Keith Andrews served as Brentford’s set-piece coach before his appointment as head coach in June.
The long throw-in appears to be experiencing a resurgence in popularity.
This tactical approach gained prominence when Rory Delap utilized it to disrupt the Premier League following Stoke City’s entry in 2008, creating significant challenges for opposing defenses by launching the ball into the penalty area.
Now, this strategy is increasingly evident in the top flight, with Brentford establishing themselves as particularly adept at executing it.
In their recent match against Chelsea on Saturday, Fabio Carvalho scored a late goal, capitalizing on a long throw-in from Kevin Schade, which secured a 2-2 draw.
This goal was the culmination of numerous long throw-ins throughout the game, initially delivered by Michael Kayode and later by Schade.
Earlier in the contest, Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had to tip a long throw-in from Schade over the bar, despite no player appearing to have made contact with the ball en route.
Since the beginning of last season, Brentford has now scored seven goals from long throw-ins, surpassing every other Premier League team by a margin of five.
While it may lack aesthetic appeal, its effectiveness is undeniable.
“I’ve always felt there’s a degree of snobbery in the game when it comes to situations like that,” stated Brentford manager Keith Andrews.
“If the top teams employ it, it seems to gain greater acceptance.”
When questioned about strategies to prevent conceding goals from long throw-ins, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca responded: “Firstly, you must try to avoid conceding the throw-in in the first place.”
“They have Kayode, Jensen, Schade, and even Pinnock, who are all proficient at delivering throw-ins.”
BBC Match of the Day pundit Ashley Williams, the former Wales captain, commented: “It’s surprisingly difficult to defend against long throws.”
“In the lead-up to a game, teams typically practice defending corners and free-kicks, but rarely long throws.”
“Because the ball arrives from a different angle, it generates chaos. It’s an aspect that teams should focus on more extensively.”
Former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given added: “It’s refreshing to see. Sometimes, a bit of old-school ‘throw it into the mixer’ can create a bit of carnage.”
Fabio Carvalho scored Brentford’s equalizing goal after Chelsea failed to effectively defend a long throw-in from Kevin Schade.
Prior to being promoted to head coach, Andrews served as Brentford’s set-piece specialist.
Andrews, a defensive midfielder during his playing career, frequently encountered Delap’s long throws, an experience he recently described as “not pleasant.”
This history may have influenced his approach when he assumed his coaching role at Brentford. Last season, the long throw-in became a consistent tactic for the team. In addition to scoring five goals directly from long throws, they also created 48 chances, equating to 7.2 expected goals.
Andrews even acknowledged that it was a factor in their decision to sign Italian right-back Kayode from Fiorentina in January.
“It’s been a part of the game for many years; it’s not new to us,” Andrews added.
“Over the last eight to 10 games of last season, including significant Champions League matches, it was quite prominent, and I anticipated that it would likely trickle down into the broader game.”
He continued: “I was in a different role last year, where we caused significant disruption from situations like that.”
“We will always seek out methods to secure results and win matches. It’s advantageous that we have multiple players capable of executing long throws.”
“I simply believe it’s a valuable tool. Any coach should analyze a game and attempt to identify advantages. Ultimately, the game revolves around scoring goals at one end and preventing them at the other.”
Earlier this month, England boss Thomas Tuchel stated that the long throw-in was back in vogue.
This announcement must have pleased those who recall Dave Challinor’s powerful throws, Steve Watson’s somersault flip throw-in at Newcastle, and the techniques employed by Stoke City and Bolton, among others, that instilled panic in Premier League defenses.
While Brentford may be proficient at them, they are not alone in their use, with even Premier League champions Liverpool recognizing their value.
In 2018, Liverpool appointed Thomas Gronnemark as a specialist throw-in coach, and in the first game of this season, 11 of the 20 teams launched at least one long throw-in into the opposition’s penalty area.
Prior to this weekend, there was an average of three long throws-in into the penalty area per Premier League game, which is double the average of either of the past two seasons.
“Throw-ins are underestimated by coaches, players, commentators, and fans, often viewed as something you simply do and hope for the best,” commented Gronnemark.
Under Gronnemark’s guidance, The Reds’ possession stats from throw-ins improved from 45.4% to 68.4%, elevating them from 18th to 1st in the league in that metric.
Premier League clubs are increasingly seeking to harness the power of the long throw-in. The average number of throws of at least 20 meters ending in the opposition box increased from 0.9 per game in 2020-21 to 1.5 in 2024-25.
Simultaneously, long throws that led to goals increased from 0.03% in 2020-21 to 0.38% in 2024-25.
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