EXCLUSIVE: A Premier League cult hero started Arsenal’s long-throw trend by accident after he was spotted hurling “massive rocks” by his manager while out on a walk
Arsenal’s long-throw trend may never have happened if it wasn’t for a Premier League cult hero hurling “massive rocks” while out on a walk with his team-mates.
The set-piece mastered by Tony Pulis’ Stoke City and their now legendary midfielder Rory Delap, the long-throw into the penalty area, struck fear into every club in the top-flight in the late 2000s and early 2010s. But after the Republic of Ireland star left the Premier League, the tactic seemed to die out.
However, the long throw has become a staple of the Premier League again with virtually every club in the league – most notably title contenders Arsenal and the likes of Brentford and Crystal Palace – looking to utilise throws from distance to create chaos and chances in a crowded box. The number of long throws this season is reportedly already double last season’s.
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Speaking to the Daily Star Sport via BetSelect.co.uk, former Liverpool and Leeds star Dominic Matteo advocated for teams to utilise the long throw, which has come back into fashion since the defender played alongside Rory Delap at Stoke from 2007 to 2009.
“It’s like a tool everyone wants now. Looking at Leeds, even [Ethan] Ampadu’s got a long throw,” he said. “I didn’t know he had one, but then you start seeing it because every team needs a long throw.
“It was quite similar with Rory at Stoke. Nobody knew he had it in him, and he’d never mentioned it. Next thing you know, we were out for a walk, and he started throwing these massive rocks, and Tony Pulis went ‘Whoa, he’s got a long throw’.
“So then we got him throwing those balls in, and there was a real pace on those throws from Rory, and Pulis made the pitch as small as you possibly could.”
After years of the set-piece being consigned to the memories of Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth launching themselves through the air into the six-yard box at the Britannia Stadium, long throws have made their return, with Arsenal among those to favour the tactic under set piece coach Nicolas Jover and long-throw consultant Thomas Gronnemark.
“It’s a massive thing now, and I’ll tell you what – those long throws are so dangerous, and so hard to defend, especially if they’re coming in flat,” Matteo continued.
“Everyone seems to be steaming in, and it’s so hard to defend that because you’re trying to keep your eye on the ball, but there’s so much movement around you. So at some point, somebody’s got to take charge and try to win that first initial header. But I think it’s very, very difficult.
“I think we’re going to see more long throw specialists. I think that the long throw is going to be implemented a lot more because why not? If it’s going to give you a little advantage, you’re going to take it.
“They’ve got set-piece coaches now, and back in my day, we didn’t have any of that. You had just had coaches.
“Now it’s like every club’s got like 15, 20 people behind the scenes, which is great, but I also think there can be too many people. There’ll be a coach for everything.”