Going Direct: Set-Pieces Rule the Modern Game
Welcome to “Going Direct,” my new column here on BBC Sport, where I take an unfiltered look at the tactics, management styles, and trends defining today’s game — and compare them with the old-school truths that never really went away.
Where better to begin than with the rise of set-pieces, which, for me, is the real story of the season so far?
I Was Mocked for Set-Pieces — Now It’s the Winning Formula
When I led Stoke City into the Premier League in 2008, my focus on dead-ball situations and long throws made me a punchline. Some called it rugby. Others labeled me a dinosaur.
But I knew the truth then — and it’s obvious now: set-pieces win games.
Today, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs, and Thomas Frank’s Brentford are thriving by applying the same principles: control the box, deliver from wide, and maximize pressure in tight spaces.
Clean Sheets, Corners, and Stats That Win Titles
Last season, over 20% of non-penalty goals in the Premier League came from corners or free-kicks. That’s no fluke — that’s modern strategy.
Arteta clearly saw his team was drawing too many games. His response? Add set-piece strength to a side already rich in talent. Now they can outplay teams, keep clean sheets, and punish mistakes from dead-ball opportunities.
And guess what? Arsenal fans are singing songs about set-piece goals — the same fans who once heckled Stoke for using the same approach.
Arsenal's Set-Piece Coach, Specialist Roles & the Power of the Crowd
One major change since my time is the rise of specialist set-piece coaches. At Arsenal, Nicolas Jover has become a key figure in their success — something I did solo at Stoke, Palace, and West Brom.
When Stoke got a throw-in at the Britannia, the roar would rise until Rory Delap unleashed his cannon. Now, you hear the same tension at the Emirates — a corner kick, and the whole stadium rises. It’s become a psychological weapon.
Pep, Sean Dyche, and Changing Perceptions
Even Pep Guardiola, one of the most tactically respected managers in history, admits he’d use long throws if he had a player for it.
Sean Dyche, a like-minded pragmatist, echoed these views recently on my podcast with Mick McCarthy. Whether it’s Stoke in 2008 or Forest in 2025, the logic remains: winning comes first.
Back then, Arsène Wenger called us a “rugby team.” Today, his protégé is using those same “rugby” tactics to chase a title. The irony isn’t lost on me.
Final Whistle: Results Over Reputation
Football fashion comes and goes. People can mock long throws and physical duels all they like. But when Micky van de Ven scores two from corners, or Declan Rice whips in a deadly free-kick, the snobbery fades.
Set-pieces are back — and they never really left.
Whether you're coaching, watching, or debating tactics in the pub, remember this: both boxes decide the match. Keep the ball out at one end, get it in at the other. Everything else is just filler.
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