Enable us to invest for 100 phrases or so about how Mikel Arteta spends his free time.
Arteta comes throughout as an all-consuming persona. It’s onerous to think about the Arsenal supervisor separating his residence and work life with any diploma of success.
Years working with Arsene Wenger, who infamously spent his free time watching obscure soccer matches from across the globe on the expense of different hobbies, has seemingly rubbed off on Arteta.
Is Serie B, the second tier of Italian soccer, obscure sufficient? The world is a smaller place due to the web and streaming companies, that means Palermo’s current match with Spezia would’ve been accessible.
And the sight of Palermo scoring the proper set-piece purpose inside 10 seconds of kick-off would’ve had Arteta scrambling for his pocket book, furiously smashing the lightbulb straight above his head.
Knocking the ball again to the centre-back from the primary whistle, pink-shirted Palermo resisted the temptation to launch a hopeful howitzer into opposition territory.
As a substitute, a cute go to the left-back opened up angles undiscovered since Pythagoras was on the prowl.
5 seconds after the sport had commenced, a go so lofted that it may’ve been delivered on a magic carpet was approaching the Spezia penalty space.
The attacker, rising like an Amish barn after a operating begin on an unsuspecting defender, headed the ball into the Palermo frontman’s toes.
Slightly than go for purpose himself or interact in a touch-feely wrestling match with the closest centre-back, a fragile backheel allowed Jacopo Segre to thunder a first-time shot into the online.
Ten seconds, 1-0. And that was the scoreline when the ultimate whistle blew.
Quickest purpose in Palermo’s historical past, and one of many quickest ever in Serie B.
Palermo scores in simply 10 seconds from kick-off vs Spezia: excellent sequence, backheel help, volley end. Insane! 🔥🤯
— Futball Centa (@futballcenta) February 14, 2026
Within the flawed palms, this particular methodology of scoring targets is so agricultural that you may scent the manure.
However Arsenal have lengthy since surrendered the ethical excessive floor in relation to footballing aesthetics.
Arteta’s system is geared in direction of out-of-possession construction, with gamers who can press onerous, observe again and win their duels most popular over extra cerebral abilities.
The supervisor has a singular imaginative and prescient in assault, which entails pumping crosses into the field.
Set-pieces are the tip of the iceberg, with the entire crew taking turns to ruffle the opposition goalkeeper like a rugby scrum from each nook.
It’s not soccer to stir the soul, not that anyone linked with Arsenal will give a solitary eff in the event that they win the Premier League title in Might.
However maybe Palermo have demonstrated how set-pieces will be extra romantic than a gray weekend in Bognor.
Their 10-second strike mixed each efficient pre-planning and visceral pleasure, direct soccer that skewers the opposition with approach quite than bludgeoning them with brute power.
Arteta has developed Arsenal’s sport to take them from Europa League challengers to the highest of the Premier League. Would he have the braveness to observe his tactical journey to its logical conclusion?
By Michael Lee
READ NEXT: ‘Fold the game’: 13 of the saltiest web reactions to Arsenal’s set-piece prowess
TRY A QUIZ: Are you able to identify each Arsenal participant to attain underneath Mikel Arteta?
