The Rise of Long Throws in Premier League Football
Once the hallmark of Tony Pulis and his Stoke City squad, the long throw has now become a tactical asset for nearly every Premier League team, proving to be effective.
Last season, 20 goals were scored from throw-in routines. Just 11 rounds into the 2025-26 season, there have already been 12 goals attributed to this strategy.
The trend is also evident in the increasing average length of throws. Two seasons ago, the average was 16.5 meters; last season, it rose to 16.7 meters, and this season, it has jumped to 18.6 meters.
A long throw, as defined by data analysts Opta, exceeds 20 meters, indicating that the average throw length is approaching that threshold.
Who, then, are the most skilled practitioners of the long throw? Are certain stadiums more conducive to this tactic? Additionally, does Sunderland's clever strategy of repositioning advertising boards have an impact?
Kayode's Long-Throw Prowess at Brentford
Brentford manager Keith Andrews, a former set-piece coach, is likely aware of the value of a well-executed long throw. The club has embraced this tactic, particularly with Michael Kayode.
Since joining the Bees in January, Kayode has built a reputation for his long throws, having recorded 23 at Fiorentina during the 2023-24 season and 24 in the first half of the 2024-25 season.
After moving to the Gtech Stadium, Kayode delivered 21 long throws in just six starts and six substitute appearances in the latter half of the previous campaign.
This season, his contributions have surged, with 54 long throws into the penalty area across 11 starts, outpacing Sunderland's Nordi Mukiele (46) and Crystal Palace's Chris Richards (29).
Kayode boasts the longest average throw distance at 33.2 meters, followed by Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall at 30.6 meters from 16 throws.
Other clubs utilizing long throws include Burnley (Kyle Walker), Bournemouth (Antoine Semenyo), Leeds United (Ethan Ampadu), and Everton (Jake O'Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko).
In contrast, Chelsea and Manchester City have not had a player execute more than one long throw into the box, while Brighton and Liverpool have no players with more than two.
Kayode's longest throw, measured at 38.5 meters, occurred at Fulham. However, his teammate Mathias Jensen has surpassed this with throws of 45.4 meters at Nottingham Forest and 42.7 meters at Crystal Palace. Kevin Schade also contributes to long throws.
Across the 20 Premier League stadiums this season, Brentford has recorded the longest throw at five venues, despite having played at only six so far.
Brentford netted five goals from throw-ins in the 2024-25 season, with three goals so far this season: Fabio Carvalho against Chelsea, Dango Ouattara against Liverpool, and Schade against Newcastle United.
Crystal Palace has also scored three times from throw-ins, while Burnley has two, and Everton, Newcastle, Manchester United, and Sunderland each have one.
Which Grounds Are Most Productive for Long Throws?
While Brentford leads in long throw statistics, the record for the longest throw belongs to Rodrigo Gomes of Wolves, who achieved a distance of 46.1 meters against Everton.
However, Wolves have not fully exploited this advantage, with Gomes attempting only seven long throws in the four matches he has played, and Molineux having the shortest average distance for long throws into the final third.
Does the stadium influence throw effectiveness? Statistics suggest that Brentford's success may be tied to their play at five of the top six grounds, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium being the only one they have yet to visit.
Pitch size does not appear to affect long throw performance at stadiums where dimensions deviate from the Premier League standard of 105x68 meters, such as Anfield and Craven Cottage (100x65m), Selhurst Park (101.5x68m), and Stamford Bridge (103x67.5m).
This indicates that technique may be more crucial than the specific ground.
Did Moving the Advertising Boards Make a Difference?
How can a team influence its opponent's long throw? One method is by limiting their run-up space, a tactic Sunderland employed during Arsenal's visit to the Stadium of Light.
This strategy has been used by various teams against Pulis's Stoke City in the past.
Sunderland has a history of this approach, having moved the advertising boards closer to the pitch for the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final against Coventry in May, which they drew on the night to win on aggregate.
Despite Arsenal's strong reputation for set-pieces, they have yet to score from a throw-in routine this season.
At the Stadium of Light, the average length of throws into the final third increased over time—from 8.3 meters during West Ham's visit in the opening weekend to 24.9 meters and then 27.4 meters by the time Wolves and Everton played before the international break.
Mykolenko's 33.2-meter throw was the longest of the season at the venue, possibly prompting Sunderland to adjust their setup before Arsenal's arrival.
While teams cannot alter pitch dimensions during a season, Premier League regulations do not prohibit moving advertising boards based on the opponent, provided they remain at least one meter from the touchlines.
"Adjusting the placement of advertising boards falls into a grey area, akin to not watering the pitch when facing a technically skilled team," said specialist throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark in an interview with BBC Sport.
Gronnemark, currently with Danish club FC Midtjylland, has worked with numerous clubs, including Brentford and Liverpool. He assisted Jensen in refining his long-throw technique and coached Sunderland's Mukiele at RB Leipzig in 2018.
“We've seen similar tactics in Denmark, where FC Copenhagen placed their advertising boards close to the sidelines when facing FC Midtjylland,” Gronnemark noted.
"There are various approaches. As long as the laws are not explicit, teams can adapt strategies as they see fit."
Does this tactic yield a tangible advantage, or is it merely psychological? Furthermore, does it hinder Mukiele, Sunderland's own long throw specialist?
"By positioning the advertising boards close to the sidelines, you limit the run-up distance," Gronnemark explained. "A shorter run-up reduces the power generated during a throw.
"If a team is weak in long throws and faces a strong opponent, this can be advantageous, as it diminishes the effectiveness of that weapon.
"Even players who can throw further may lose distance due to a shorter run-up; it's a matter of technique and physics. However, for the best long throw teams, it is essential to create optimal conditions. For instance, we [Midtjylland] focused on improving stadium conditions to enhance the run-up for our players."
Ultimately, the impact of these adjustments at the Stadium of Light was limited, as the average throw length into the final third remained consistent.