Premier League corner routines resemble the wild west and change needs to come from the officials
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 23: Manchester United and Everton players grapple at a corner during the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on February 23, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester United and Everton players grapple at a corner during the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on February 23, 2026.(Image: Getty Images)
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The sight of Joe Gomez launching long throw-ins into the box in the dying minutes of Liverpool's eventual 1-0 victory away at Nottingham Forest was as refreshing as it was indicative of the state of the game - both this individual match, a turgid display that Liverpool did not deserve to win; and the English game at large.
The 2025/26 Premier League season has seen fans and pundits alike lament the increasing importance of set pieces and physicality over technical ingenuity, with accusations thrown on what feels like a weekly basis that the English top flight has become boring.
No longer the sole remit of bottom-half strugglers, league leaders Arsenal have led the charge towards a more conservative approach, with 18 of their 56 league goals this season coming from set pieces (excluding penalties).
Arsenal fans have embraced this shift - understandably, considering the strong position it has put them in - celebrating their team winning corners as other teams would direct free kicks on the edge of the box.
With games increasingly defined by marginal gains, low-to-mid blocks and set pieces, the 2025/26 Premier League season has already seen more 0-0 draws than the entirety of the previous one, with the current rate set to result in a higher total of goalless games than all but one of the previous seven seasons.
Only one season in the history of the competition (2009/10) saw a lower percentage of goals scored from open play than this season has so far, at 64.8% after the 27th round of fixtures.
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart recently claimed "it's too dangerous" financially for teams, including top teams, to "go toe-to-toe and slug it out".
Hart speculated that the increase to five substitutions during a game has encouraged the "pragmatic approach" in vogue in the Premier League.
According to Hart, top teams now "back themselves to play for the 95 minutes rather than get the game done" by outscoring their opponents early.
Arsenal's lack of intensity has drawn criticism of late, however, with troubles finishing off weaker opponents seeing the Gunners drop points against Forest, Brentford and Wolves.
In this light, Liverpool deserve some credit for sticking to their principles. Head coach Arne Slot underlined the importance he places on playing "the nicest football to watch" in The Reds Roundtable, a panel discussion recently published by club media in which the Dutchman appeared alongside sporting director Richard Hughes.
Slot, however, agreed with fans' criticism that Liverpool haven't been able to consistently achieve that goal this season. Results have suffered along with performances, leaving last year's title winners with a battle on their hands just to qualify for the Champions League.
Developing a reputation as a soft touch at set pieces has contributed to the loss of Liverpool's air of invincibility and has had a tangible effect on the league table.
Slot recently admitted: "It's impossible to be top four, top five with our set piece balance, let alone winning the league." Indeed, in the first 26 games of this season in all competitions, Liverpool conceded 13 goals from set pieces and scored eight, for a shocking 'set piece balance' of minus five.
Since set-piece coach Aaron Briggs departed the club, Liverpool have conceded just two and scored another nine from only 12 games, for a balance of plus seven.
In that same span of time, Arsenal have a set-piece balance of plus eight. Treating the north London side as the benchmark, it's fair to say Slot has overseen a dramatic reversal in Liverpool's fortunes from set plays.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker attempts to stop a Newcastle corner during the Premier League match at Anfield, January 31, 2026.(Image: PA)
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It's encouraging that the Reds now appear to be better equipped to mix it with the rest of the league. But, in an ideal world, supporters would surely prefer set pieces just to be another string to Liverpool's bow if we want to be the best footballing side in the country.
After all, do any of us really want to see the game played this way?
Marginal gains
Hart may have a point with his assessment of the financial pressures pushing the Premier League towards a more conservative approach.
But there may be a simpler explanation as to why set pieces in particular have become so essential.
The saying goes, 'there are no easy games in the Premier League', but it has never been more true than in the last five years. Most bottom-half sides have at least one, if not several, players who could easily fit in at most Champions League clubs, and it has become increasingly difficult for newly-promoted sides to stand a chance of staying up.
According to club Elo rankings, which measure the strength of teams over time according to results and match difficulty, the Premier League is now stronger than the Champions League and all other top European leagues, with 11 Premier League sides featuring in the European top 20.
In this context, marginal gains can have an enormous impact on the outcome of a team's season. In fact, Jurgen Klopp recognised this all the way back in 2018 when appointing Thomas Gronnemark as throw-in coach, a move which attracted ridicule at the time - but few raised eyebrows when the Dane started working with Arsenal last month.
Football is ultimately a game made up of lots of split-second calculations of risk versus reward, made by 22 players who don't always get it right.
Try to beat that player, or recycle possession?
Take that shot, and risk losing the ball, or try to create a better opportunity for a teammate?
Make that tactical foul, and take the risk of playing on a yellow card, or let the opposition counter and hope your covering defender reaches the ball?
Set pieces are one of the few areas of the game in which coaches can control these risks, and make planned decisions that can have a direct outcome on the result.
