If we could have played Arsenal every week at Stoke, we would have done we had it over them, Arsene Wenger even tried to ban throw-ins! It's nice that people now say Mikel Arteta has copied me' Tony Pulis gives his verdict on the Gunners' title charge

""Arsenal?! Copying my tactics? Are my glasses working properly?" Oh, I used to get slaughtered! Pulis laughs as he talks to FourFourTwo. It's nice to get some recognition it's nice for people to say that Arteta is copying you, instead of me copying them. I think Arteta has been absolutely brilliant in terms of understanding that it's another way to win football matches."

"Pulis deployed a Rory Delap long throw to superb effect during his time at the club, helping his side become incredibly dangerous at set pieces. The Gunners had a much less physical side at the time, and Arsene Wenger was very public about his disapproval of the way that Stoke went about the game. You may like Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images) Fast forward more than a decade and now Arsenal have a more physical side themselves, and currently sit top of the Premier League."

Tony Pulis's Stoke City used Rory Delap's long throw and strong set-piece emphasis to become dangerous from dead-ball situations. Arsene Wenger publicly criticised Stoke's physical approach when Arsenal were less physical. Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have adopted greater physicality, improved defensive solidity, and developed set-piece routines that add goals. The incorporation of dead-ball effectiveness complements Arsenal's ability to outplay opponents and has contributed to their position atop the Premier League. The tactical similarity to Pulis's methods has been noted and is part of a wider trend toward set-piece optimisation across the league.

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