It makes football beautiful — Super Eagles-hopeful star disagrees with Mikel Obi, defends Arsenal set-piece reliance

Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has firmly rejected the growing narrative that Arsenal’s heavy reliance on set pieces is making the Premier League boring. 

Speaking in a recent interview, the 28-year-old centre-back defended Arsenal’s playstyle, insisting that dead-ball situations actually enhance the entertainment value of the English top flight rather than detract from it. 

Amid the recent wave of criticisms, including from Super Eagles legend Mikel Obi, who argued that Mikel Arteta’s side would be unworthy Premier League champions due to their reliance on corner kicks.

Adarabioyo argued in favour of the Gunners, insisting that set-pieces are an element of the game, even arguing that they make the game more entertaining.

"Set pieces are part of the game, and it's normal that Premier League teams like Arsenal and Chelsea work a lot on this aspect," Adarabioyo stated.

 Directly addressing the complaints from pundits and rival fans who argue that the approach is detrimental to the beautiful game, he added: "No, this trend isn't detrimental to the Premier League at all; on the contrary, it makes it more attractive."

Adarabioyo's comments arrive in the aftermath of a hyper-tactical London derby between Arsenal and his Chelsea, where dead balls entirely dictated the outcome. 

During that clash at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Chelsea, with all three goals in the match stemming from corner kicks. William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both headed home for Mikel Arteta's side, while Chelsea, who are also heavily utilising set pieces under Liam Rosenior this season, temporarily equalised via a Piero Hincapié own goal forced by a dangerous Reece James delivery. 

The two goals for the Gunners pushed their season tally to a staggering 16 goals from corners in the current 2025/2026 Premier League campaign. This remarkable figure officially equals the all-time competition record for the most corner goals in a single season.