Further to that, they are fundamentally designed to give the attacking side the advantage. The risk of a counter-attack, or conceding an unnecessary foul in the opposition's penalty area, is by definition less of a risk than conceding a shot on goal or a penalty.
Football has ever been thus. But to avoid the game becoming solely about set pieces, the benefit of the doubt has traditionally been given to the defender when attackers are deemed to have used unreasonable contact to gain an additional advantage.
Something radical has quietly shifted in recent years. At some point in the last few seasons, the phenomenon of grappling - or 'holding', as it's referred to in Ifab's laws of the game - has become the norm.
Now, this often applies as much to defenders as it does to attackers. After all, it was long expected when it was introduced that one of the benefits of VAR would be to stamp out the kind of shirt-pulling and wrestling that wily defenders would employ to neutralise attackers from set pieces, often missed by referees amongst the maelstrom of bodies.
Yes, I'm looking at you, Martin Skrtel.
Liverpool FC v Rubin Kazan at Anfield. Martin Skrtel is held at a corner.
Martin Skrtel finds himself on the receiving end of holding at a corner against Rubin Kazan, October 22, 2015.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
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But it is also a strategy used by attacking teams to neutralise the opposition's key defenders and create space for aerial threats.
Refereeing directives
In response to what was felt to be a growing problem ahead of the new season, PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb announced a new initiative whereby officials would crack down on these 'extreme non-footballing actions'.
"We have to identify those situations that do fall in line with the feedback that we had, that there are just a few too many examples of players clearly pulling people back, impacting their ability to move to the ball or some clear extreme actions are not being penalised," Webb said.
"They're the ones I expect us to catch. Therefore, I would expect this time next year to have been a few more penalties given for holding offences than what we've seen this year. But not a huge swing of the pendulum because that's really difficult to sustain over a period of time.
"What we've said to the officials is, if you get one of those extreme situations where one player is clearly dragging another one to the floor in an extreme non footballing action, even if it's off the ball, we expect either the referee to see it or, if it's a clear one, then the VAR will will intervene and recommend the referee looks at it at the screen because it fits the criteria that we've laid out.
"This is not meant to be a six-week campaign, August and September, then we forget all about it. If we went in like a steam train and gave every little bit of sort of contact, then it would tell you it would be a six-week campaign.
"We would get told very quickly to ease off from what we're doing. We have to take the game with us and we have to be credible."
The odd thing about all this is that it gives the impression that the game's laws are by themselves ambiguous or otherwise deferential to the judgement of the referee on the subject of holding when this, in fact, could not be further from the case.
Law 12.1 of Ifab's Laws of the Game states concretely that a direct free kick is to be awarded if a player "holds an opponent" or "impedes an opponent with contact".
Under 'Other Advice', further direction is given on the requirement to be strict when holding takes place at set pieces:
"Referees are reminded to make an early intervention and to deal firmly with holding offences, especially inside the penalty area at corner kicks and free kicks.
"To deal with these situations: The referee must warn any player holding an opponent before the ball is in play; caution the player if the holding continues before the ball is in play; award a direct free kick or penalty kick and caution the player if it happens once the ball is in play”.
Webb's statement, emphasising that change is being delivered "in line with the feedback we've had", frames the initiative as a proactive move and a logical evolution of the game.
However, punishing holding is nothing new, and the letter of the law has changed little since the original publication of the oldest file in Ifab's Laws of the Game public document archive, all the way back in 1903.
Holding, defined as "the obstruction of a player by the hand or any part of the arm extended from the body", was not to be allowed unless considered unintentional.
By 1952, off-the-ball obstruction (impeding) had become an offence in its own right, and ahead of the 2016/17 season was upgraded from an indirect free kick to a direct free kick - meaning impeding an attacker in the penalty area with contact - even without kicking, pushing or holding - could now result in a penalty.
Law 12.1 has maintained exactly the same wording in the 10 years since. English referees were given the task of implementing this change and responding to complaints over holding offences.
Sky Sports reported at the time on a "directive" in which "referees have been directed to clamp down on fouls in the penalty area from attacking and defending players at set-pieces."
Showing how little has changed since, the issue "was raised a number of times last season [2015/16] and it was decided action should be taken."
One of the examples given by Sky was a decision of no penalty and a mere telling off for Jan Vertonghen, who "hauled down" Liverpool's Joel Matip in a game at White Hart Lane in August of that year, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
PGMOL went so far as to present the new directive at a series of pre-season meetings with Premier League players and managers.
Incredibly, the slide on holding began with the line: "Key principle: Physical contact is an acceptable part of football."
Few would disagree with that statement, but it is a strikingly defiant way to begin an explanation of a new directive aimed at cracking down on holding, particularly in the context of an international rule change targeting off-the-ball impeding/obstruction.
The presentation went on to clarify the "considerations" referees would use to determine if a case of holding merited punishment: "Players who only focus on their opponent and pay no attention to the ball before holding an opponent run a high risk of being penalised; players who clearly hold an opponent by pulling their shirt, or extend an arm to pull back an opponent run the risk of being penalised; where holding is sustained and clearly prevents an opponent from making a movement it is likely to be penalised."
