The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast Does the Premier League have an open-play goal problem?
11 snips
Jan 29, 2026 
Ahmed Waleed, set-piece specialist who breaks down Arsenal’s dead-ball approach. Mark Carey, data-focused tactics writer who brings statistics and trends. Michael Cox, strategic analyst known for deep tactical breakdowns. They debate Arsenal’s low open-play xG, the rise of set pieces and long throw-ins, the Premier League’s physical shift, and whether squad depth affects cohesion.
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Set Pieces As Tactical Problem Solving
- Set-piece and low-block trends are reshaping how teams solve scoring problems in the Premier League.
- A higher-quality, more stubborn low block pushes clubs to exploit set pieces and physical duels more often.
The Long Throw Resurgence
- Final-third long throw-ins have jumped markedly and create chaotic multi-phase scoring sequences.
- Brentford and Bournemouth generate high expected goals from the 10-second window after throw-ins.
Open-Play Goals Are Declining
- Open-play goals are down across most Premier League teams this season.
- The shortfall in open-play scoring is being replaced by an increased share of set-piece goals.