Ronald Koeman believes England will deploy Arsenal-like set-piece tactics at FIFA World Cup 2026
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The Gunners lifted the Premier League trophy this season after 22 years.
According to Ronald Koeman, England will “gamble” on set pieces at the World Cup, just like Arsenal did to win the Premier League.
After controversially eliminating England from the 1994 World Cup qualification, Koeman has a familiar past with the team’s aspirations. After avoiding a red card for hauling down David Platt, Koeman scored in a 2-0 victory for the Netherlands, thereby ending England’s hopes of qualifying.
Also Read: Netherlands announce final squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Virgil van Dijk
Dutch manager Ronald Koeman thinks England will lean heavily on set-pieces at the FIFA World Cup 2026
Ronald Koeman, who is currently the head coach of the Dutch national team, has made predictions about how Thomas Tuchel’s team will handle the competition in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer.
“You can tell how they are going to play by the choices they made for the English squad,” Koeman said as he unveiled his own 26-man squad.
“They are going to gamble on corners and throw-ins. That takes the least amount of energy in the hot conditions. That is how Arsenal became champions. Without the corners, they wouldn’t have made it.”
Declan Rice, who will lead England’s midfield, frequently swung in set pieces, which were crucial to Arsenal’s victory and the end of their 22-year Premier League trophy drought. This season, Arsenal scored the most goals from corners in a Premier League season with 19.
Jurriň Timber, who contributed to Arsenal’s set-piece success in both boxes, is one of Ronald Koeman’s defenders in the Netherlands’ squad. Despite excluding Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool, he has a number of players who are familiar with the Premier League.
Does England have any Arsenal players?
Yes, one of them is Declan Rice.
How many goals did Arsenal score from corners in the 2025-26 season?
19 goals they scored from corners.
Have Netherlands announced their World Cup squad?
Yes.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.