Long throws have been a big topic in the Premier League this season, but it’s not the first time people have commented on that particular trend in the competition.
Arsenal have used set-pieces such as corners, free-kicks and long throws to their advantage this season, but there was a time when the Gunners looked at things differently. Former Stoke star Rory Delap, himself a long-throw specialist, says the London club once tried to ban the practice.
“It’s not football anymore,” said then-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, when Tony Pulis’ Stoke benefited from long throws with Delap as their main architect. “For goalkeepers, it’s more rugby than football.”
Former Ireland international Delap now reflects on the opposition to his team’s approach and suggests things have come full circle. “This thing about set-piece coaching has been around for a few years and people say it’s new to the game, but it’s not new at all. The only difference is that whereas previously it was something that was taken on by the manager or one of his coaches, now it’s a dedicated job for one person,” Delap told Ladbrokes at the launch of Ladifaction.
Regarding Arsenal in particular, he added: “It’s funny how so many people used to complain about the way we played, but now Arsenal are known for their set-pieces, because they were probably the worst people to complain about how we played at that time. You know, with them it got to the point where they wanted to ban throw-ins and replace them with kick-ins!”
“To be honest, it probably would have made things even worse for them, because we would have taken throw-ins into the box from anywhere on the pitch! It was part of our team back then and I always say that if we hadn’t been so successful in terms of getting on the other end and scoring goals, no one would have been talking about my throw-ins.”
read more: Sunderland manager reveals Arsenal’s dirty tactics that ended Gunners’ winning streakread more: Arn Slott agrees with Jamie Carragher on Liverpool manager’s aim to dig into Premier League rivals
Earlier this season, former Liverpool manager Thomas Gronnemark pointed to the trend of long throws in the Premier League. Arsenal are not alone in this, as despite leading the league in set-piece goals they are yet to score from a long throw, while Brentford and Crystal Palace have each scored three times from a long throw this season.
“You could say there are a lot more long throw-ins in the Premier League. You could say, ‘Isn’t that good?'” No, not necessarily! ” Gronnemark told Mirror Football in September. “Too many teams make long throw-ins of low quality. Some of the throw-ins are not long enough and are not dangerous. Sometimes it is a question of strategy.”
Delap also emphasized the importance of set pieces, such as long throws and other deliveries, based on the amount of time the ball is out of play during a match. “But you have to move with it,” he said.
“As you know, set-piece analysts play a very important role in the game. If you don’t work on what you do from set-pieces, you’re going to be punished because the ball is often out of play in 90 minutes. And you’d be foolish not to take advantage of what you’ve got, especially when set-pieces can make or break your season. That’s just a fact.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