It is unclear whether the presentation covered the impeding/obstruction rule change. Interestingly, it was not mentioned at either the 2016 or 2017 Ifab AGM for the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh FAs.
Either way, the directive effectively lays out a list of criteria by which referees can assess whether a incident of holding is sufficiently serious to merit punishment.
Quite apart from clamping down on holding, this essentially implies that intentional holding up to a certain threshold is acceptable, a concept that has no basis within the Laws of the Game.
When the directive mentions "sustained" holding, or Webb talks about "extreme non-footballing actions", these are not laws but interpretations.
Change is needed
Questionable guidelines are one thing, but consistent application is another. Randal Kolo Muani thought he had scored a second equaliser against Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday, but the goal was disallowed for a faint push in the back of Gabriel.
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Gabriel of Arsenal reacts after being pushed by Randal Kolo Muani of Tottenham Hotspur leading to a disallowed goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Gabriel of Arsenal reacts after being pushed by Randal Kolo Muani of Tottenham Hotspur leading to a disallowed goal during the Premier League match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 22, 2026.(Image: Getty Images)
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Within the letter of the law, it was a foul, though Gabriel made the most of it, but it was particularly harsh against a side that had seen a similar complaint ignored when Cristian Romero tumbled and Hugo Ekitike headed home in December.
Given Arsenal do plenty of pushing and shoving of their own when attacking set pieces, it feels even more harsh. But Spurs are no saints themselves, and what many would consider excessive physicality is becoming the norm for teams when both attacking and defending from set plays.
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett told Goodison News he felt the current leadership of the organisation had chosen to "turn a blind eye" to such antics, after Darren England was criticised heavily for failing to punish excessive physicality from both Everton and Manchester United on Monday.
Hackett said: "The abject nonsense of PGMOL referees completely ignoring the foul tactics that are employed by teams in the penalty area at corner kicks. Holding, pulling, blocking, backing in.
"This is not football, and once again, the Everton versus Man United referee Darren England stood by and ignored.
"He is a referee capable and willing to apply the laws. It appears to me that his coaches and the boss want him to turn a blind eye.
"Football deserves better, the Premier League deserves better and fans around the world must wonder what our referees are doing."
Off-the-ball contact with a goalkeeper, particularly, has become noticeably more common. Arsenal's David Raya was the most-fouled goalkeeper in the Premier League last season, having been fouled 10 times, with a further incident against Brentford this season attracting scrutiny.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 25: Senne Lammens of Manchester United claims the ball ahead of Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 25, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Casemiro takes a proactive measure to deal with Gabriel Magalhaes' move to impede Senne Lammens in the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates, January 25, 2026.(Image: Getty Images)
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The Gunners' treatment of United's Senne Lammens, amongst others, shows that statistic did not go ignored.
Teams and their coaching staff have wised up to the fact referees will often let this go unpunished, despite intentional off-the-ball contact between an attacker and a goalkeeper never having been allowed within the Laws of the Game.
Not only is it a foul, but it is dangerous. Goalkeepers jump higher than other players, and must stretch to get the ball, with a higher risk of injury upon landing if they're knocked off the ball.
Raya was only the sixth-most-fouled goalkeeper in Europe's top five leagues, though. This could mean the problem is worse on the continent but, given how much more often referees in UEFA competition seem to give fouls for this kind of contact, it's likely instead a reflection of a more lenient approach from officials in the Premier League.
Former referee Mark Clattenburg recently commented on this trend. "It's clear that this has become more common when set-piece coaches were employed by clubs to get any advantage possible," he said.
"It's something the PGMOL and Premier League need to address, and any blocking on the goalkeeper must be punished by a free kick.
"Yes, more fouls will be given at first, but when teams realise they will not be allowed to use this tactic, they will stop.
"We see this tactic used less in the Champions League as referees punish more."
There is something admirable about the effort to preserve physicality. The Premier League's international selling point is - or should be, at least - its blend of intensity and technicality, and concerns around losing that are understandable.
But where we have ended up is no better. Referees in European competition are often stricter, but the game has not become a non-contact sport on the continent.
Instead, it is the Premier League (most visibly, at least) that has gone down a different path. Set piece coaches now set teams up to push the boundaries of what's allowed, within a foggy set of guidelines based on an even foggier notion of the good old days of English football - a reality that never even existed.
Teams play for set pieces because of two main reasons: the greater control it gives coaches to directly influence the game, and the fact attackers are allowed to get away with contact that would almost always be given as a foul in open play.
One of those factors can be managed by refereeing, the other cannot. But the risk is too great if nothing changes ahead of the new season and referees fail to stamp out the flagrant abuse of the rules we see on a weekly basis.
If it is allowed to continue, the set-piecification of Premier League football risks damaging what makes the league unique - and the product by extension.
A less exciting league means less viewers, less TV money to strengthen the league further and less prestige for the referees that have the privilege of officiating it.
They simply have to get it right.