Are long throw-ins changing soccer?<\/p>\n
Rory Delap was apparently ahead of his time. The spirit of Stoke City\u2019s legendary ball flinger lives on with the long throw-in enjoying a renaissance<\/a> in the Premier League this season. Indeed, statistics show that the number of long throw-ins per match has more than doubled from last season, pointing to a very real and meaningful trend.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a trend bemoaned by some, including Jamie Carragher, who in his punditry has taken issue with the way long throw-ins disrupt the game (the game\u2019s lawmakers are considering taking action too<\/a>). Others have different gripes, seeing long throw-ins as a low-brow, primitive shortcut to goal in violation of the spirit of the sport. If scoring is now as simple as launching the ball into the box at every opportunity, why would anyone bother coaching technical skill?<\/p>\n Brentford are sticking it in the mixer more than any other team in the Premier League this season. It\u2019s a part of how the data-led West Londoners have continued to punch above their weight, but it\u2019s not just plucky underdogs doing a Delap. Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are also using long throws.<\/p>\n This is part of a wider trend. For years, the best teams focused on pressing with intensity high up the field. Now to counter that, opponents are going direct quicker. Passing in the Premier League is at a 15-year low this season and long throws are an extension of the desire to get the ball forward quicker no matter the means.<\/p>\n So yes, long throws are changing the game. Whether it\u2019s for the better, worse, or neutral depends on your perspective.<\/p>\n Is Liverpool\u2019s title defence already over?Arne Slot\u2019s Liverpool have found things more difficult in his second season. Photograph: Dave Shopland\/AP<\/p>\n Liverpool knew what they would face at the Brentford Community Stadium on Sunday. Arne Slot had highlighted his own team\u2019s problems in combating physical, direct opponents of late, complaining that the Reds \u201cwere not able to press the opponent because the ball wasn\u2019t on the ground, it was in the air.\u201d Yet he seemingly had no way to stop Brentford from doing as Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United had also done.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson<\/p>\n Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com<\/a> to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n The 3-2 loss to Brentford followed a familiar pattern this season for Liverpool, who struggled to handle the cannonballs chucked into their box, lacked organisation in defensive transition and failed to find the right balance in the attacking third. Mohamed Salah scored, but was once again a shadow of the player that set goalscoring records last season. Florian Wirtz was off too, not for the first time.<\/p>\n While Liverpool\u2019s problems are well documented, Slot hasn\u2019t yet come up with an effective plan to address them. Last week\u2019s 5-1 away win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League came close to giving Liverpool a new framework to move forward, but that required Salah to be dropped. Alexander Isak also came off with an injury, meaning Slot couldn\u2019t reuse the front-two system against Brentford.<\/p>\n Talent wise, it\u2019s reasonable to assume Liverpool will turn their form around before too long. By then, though, Arsenal could be in an even stronger position at the top of the table. Such is the Gunners\u2019 consistency and momentum, Liverpool\u2019s Premier League title defence may already be over.<\/p>\n Is the Old Firm\u2019s grip on Scottish soccer loosening?Heart of Midlothian\u2019s Lawrence Shankland (third right) celebrates after scoring his sides third goal. Photograph: Steve Welsh\/PA<\/p>\n Tony Bloom has only been in Scottish soccer for a matter of months, but the landscape around him has already changed dramatically. The Brighton and Union Saint-Gilloise owner vowed this would happen when he became Hearts minority owner in June, targeting a league title within a decade. But not even Bloom\u2019s fabled data model could have predicted Celtic and Rangers\u2019 implosion this season.<\/p>\n