Bayern Munich talisman Harry Kane admitted that he finds watching Premier League football “less enjoyable” due to the set-piece craze which he directly linked to Arsenal.
The former Tottenham Hotspur star will be reunited with his north London rivals in an almighty Champions League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. Both Bayern and Arsenal have won all four of their league phase matches thus far, setting the scene for what promises to be an intriguing spectacle.
The level of intrigue surrounding English clubs has notably dropped for Kane. “Watching the Premier League is probably a little less enjoyable than what it has been in recent years, to be honest, but that’s kind of the evolution of football,” the England captain sighed.
“Sometimes it comes in like this and that’s the case this year. Arsenal have capitalised on that and are a really strong set-plays team.”
The Gunners boast an unrivalled 10 set-piece Premier League goals across a season which has been dominated by talk of dead balls. The proportion of non-penalty goals being scored from set pieces hasn’t actually exploded that much (rising to 23% from 21%) but perception is reality in the modern landscape.
Arsenal’s strengths from these specific scenarios, however, is unquestionably true and Bayern Munich will need a plan to combat it.
How Bayern Munich Will Combat Arsenal’s Set-Piece Strengths
Kane was keen to downplay Bayern’s focus on Arsenal’s set pieces. “We’ve done our normal preparation that we do in every game,” he shrugged. “Obviously, we looked at what they do well and their threats and how we can try and stop that.”
Option one is the most obvious: “The best way of stopping that is not giving set plays away, which we’re hoping to try and do as little as possible if we can control the game in the way that we want to control the game.”
Bayern enjoy suffocating domestic dominance and have duly faced just 30 shots from set pieces this season, the second fewest of any Bundesliga team. However, these rare openings have led to six dead-ball goals, the third-worst record across the division.
“Obviously, they’re going to have some, but it’s just a matter of showing some personality, winning the duels,” Kane warned. That has been easier said than done for Bayern thus far this term.
Mikel Arteta Not Scared of Kane’s Threat
As much as Bayern may fret over Arsenal’s record from dead balls, Kane has been deadly against the Gunners from every avenue. The all-time top scorer in the 104-year history of the north London derby got a goal on his first trip to the Emirates with Bayern Munich in April 2024, converting a signature penalty in a Champions League quarterfinal which the Bundesliga outfit would go on to win.
Mikel Arteta, who has watched Kane score against Arsenal as a player and manager, was asked if he feared the ruthless finisher. “I wouldn’t use that word,” the Spanish boss sniped. “I admire what he has done and what he continues to do, and the level of consistency.”
Arteta’s message to his players was clear: “Be prepared for what is coming and then focus on ourselves.”
Harry Kane’s Staggering Record Against Arsenal
Jurriën Timber revealed that Kane’s name has been on the lips of the Arsenal backline. “When you face an opposition with Harry Kane as the striker, he is a topic and you discuss him as defenders, because he is one of the dangerous players,” the Dutch defender admitted.
“He has been doing it for such a long time already, and now at Bayern Munich he has been one of the best players in the world. So, it is going to be a nice challenge for us as a team, as defenders, to stop him.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Harry Kane Aims Sly Dig at Arsenal Before Champions League Clash.
