Liverpool coach criticizes Arsenal’s goals in the English Premier League… “Football has been robbed of its fun”!

Liverpool’s English coach, the Dutch Arne Slot, said on Monday that the increasing reliance on set pieces in the English Premier League has robbed football of some of its enjoyment, but at the same time he acknowledged that this has become a new reality in the game.
The England champion struggled with dealing with set pieces, whether defensively or even offensively, in the early stages of the current tournament.
However, seven of his last nine goals in the league came from set pieces, including three from corner kicks during the 5-2 win over West Ham on Saturday at Anfield.
Arsenal is a pioneer in relying on set pieces, as it scored its 16th goal on Sunday from a set piece this season following a corner kick, equaling the record in league history.
“First, you have to accept it,” Slott told reporters on Monday. “I think this already exists in the English Premier League.”
He added, “If you follow other leagues, I don’t think there is this much focus on set pieces.”
The Liverpool coach explained that he feels that goalkeepers in the English Premier League are less protected by match referees compared to other leagues, such as the Dutch League.
The Dutch coach said, “Here you can almost hit the goalkeeper in the face and the referee will tell you to just keep going.”
He added, “Did I like it? My football heart does not like it.”
Slot said that he always looked forward to watching the great Barcelona team under the leadership of Pep Guardiola, which was famous for its skillful and possession-based style.
He explained, “Now, most of the matches I watch in the English Premier League do not give me the pleasure of watching.”
He added, “But it is always interesting because it is very competitive, and this is what makes this league great. With this amount of competition, any team can defeat any other team.”
Slott noted, “Things may change again in five or ten years, but I would not be surprised if I went to an under-16 match somewhere… I would not be surprised if I saw teams focusing entirely on set pieces, even for 16-year-old players.”
He added, “This is the new reality, and I have my opinion about it, but the matter does not change.”