For Premier League sides, there is a trend beginning to arise. As a means of hounding their opponents from the outset, a number of teams are hoofing the ball out for an opposition throw-in from kick-off – and The Athletic’s Michael Cox has suggested a rule change to crack down on the controversial tactic.
This is, however, not a new phenomenon. As pointed out in The Athletic’s article, former England manager Graham Taylor used it in 1991 when the Three Lions played Poland. Albeit unsuccessful, Taylor believed it was the perfect way to start any encounter.
Graham Taylor
But why is that? Kick-off is typically an awkward position to build up from – and kicking it further afield, despite losing possession, helps teams get higher up the pitch in a more efficient manner. Simply, teams are banking on regaining possession from an opposition’s throw-in deep in their own half.
However, one could argue that the kick-off tactic – used by many teams across Europe – isn’t a desire to press the opposition, but instead to make them vulnerable from a backward pass. Pouncing on the goalkeeper’s ropy touch could result in a golden opportunity to gain an early lead.
Rule Change Could Prevent Controversial Rule Used by Arsenal in 1-0 Defeat to Liverpool
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal performed the tactic during their 1-0 defeat away to Liverpool – but, according to Michael Cox at The Athletic, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have been the Premier League’s most prolific offenders since the start of the season.
Peter Schmeichel, as a result, was not best pleased that Arsenal had adopted the tactic. Per Fabrizio Romano, he said: "Arsenal are being ridiculous. 'We are Arsenal, and we want to give the opponent the ball!' This is Declan Rice, one of the best players in the country, who just shoots it for a Liverpool throw in after kick off! It's so negative!"
For those unaware: Paris Saint-Germain also kickstarted their 5-0 drubbing over Inter Milan in the Champions League final in the same fashion – but, as mentioned, Cox – who concentrates on tactical analysis for The Athletic – has provided a potential fix that would subsequently deter teams from doing so.
Watch a compilation of PSG doing it during their Club World Cup campaign:
He insisted that a simple solution to the ever-growing tactic is to allow teams to bring any throw-ins that are deep in their own half in line with the 18-yard box. “One simple solution would be to allow teams to bring any throw-ins deep in their own half forward, level to a position with the edge of their own penalty box.
“This wouldn’t entirely solve the issue — and it’s worth pointing out that Wharton seems to be putting the ball out of play 25 yards from the corner flag, rather than right next to it — but at least teams forced to hurl the ball forward with their first action of the game would be conceding possession further away from their own goal.”
“An overreaction? Maybe, but football’s laws have always evolved to ensure that technical, possession-based play is able to compete with teams based around physicality and territory,” Cox continued before suggesting that the tactic could force a type of reform to be required.
“This is partly why it has become such an attractive, popular sport to watch. But if deliberately kicking the ball off the pitch becomes a regular attacking tactic, the game will have become dangerously close to rugby union, and some kind of reform will be required.”
Although – by the rules and regulations, at least – there is nothing wrong in hoofing the ball out of play, it is more of a concern that teams in England’s top flight believe that boxing teams in from the off is more valuable than retaining possession for themselves before trying to fashion an opening with a lovely build-up move.