William Saliba Defends Arsenal’s Long‑Throw Strategy

William Saliba defended Arsenal's reliance on long throws and corners after criticism, speaking to L’Équipe. He said the team also plays with the ball and scores more from set‑pieces than other teams. Arsenal met Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final, billed as a contrast of styles. PSG were praised for fluidity and technical ability, while Arsenal were described as defensively robust and physically superior on dead‑ball situations. The style contributed to Arsenal winning their first Premier League in 22 years. Arsenal narrowly missed a maiden UCL title as PSG secured a back‑to‑back triumph on penalties. Saliba recalled his first season (2022/23) as delivering incredible football that deserved the title, though the club finished second and faced mockery. He said the second season also featured good ball play but attracted criticism labelled “bottle, bottle”. He added that the last season saw decent ball play, fewer matches than previous seasons, and another second‑place finish. Saliba argued that now the club has won, critics have no grounds to comment. He noted that everyone takes long throws and corners, but Arsenal executes them better. He described past teasing about slipping up and promised that winning changes perception. The piece was written by Luke Entwistle.