'I was seen as a dinosaur but not many managers moan about set-pieces now'

Hello and invited to my caller BBC Sport column, Going Direct.

From strategies to man-management, I'm going to beryllium tackling a different facet of nan modern crippled each week, and comparing old-school ideas to caller trends.

There's only 1 spot to start, and that's pinch nan emergence of set-pieces, which is astir apt nan communicative of nan play truthful far.

I was seen arsenic a dinosaur for my attraction connected dead-ball situations and long-throws pinch Stoke City erstwhile we were promoted to nan Premier League successful 2008, but I wouldn't opportunity I consciousness vindicated by nan measurement they are now successful manner - because I knew backmost past really important they were.

My job, whoever I was head of, was to get results. Yes, I was pragmatic, but I was besides purposeful. I worked connected my basal beliefs of being effective successful a measurement that would thief my nine triumph games.

The astir important areas of nan transportation are some ends, and not successful nan middle. By hook aliases by crook, you must support nan shot retired astatine 1 extremity and put it into nan nett astatine nan other.

Attacking set-plays, and besides protect ones, are becoming much prevalent this season, pinch Mikel Arteta's Arsenal broadside starring nan way, but this is not a caller concept.

Way earlier Arteta's time, location were young coaches and managers afloat alert of nan benefits, which clubs coming are reaping nan rewards from.

Looking backmost now astatine nan notes I made erstwhile Stoke went up to nan apical flight, we knew 1 of nan things we had to nail down was group plays successful nan apical extremity of nan transportation because if we did them properly, it would thief nan squad get results.

In tight games successful nan Premier League, particularly successful nan first mates of years we were there, they were nan quality betwixt america picking up points and dropping them - and staying up aliases going down - truthful we worked really difficult connected them.

The aforesaid principles use for Arteta and Arsenal now, conscionable astatine nan apical extremity of nan table.

Like me, he has recognised really important cleanable sheets are and he has besides recognised that a batch of his games past twelvemonth were drawn. So, he has looked for a measurement to move those draws into wins.

More than 20% of each nan non-penalty goals scored successful nan Premier League past play came from corners aliases free-kicks truthful Arteta has astir apt looked astatine those stats and thought if we tin get a chunk of it to adhd to what we've got, we've sewage a bully chance of becoming a winning team.

His ambition is to triumph nan Premier League for Arsenal, and he has now added different drawstring to his bow. His squad is afloat of talent and tin now outplay sides successful unfastened play, support cleanable sheets and, connected apical of that, they tin people regularly from set-plays too.

I deliberation it's superb that Arteta has embraced set-pieces and, for illustration me, I don't deliberation he will springiness a damn astir nan group who want to sound him for doing it.

Whichever nine you are at, and immoderate your approach, you are ever going to beryllium successful a business wherever location is going to beryllium sound and disapproval from extracurricular but if you are winning games past your supporters will beryllium perfectly delighted astir it.

We saw that from nan Arsenal fans, who were singing 'set-piece again, ole ole ole' erstwhile Eberechi Eze sewage connected nan extremity of Declan Rice's free-kick for their victor against Crystal Palace connected Sunday.

I do find it funny that 10 aliases 12 years ago, I was taking a batch of flak from Gunners supporters and Arsene Wenger was saying that Stoke were a rugby squad because of our area routines and agelong throws.

That's different logic why I person sewage thing but respect for Arteta, because he has seen each of that astatine nan clip and conscionable thought, 'you cognize what, doing that could thief us'.

I've seen nan mocked up image of him dressed arsenic me,, external including my shot cap, and I emotion it - he makes maine look good-looking!

Wenger is astir apt shaking his caput astir what Arsenal are doing but I cognize Arteta sees nan Stoke comparisons arsenic a compliment and truthful do nan different Premier League managers who are doing nan same.

Wenger ne'er seemed to admit nan worth of set-pieces, and he besides recovered it difficult to play against teams who were nonstop for illustration us, truthful he did everything he perchance could to impact that by complaining astir group for illustration Sam Allardyce and myself.

I tin understand why he did that, it's communal sense, but I don't spot galore managers now moaning astir it - moreover nan ones who want to play successful a different measurement to me.

I saw Pep Guardiola being interviewed precocious and they were trying to get him to beryllium antagonistic astir set-plays and agelong throws coming backmost into nan game.

He is 1 of nan astir influential coaches this state has ever seen and, alternatively of complaining, he said really if he had personification pinch wide shoulders who could motorboat nan shot successful for throw-ins, he mightiness usage that aforesaid maneuver too.

Of course, nan truth it's Arsenal who are doing it now, not Stoke, makes a difference. When you person sewage Arteta doing it astatine 1 of nan biggest and astir celebrated clubs successful nan world past everyone takes notice.

Thomas Frank utilized nan aforesaid strategies astatine Brentford and now they are moving for him astatine Tottenham. Straight aft their triumph complete Everton, he was complete to their fans, pointing astatine Micky van de Ven, because he had scored 2 awesome goals from set-plays.

When it keeps happening, you person group realising and recognising it. It's for illustration erstwhile Stoke were astatine nan Britannia Stadium and we'd get a propulsion and nan crowd would beryllium cheering and cheering until Rory Delap threw it, because it was an event.

It is becoming that measurement pinch Arsenal now excessively - they are taking corners and nan crowd is up earlier nan shot is moreover played. The expectation, and nan unit they put connected nan opposition, is amazing. There is still criticism, of course, but each nan praise Arteta is getting is afloat deserved.

One of nan things that is different astir it now is that I did each nan set-plays myself erstwhile I was pinch Stoke, Crystal Palace aliases West Brom, but Arteta has brought successful Nicolas Jover arsenic a master set-piece coach, and they are enjoying immense success.

So, possibly Big Sam and myself were trend-setters aft each but I'd accent that I didn't springiness a damn erstwhile we were getting criticised truthful overmuch because I knew their worth to nan nine I was at.

Some group were snobbish and looked down astatine what we did, but no-one was snobbish wrong nan nine - we laughed astatine nan situation, because we knew it was bringing america rewards and, astatine nan time, we weren't going to show anyone.

Sean Dyche is nan same. He talked astir really nan manner of shot changes each nan clip erstwhile he came connected nan Managers podcast I do pinch Mick McCarthy past week, and past said nan same erstwhile he sewage nan Nottingham Forest occupation a fewer days later, and mentioned maine and Stoke's agelong throws.

For Dyche, for illustration myself, what matters is winning.

Tony Pulis was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.