"For almost two decades football had accepted the guardiolista consensus. Football was about possession, about the press, but most of all about position, about the careful manipulation of space. Much-improved pitches meant first touches could be taken for granted: players receiving the ball didn't have to focus on getting it under control but could instead be parsing their options. The game had become chess with a ball, a matter of strategy more than physicality."
"Into which environment enter Nicolas Jover, Austin MacPhee, Bernardo Cueva and the fleet of set-piece coaches who have transformed the Premier League this season: 21.8% of goals have come from corners or throw-ins, up from 13.9% last season. Nicolas Jover and the fleet of set-piece coaches have transformed the Premier League. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images To an extent that is a result of referees being far more prepared to permit challenges on goalkeepers."
Michael Kayode's long throw symbolizes a shift toward direct, physical methods after a backlash against possession-dominant guardiolista tactics. Set-piece coaches such as Nicolas Jover, Austin MacPhee and Bernardo Cueva have markedly increased efficiency from dead-ball situations, with corners and throw-ins accounting for 21.8% of goals versus 13.9% last season. Greater willingness by referees to allow contact, including challenges on goalkeepers, has amplified set-piece effectiveness. The current trend represents a reinvention of older methods within modern conditions rather than a simple tactical cycle. Emerging vulnerabilities from possession-focused priorities have incentivized teams to exploit set pieces and physical play.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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