Brief
Jack Wilshere credits Mikel Arteta and Nicolas Jover for Arsenal’s set‑piece culture shift
Wilshere says Arteta’s focus on structure and Jover’s set‑piece expertise have turned Arsenal’s academy into a key part of first‑team preparation.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Jack Wilshere told The Overlap that a meeting with set‑piece coach Nicolas Jover, arranged by Mikel Arteta, helped embed a new culture of set‑piece training across Arsenal’s first team and academy.
What happened
Wilshere, who was Arsenal’s Under‑18 head coach in the 2023/24 season, approached Jover for guidance after the Spaniard joined the club in 2021. He said the club scored 16 goals from corners that season, matching a Premier League record, and that set‑piece sessions now receive the same priority as shape work.
What the reports add
The Standard article notes that Jover first worked with Arteta at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola before moving to north London in 2021. It also records that Arteta invited Wilshere, then without a club, to train with the first team and gave him academy responsibilities while he completed his coaching badges.
What was said
Wilshere said, "He's a top guy," referring to Jover, and added, "When I was in the academy I said to him, ‘Nico, help me and my staff. Do a meeting for us.’ I don’t need to know everything, but can you help us? And he did." He also described the joint sessions, noting, "They would use the academy players. On this pitch would be Mikel taking the team through structure drills with ten Under‑18s, then Nico doing a walk‑through of set‑pieces."
How it came about
Wilshere and Arteta were teammates under Arsène Wenger for five years. After Arteta became manager, he invited the former England international back to train with the first team, later assigning him academy duties. Wilshere admitted he doubted Arteta’s early “process” but changed his view after seeing the coaching approach in action.
Key facts
- Nicolas Jover joined Arsenal in 2021 after working with Mikel Arteta at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. (standard.co.uk)
- Arsenal scored 16 goals from corners in the 2023/24 season, matching a Premier League record. (standard.co.uk)
- Jack Wilshere, as Under‑18 head coach, arranged a meeting with Jover to improve set‑piece training. (standard.co.uk)
- Arteta invited Wilshere to train with the first team and gave him academy responsibilities while he earned coaching badges. (standard.co.uk)
- Wilshere described joint training sessions where Arteta ran structure drills with academy players and Jover led set‑piece walkthroughs. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Former Arsenal star reveals key Arteta lesson amid 'culture' change”
