Arsenal have been one of the Premier League's most dangerous sides from set-pieces this season, but it wasn't always the case - especially in the Arsene Wenger era
Tom Victor
12:56, 13 Nov 2025
Piero Hincapie taking a throw for Arsenal
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Arsenal have used long throws in addition to other set-piece routines this season(Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal have utilised set-pieces to great effect this campaign – whether through corners, free-kicks or long throws – but things were rather different in the Arsene Wenger era.
According to ex-Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, known for long throw prowess in his own playing days, the north London outfit once went to extraordinary lengths, even attempting to outlaw the tactic entirely.
"You cannot say it is football anymore," Wenger once declared when Stoke - managed by Tony Pulis - capitalised on long throws with Delap at the centre of proceedings. "It is more rugby on the goalkeepers than football."
Delap, a former Republic of Ireland international, has revisited the criticism his side's methods attracted, noting how things have gone full circle since his own playing days.
"This thing around the set-piece coach has been around for a couple of years now, and people say it's new to the game, but it's not new at all – the only thing different about it is that it's now one person's dedicated job, whereas before it was something the manager or one of his coaches would take on," he told Ladbrokes at the launch of Ladisfaction.
Regarding Arsenal particularly, he continued: "So many people used to complain about the way we played; it's funny that Arsenal are now known for their set-pieces, because they were probably the worst for complaining about how we played the game during that period. You know, with them it went as far as them wanting to ban throw-ins and replace them with kick-ins!
"That would have probably made it worse for them, to be honest, because we'd have been putting it into the box from everywhere on the pitch!
Rory Delap taking a throw for Stoke
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Rory Delap taking a throw for Stoke(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
"It was part and parcel of our team back then, and I always say that no one would have talked about my throw-ins if we weren't as successful as we were when it came to getting on the end of them and scoring goals."
Earlier this campaign, former Liverpool coach Thomas Gronnemark criticised the long throw trend sweeping the Premier League.
Arsenal haven't been the sole advocates, and despite leading the division in set-piece strikes, they're yet to find the net from a long throw, whilst Brentford and Crystal Palace have each converted three times from lengthy deliveries this season.
Michael Kayode taking a throw for Brentford
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Brentford have been masters of the long throw(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
"You can say there are many more long throw-ins in the Premier League. You can say, 'Isn't that good?' No, not necessarily," Gronnemark told The Mirror in September.
"There are far too many teams taking low-quality long throw-ins. Some of the throw-ins are just not long enough, so they're not dangerous, and sometimes it's about the strategy."
Delap also emphasised the importance of set pieces, whether long throws or alternative deliveries, based on how much time the ball spends out of play during matches. "You've got to move with it, though," he said.
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"You know, set-play analysts are such a huge part of the game because the ball is out of play a lot in 90 minutes, so if you don't work on what you do from set-plays, then you're going to get punished.
"And you'd be daft not to utilise what you've got, especially when seasons can be successful or unsuccessful because of set-plays. That's just a fact."
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