Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon prepares to take a throw in | Image Credits : Reuters
'Sticking it in the mixer' is a time-honoured tactic in recreational soccer where technically-challenged Sunday morning players punt high passes or hurl long throws into opposition penalty areas.
It used to be a thing even at the top level with Wimbledon's fabled 'Crazy Gang' taking the route one approach to winning the 1988 FA Cup and more recently Stoke City's Rory Delap terrorising defences in the 2000s with his 40-metre throw-ins.
Those days, at least in the Premier League, seemed finished as Pep Guardiola's Manchester City won four successive English titles with an intricate possession-based game and others tried, and failed to, copy the blueprint.
But it appears tactics are coming full circle.
On Monday, the sight of Brentford's Michael Kayode or Kevin Schade drying the ball with a towel before winding up a long throw caused palpitations among West Ham United's defenders.
Neither of Brentford's two goals came directly from long throws but the tactic unsettled West Ham's defence to such an extent that panic broke out every time a corner, free kick or long pass went anywhere near them.
When Brentford equalised after a long throw against Chelsea last month it was their seventh goal from that routine since the start of the 2024-25 season. No other team had more than two.
But if the current trend continues, we are likely to see many more goals as a result of long throw-ins this season.
The tactic, still scoffed at by the purists, is back with a vengeance. On the opening weekend of the Premier League season 11 of the 20 teams used long throws, up from four teams on the opening day of the 2024-25 campaign.
Opta analysis of the opening 50 games of the Premier League suggested route-one tactics, including long throws, were increasingly part of a coach's armoury.
According to Opta, passing was at a 15-year low in that sample while the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United are all getting the ball forward faster using fewer passes. Some clubs are even kicking deep into touch straight from kickoffs to gain territory.
Aston Villa's Matty Cash takes a throw in | Image Credits: Action Images via Reuters
Throughout last season there were an average of 1.5 long throws (20 metres or more) per game into the penalty area. This season that has more than doubled to 3.85, according to Opta.
At least six goals have been scored as a direct result of a long throw, compared to 15 in the whole of last season with Brentford, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur among the most regular users.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth manager Gary O'Neil, analysing Brentford's win over West Ham for Sky Sports, said the rise of long throw-ins is data driven.
"I've spoken to a lot of set-piece coaches and the data is so far in favour of throwing it in the opposition box, you are far more likely to score than trying to work something in from the side, because they're so hard to clear and you can get all your big defenders up," he said.
Sunderland's Nordi Mukiele prepares to take a throw in | Image Credits : Action Images via Reuters
The rise of the high-press in recent seasons and subsequent turnovers in possession in dangerous areas may have also prompted goalkeepers and defenders to hit long balls.
From a peak of 16.7 high turnovers per game in 2023-24 that figure has dropped to 11.5 in 2025-26, the lowest in 10 seasons.
Not everyone is a fan of the new trend though, including former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher who believes there has been a reaction against the Guardiola-inspired short game.
"If the data tell you there's more chance to score a goal, you're doing it, I would do it as a manager," he told Sky Sports.
"But it bores me. We've gone back too far. Not just throw-ins, even from kickoffs, it feels like rugby and playing for territory. (Former England coach) Graham Taylor got slaughtered 30 years ago for kicking for touch, now PSG (Paris St Germain) are even doing it."
He also said time was being taken out of the game with Brentford taking an average of 25 seconds to set up a throw.
