Arsenal have continued to find joy from dead ball situations this season, but a former Premier League player has accused them of “killing the Premier League” with what he describes as boring tactics.
The Gunners have carried on from where they left off last campaign, continuing their dominance from set pieces. A number of crucial goals from dead ball situations have helped them win key matches this season, proving especially effective against teams who sit deep defensively. Arsenal are currently the set-piece kings of Europe, so it is little surprise that other Premier League clubs have tried to emulate their success in this area over recent months.
O’Hara blames Arsenal for “long throw” trend
More clubs have also turned to the long throw, and former Tottenham Hotspur man Jamie O’Hara has unsurprisingly blamed Arsenal for the trend. Speaking on Sky Sports, O’Hara said:
“I can’t stand it, I hate it. It’s killing the game, especially the Premier League. It’s like watching non-league at the moment, some of the football I’m watching. Spurs at the weekend: territory football, head it out, [Kevin] Danso comes up, gets the towel out and starts throwing… It’s so one-dimensional.
“I get it, some of the lesser teams like Brentford, if you’ve got a long throw then it can cause problems and maybe create a chance. But the top teams doing throw-ins? I can’t believe what I’m watching. It’s all down to Arsenal, Arsenal started this. Arsenal started the long throw, the set pieces. They’ve killed the Premier League in terms of fluid football and enjoyable football.”
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Arsenal respond in emphatic fashion
The former Spurs midfielder made his comments just hours before Arsenal’s 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid. Mikel Arteta and his team responded in perfect fashion, dismantling the Spanish giants with a blistering second-half performance.
That victory made Arsenal the first side to record seven consecutive wins against Spanish opposition in the Champions League, highlighting the club’s growing dominance against some of Europe’s most experienced teams since 2023.
As for O’Hara’s remarks, it raises an interesting debate about the resurgence of long throws and set-piece football.
What do you make of this growing trend in the Premier League?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Benjamin Kenneth
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
More Stories / Latest News