Arsenal have been heavily credited as being the best set-piece takers in the Premier League. Big goals at Tottenham and Manchester City have granted the Gunners part of their “dark arts” viral tagline but some appear to go one step further and say they are indeed reliant on the wizardry of Nicolas Jover’s influence in the team.

Yet as Arsenal were able to put three past their former goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale securing as many points in the process, sending Southampton and their bogey-side status back down to the south coast, none of the strikes which hit the back of the net came from a set piece. Saints boss Russell Martin spoke ahead of the game on the club’s work in stopping the Gunners’ most-talked-about threat.

“We have a group of people that are working very hard on analysing that and trying to negate that in the best way we possibly can,” he said. “The players are really aware and if we give away some corners and free kicks we have to be ready to stand up to it and defend it properly.”

Clearly, it worked. At the game for football.london I made it a mission pre-match to watch every free-kick and corner that was sent into the box, making a note on their outcome and this is what I witnessed and the conclusion from these is both a worry and an opportunity:

03 – Saka corner from the right – Gabriel header blocked, rebound out and Arsenal managed to create a good chance with Raheem Sterling trying to claim a penalty – not given.

11 – Saka corner from the right – To the back post, dangerous and Ramsdale has to tip it around for another corner. Havertz was lurking.

12 – Rice corner from the left – Havertz meets it at the near post and heads over the bar – a classic example of the German getting too far underneath the header.

20 – Saka corner from the right – Back-post again and headed out for another corner.

22 – Rice corner from the left – Straight out of play before anyone could reach it.

29 – Saka free-kick from the right – Ramsdale catches it, the threat is dealt with.

32 – Rice corner from the left – short corner to Sterling, laying it off to Jorginho who finds Saka and his first-time shot is blazed over the bar.

34 – Rice free-kick from the left – Rice cannons the free-kick off a Southampton player and it deflects out for an Arsenal throw-in.

45+2 – Saka corner from the right – To the back post again and Bednarek heads it beyond the Arsenal players and out for another corner.

45+3 – Rice corner from the left – Ramsdale comes out and punches the ball into touch.

52 – Rice corner from the left – Headed out again in the middle of the box as Southampton continue to deal well with the Gunners set pieces.

64 – Saka corner from the right – Goes all the way through and out for a goal kick – the downside of the continued attempts to hit the back post.

66 – Rice corner from the left – Near post defensive header goes through to Havertz at the back post who heads wide.

90+6 – Rice corner from the left – Again to the back post late on with the pressure off, Gabriel finally gets a chance to shoot but it is wide of the goal.

It would have been nice that after setting myself this challenge one would have found the net. A great hook and a worthwhile task but it wasn’t to be… or was it?

Because the words from Martin before the game added a new dimension to the task. In all the above examples, Gabriel Magalhaes – the Gunners’ main threat and usual target for corners – got just one header in the 96th minute of the game.

Southampton noticeably did something other teams until now didn’t do and it was a very simple strategy… put two players on Gabriel. While the Brazilian has beaten Cristian Romero and Kyle Walker to score from corners, he struggled much more against the double team that faced him against the Saints.

Before some worry this being highlighted here will encourage others to do the same, just know that millions of pounds go into sides analysing ways to beat threats of opposition Premier League sides, if I noticed it, they’ve noticed it. But what do Arsenal do now?

The transfer window is closed and while Nicolas Jover will have more ideas, how can he change things up even more? Well, thankfully, the answer might have just fallen into his lap at the perfect time.

Mikel Merino has just returned from injury and sports one of the best aerial duel records for midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues. He scored the header which sent Spain to the Euro 2024 semi-finals and will, alongside William Saliba, Kai Havertz and others be another threat in the box that different oppositions will have to deal with.

You can put two players on Gabriel, but try doubling up on every tall Arsenal player and quickly teams are simply going to run out of options. After the break, it is going to be exciting to see the next evolution of Jover’s plans.