Tactical Analysis: Why Dead Ball Schemes Are an Important Factor in the Premier League This Season
Dead ball situations have long been an important part of football. However, this season, the 2025/26 season, matches in Premier League felt increasingly fulfilled by the scheme. Corner kicks and long-range throw-ins are no longer just additional opportunities, but have become very dominant elements in determining goals and influencing the course of the match.
The debate regarding this matter is getting busier along with the competition for the title by Armory. On social media, the impression emerged that the team nicknamed The Gunners achieved many wins thanks to the set-piece scheme. But actually, they are not the only team that utilizes this strategy. Many clubs in the league seem to think that the quickest way to score is to maximize every corner kick situation.
This is where the main problem arises: the side effects of this strategy!
Excessive Physical Dueling in a Very Small Area
The pattern of modern set-piece play often resembles a wrestling duel in a box about 5.5 meters from the goal line. In that tight space, around 10 to 12 players gather and pull and push each other before the ball is actually put into play.
If previously there was only small pushing, now the situation has developed into a much more aggressive struggle for position. Defenders and attackers often knock each other down even before the ball is sent into the penalty box. In many cases, the soccer game only really starts after the physical duel ends, if it ever occurs at all.
Referee Difficulty Controlling the Situation
In such conditions, referees face a very difficult task. Dealing cards to all players involved is obviously impossible because almost all players commit minor violations.
As a result, many incidents that could actually be considered serious violations in open game situations are actually allowed to occur when they occur before a corner kick or throw-in. This creates a paradox: one moment the league debates light penalties, but at another moment more violent physical offenses are ignored.
Additionally, the process of restarting the game is much slower. Corner kicks that should be taken in around 20 seconds now often take almost a minute. The referee usually has to stop the player, give a warning, then return to watch the physical duel which immediately occurs again.
Throw-ins have also undergone similar changes. Situations that used to take about five seconds can now take 15 to 30 seconds because players have to dry the ball with a towel or prepare for a long throw.
One frequently discussed example is Brentford’s long throw routine, which is notorious for taking quite a long time to prepare.
Many Teams Follow the Same Trend
Although Arsenal and Brentford are often cited as teams that effectively utilize set pieces, this approach is actually used by most clubs in the league.
Liverpool, for example, was the victim of a dead ball scheme at the start of the season. However, as the competition progressed, they also began to utilize the same strategy to improve their performance in the second half of the season.
Reduced Game Time
The accumulation of all these processes has an impact on the length of time the ball is not in play. Estimates suggest that around 10 to 11 minutes in each match are spent just preparing for corners, throw-ins or free kicks.
That number doesn’t even include extra time due to injuries.
It’s no surprise that matches feel increasingly slow and disjointed. The spectators also miss one of the main attractions of football, namely the fast flow of play and the goal opportunities created from open situations.
If the chances of scoring a goal are greater through a crowd of players in the penalty box, many teams choose that approach rather than building attacks from line to line.
Statistics Corroborate the Trend
This season’s data shows that 27% of goals in the Premier League come from set piecesthe highest figure among Europe’s top five leagues.
Comparison with other leagues is as follows:
- Series A: 24%
- Bundesliga: 22%
- Spanish League: 19%
- League 1: 17%
This shows that the trend of increasing goals from set pieces is occurring across Europe, but it is in England that the impact is most obvious.
Not All Dead Balls Are Problematic
However, not all dead ball situations are considered detrimental to the game. A perfectly executed free kick can still be a spectacular moment in a match.
Some beautiful goals from Dominik Szoboszlai for example show how free kicks can provide high technical quality. However, moments like that are relatively rare compared to the many corner kicks and throw-ins that lead to physical duels in the penalty box.
Worries for Big Tournaments
There is talk that practices like this will not be tolerated in the next World Cup. However, without clear changes to the rules, for example restricting players from entering the 5.5 meter area before the ball is played, the same situation is likely to continue to occur.
If there are no regulatory adjustments, matches on the biggest stage in world football have the potential to present the same game patterns: lots of stoppages, prolonged physical duels, and a game that feels slow.
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