Chelsea use rugby pads to prepare for Arsenal's set-piece threat

Chelsea have opted for an unconventional method to prepare for their mouthwatering Premier League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso deployed his players against members of staff armed with rugby tackle pads, preparing the Blues for the physical onslaught they are expected to face from Arsenal’s big and powerful defenders, particularly in set-piece situations.

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Midfielder Valentin Barco, left-back Pep Chavarria, and defender Josh Acheampong were spotted holding crash pads while their team-mates crashed into them at Cobham -- an unusual but rather fitting way to prepare for what could be coming from the Arsenal playbook.

Now, what exactly is the Arsenal playbook?

The term refers to the detailed tactical strategies and painstakingly rehearsed set-piece routines developed by manager Mikel Arteta and set-piece coach Nicolas Jover -- routines Arsenal have used to devastating effect over the past few seasons.

Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title in May and came within a penalty shootout of winning their first Champions League last season. Set-pieces played a major part in that success.

The Gunners scored 25 goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season, excluding penalties -- the highest total in the division -- while also setting a new record for goals scored from corners in a single campaign, with 19.

And there is far more to it than simply throwing the ball into the box and hoping one of the giants gets on the end of it.

Arsenal crowd the penalty area and often station several players inside the six-yard box, creating chaos and disruption by blocking opponents and restricting the goalkeeper’s access to the ball. Dummy runners add another layer of misdirection, dragging defenders away from the areas Arsenal actually want to attack.

There is also the art of hiding in plain sight. Players can begin near the back post, where defenders are forced to keep track of both their markers and the ball, before suddenly making their way towards the centre of goal. By the time the ball arrives, defenders can find themselves chasing shadows.

Then comes isolation -- putting Arsenal’s most dangerous aerial threats into one-versus-one situations away from the main action, or simply creating enough space for them to attack the ball freely.

Screens are used. Attackers block runs. Timed dashes towards the near post help players escape their markers and win headers.

None of this is exactly a secret anymore. And yet, that is perhaps what makes Arsenal’s set-piece dominance all the more remarkable.

Xabi Alonso will know exactly what to expect. So have many managers and defenders before him. The problem for most of them has not been figuring out Arsenal’s plan, but stopping it.

Arsenal’s team of Goliaths like to crash towards the goalkeeper and, in many instances, almost pressure the ball into the net. But Chelsea may have an antidote of their own.

The Blues boast the joint-tallest squad in the Premier League, alongside Leeds, and will at least have the physical tools to fight fire with fire.

Their recent record against Arsenal, however, offers little comfort. Chelsea have not won any of their last nine Premier League meetings with their London rivals and have not tasted victory at the Emirates since 2021.

Alonso’s side, though, have made a riveting start to the campaign. Chelsea won their opening two Premier League matches in thrilling fashion, beating Fulham 3-2 before edging Brighton 4-3.

But Arsenal will be a different proposition. The reigning champions have also won their opening two fixtures, sweeping aside Coventry City 3-0 before beating Aston Villa 1-0.

The early-season showdown may not have much bearing on who eventually wins the title, but it will offer an intriguing test for both sides.

Chelsea have started brightly under Alonso, though their thrilling wins have also exposed defensive vulnerabilities. Arsenal, meanwhile, remain one of the most formidable sides in the league and possess a set-piece weapon that opponents know is coming but still struggle to stop. 

The Blues may have the height. They may have studied the routines. They may even have spent the week preparing for Arsenal's physicality with rugby pads. But plenty of teams have known exactly what Arsenal were going to do before. Knowing it, and stopping it, have often been two very different things.