Could England’s set-pieces win them the World Cup?
Robinson believes, based on the evidence he has witnessed in the Premier League, that Tuchel is realistic and practical enough to recognize what powers England.
“Tuchel watches a lot of Premier League football,” he said. “He will be very aware of the trends and how things are going.
“He’s ruthless. He’ll do things his way. He won’t care who he upsets along the way. Any criticism he believes will win him the game will not affect him in any way, shape or form.”
“Arsenal are one of the best players at set-pieces. They are top of the Premier League, chasing the Champions League and statistically the best team in the country.”
Robinson believes “football snobbery” lies behind the reluctance to embrace set-pieces as a potential game changer.
He said: “I think there’s a snobbery about set-pieces and the teams that take them, but I think all that has been pushed aside this year because we’re talking about those slim margins again.
“This can be especially true in a big tournament. Everyone is looking for that advantage and if set pieces give you that advantage, if there’s someone who can take a corner under the crossbar or send a great shot into dangerous areas, why wouldn’t you do it?
“This season it has been proven that England have the players who can do that. This could be the difference in winning the game.
“There was a snobbery in football because a team didn’t put together 64 passes before scoring a goal.
“Arsenal and other teams suddenly started doing this and managers like Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis, who had been labeled as long-ball traders or dinosaurs, saw teams using the tactics they had implemented.
“A manager came to the club and said to me and the group of players: ‘If you want to score in the 93rd minute, where will you put the ball?’ Someone said ‘the boss is in the box’ and he said ‘well, if we get the opportunity, we will do it in the first minute’.
“I firmly believe that Tuchel will see what kind of danger he can use from set pieces and will use it.”
One question will be asked: will foreign referees at the World Cup be so tolerant of physical changes in the penalty area that often go unpunished in the Premier League?
Robinson explains: “English referees have a lot of trouble with movement before the ball is kicked. They will stop play and talk to the players but if there are no offenses after the ball is kicked they won’t have a problem.
“Some foreign referees may probably see things differently, but then there will be others who will accept it.
“Looking at the players they have and how good they are at set-pieces, I think England have an advantage they can’t miss.
“And from what we’ve seen from Thomas Tuchel, he’s a ruthless operator at that level who will use every advantage he can if it means England winning games and winning the World Cup.”
