Given that no team has scored more set-piece goals in the Premier League this season than Arsenal, credit has frequently gone to Jover’s meticulous eye for every little detail—an ace that’s been key in their pursuit of silverware. After Arsenal’s decisive 3-0 victory over Real Madrid, there was some confusion surrounding just how influential set-piece specialist Nicolas Jover was on the night. Declan Rice stole the show before Mikel Merino added the final flourish, scoring his first-ever free-ki
This time, however, things didn’t quite go as they normally pan out. Although it appeared like another masterclass was taking place, it turns out that Jover’s directions and Rice’s implementation were somewhat confused. With goals like that, few will be grumbling, even though Arsenal’s set-piece maestro may not have been the magician behind the magic for once.
Declan Rice Ignored Set-piece Specialist’s Instructions
The Englishman took matters into his own hands on this occasion
At first, Jover was praised by Arsenal fans since it appeared that he told Rice to curl his effort around the Real Madrid wall. See his irate gestures below:
However, Rice disclosed that Jover was telling the midfielder to choose a cross over a shot in an interview with Amazon Prime following the final whistle and the inevitable prolonged celebrations that ensued. See the entire interview below to hear what he had to say:
“We were going to cross the ball, but when I talked to [Bukayo Saka], he told me to go for it if you’re feeling it. It didn’t make sense to cross the wall when I saw the keeper. Bukayo told me to take it, but Nicolas Jover insisted that I cross it. I took over and declared, “I’m going to hit this,” to B.
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