Unfair to describe Arsenal as ‘Set Piece FC,’ says Chelsea coach Rosenior

By Canadian Press on January 12, 2026.

LONDON (AP) — Newly installed Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior rejected the notion that Arsenal was “taking the game back in time” by focusing heavily on set plays under Mikel Arteta.

“I don’t know who’s calling them ‘Set Piece FC’ — I’m definitely not,” Rosenior said Monday, two days out from the teams’ first-leg meeting in the English League Cup semifinals at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal leads the Premier League by six points, also tops the Champions League after six victories from six in the league phase, and is showing few weaknesses in its bid for a first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2020 at the end of Arteta’s first season in charge.

Set pieces is an area Arteta has worked hard on mastering and Arsenal is among the most dangerous teams in England in this facet of the game, especially now Brazil center back Gabriel Magalhaes is back fit.

“Arsenal are good at everything,” Rosenior said. “They’re a good team. It’s not about taking the game back in time. You manage your 1% to be as good a team to win as many different ways as possible.”

“They’re a team who are very good without the ball,” added Rosenior, who was hired last week as a replacement for the departed Enzo Maresca. “They have a really, really clear idea in the way they want to play with the ball. And on top of that, they’re very, very well organized with good delivery on set plays. That’s what you want to be if you want to be successful.”

Rosenior’s first match in charge was a 5-1 win over second-tier Charlton Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

He left out England internationals Cole Palmer and Reece James because their fitness is “being managed,” Rosenior said, and they could return against Arsenal.

The second leg will be at Arsenal on Feb. 3.

Newcastle vs. Manchester City is the other semifinal matchup. The first leg is at Newcastle on Tuesday.

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The Associated Press