Sticking it in the mixer, the return of the long throw

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LONDON - Sticking it in the mixer is a time-honoured tactic in recreational soccer where technically-challenged Sunday morning players punt high passes or hurl long throws into opposition penalty areas.

It used to be a thing even at the top level with Wimbledons fabled Crazy Gang taking the route one approach to winning the 1988 FA Cup and more recently Stoke Citys Rory Delap terrorising defences in the 2000s with his 40-metre throw-ins.

Those days, at least in the Premier League, seemed finished as Pep Guardiolas Manchester City won four successive English titles with an intricate possession-based game and others tried, and failed to, copy the blueprint.

But it appears tactics are coming full circle.

On Monday, the sight of Brentfords Michael Kayode or Kevin Schade drying the ball with a towel before winding up a long throw caused palpitations among West Ham Uniteds defenders.

Neither of Brentfords two goals came directly from long throws but the tactic unsettled West Hams defence to such an extent that panic broke out every time a corner, free kick or long pass went anywhere near them.

When Brentford equalised after a long throw against Chelsea last month it was their seventh goal from that routine since the start of the 2024-25 season. No other team had more than two.

But if the current trend continues, we are likely to see many more goals as a result of long throw-ins this season.

The tactic, still scoffed at by the purists, is back with a vengeance. On the opening weekend of the Premier League season 11 of the 20 teams used long throws, up from four teams on the opening day of the 2024-25