Former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is finding validation as Premier League clubs, particularly Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, now heavily prioritize set-pieces—a tactic Pulis was once widely criticized for.
In his new column, Going Direct, Pulis calls the rise of set-plays the “story of the season,” recalling that his focus on dead-ball situations and long-throws with Stoke in 2008 earned him the “dinosaur” label.
He insists he always knew their value, stating his job was simply to get results by being effective.
Pulis draws a direct parallel between his past methods and Arsenal’s current success. He suggests Arteta is using set-pieces to turn last season’s draws into wins, noting that over 20% of all non-penalty goals last season came from corners or free-kicks.
Pulis respects Arteta for embracing the strategy, even while facing criticism, and finds the frequent comparison to his old Stoke side a “compliment.” He humorously recalls the past, when Arsène Wenger mocked Stoke’s tactics.
While Pulis managed all set-plays himself, he notes the modern difference is that Arteta employs a specialist set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, to great success.
Ultimately, Pulis concludes that despite changing “fashions” in football, what truly matters is winning.
