piece Delivery

[TX Bill]

Yes, it's getting bad enough now that it deserves it's own thread.

I don't know what the deal is, whether it's lingering injury, form, or a combination of both, but his set piece delivery has been poor this year.

Sure, he's had a few good ones but he's not anywhere close to the standards that we know he's capable of and what he's shown us in the past.

I don't know if he spends any additional time on the training pitch working on it (I'd assume that he does since he's the specialist) but I don't think it would hurt to work on it more.

It's just getting frustrating watching him airmail one into row ZZ or hit it too low where it's easily cleared out. I'd say that right now, he's getting about 1 in 4 put into the mixer and I think I'm being generous with that. You HAVE to give your players a chance to get on the end of a dead ball and we aren't doing it.

At this point, I think it's time that we get someone else to hit 'em for the time being. When Pienaar was in, he had some very good deliveries and Baines can whip a few balls in too. I don't know if Manny has that skill or Osman.

Whoever it may be, I don't think it could be any worse than Arteta's right now but in the end, we're gonna need Mikky to get back to his old self and serving in dangerous dead balls that lead to goals.

 

[Welton Toffee]

Yeah it's getting beyond a joke now. Mikel's form in general hasn't been what we've come to expect of him all season, and it's been highlighted by his set pieces.

I would like to see someone else given a go in the remainder of the season, maybe Mikel will come back as good as ever after a nice summer break

 

[Bert_1985]

the thing that makes me laugh is the way his agent come out and said what he said, last week. the only decent game he has had this season is the fiorentina one at home.

 

[teppic]

that for me was a stand out aspect of the game against derby. arteta has been poor for a while.. but we are really suffering as a team with a lack of quality ball to the box. with lescott and yak in there we have a threat that is not being exploited.

for me it was summed up when arteta and baines were standing over the ball for a free kick just outside the box at the gwladys end. i really felt baines would have tested the keeper and when mikel took it i knew where it would end up. deep in the crowd.

why arteta's form has dipped so much i don't know. but i think baines when he plays should be given a go at corners and the odd free kick.

pienaar has also shown decent quality.

 

[TX Bill]

the thing that makes me laugh is the way his agent come out and said what he said, last week. the only decent game he has had this season is the fiorentina one at home.

I thought I read somewhere that Arteta apologized to Moyes for his agent's comments.

 

[TX Bill]

Is it any wonder that Lescott hasn't scored much lately? Much of that due to the service or lack thereof.

 

[Bert_1985]

I thought I read somewhere that Arteta apologized to Moyes for his agent's comments.

he has mate, but his agent should look at his clients performances before shouting his mouth off. If he was playing well, then fair enough, but he isnt, he has been absolutly rank.

 

[TX Bill]

he has mate, but his agent should look at his clients performances before shouting his mouth off. If he was playing well, then fair enough, but he isnt, he has been absolutly rank.

Agreed.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I dare say however that we're still amongst the leaders at scoring from set pieces this season.

 

[tezzathelezza]

Sell him.

 

[Vim Fuego]

that for me was a stand out aspect of the game against derby. arteta has been poor for a while.. but we are really suffering as a team with a lack of quality ball to the box. with lescott and yak in there we have a threat that is not being exploited.

for me it was summed up when arteta and baines were standing over the ball for a free kick just outside the box at the gwladys end. i really felt baines would have tested the keeper and when mikel took it i knew where it would end up. deep in the crowd.

why arteta's form has dipped so much i don't know. but i think baines when he plays should be given a go at corners and the odd free kick.

pienaar has also shown decent quality.

Precisely ! Every opportunity we have from set pieces should be exploited to the full, the opposition will not expect the likes of Baines to take a dangerous free kick, so many chances are passing us by, sorry Mikel, nothing personal.

 

[coyney]

Even if his set pieces where up to his normal standards I feel other players should have a go as it gives the defending team more to think about at the moment we could put ten players in a position to take the kick and we as well as the opposition know its mikk taking it, variety is needed

 

[Vim Fuego]

I get the impression that even our own players are not expecting Arteta to deliver a quality cross or set piece,and i still think that he'd have more influence on a game if he was to play in central midfield rather than out on the right, Hibbert would probably be glad of a bit of support down the right of midfield, something which he's not getting at the moment.

 

[evertonianstu]

Yep, it has been bad. I think this is probably his worst season at Everton as well (albeit, he has had injury setbacks)

 

[Seamus Colemole]

It seems that pretty much everyone can see it apart from Moyses. I cant blame Arteta himself for wanting to take them but surely as the manager he can see Mikels delivery is bloody awful most of the time and get someone else to take them?

How long do you persist with Arteta making a hash of them, its been pretty much all season. Of course the problem is that we know he has the skill to knock in an inch perfect pass and he cant do that if he doesn't take any free kicks or corners but its just getting so frustrating now.