Set-pieces are what the 2025-26 Premier League season is mostly about, and Arsenal are the team who are most instrumental in this change. The Gunners, who are currently leading the league, are the best in the Premier League when it comes to set-plays, having scored 11 out of their 16 goals (69%) from set-pieces — a record for the highest percentage in a single Premier League season ever.
In fact, there is a big rise of numbers in set-pieces across the whole league. As of this season, 30% of all goals have been the result of set-pieces — thus making it the second-highest percentage after the season 2009-10 in Premier League history. The most noteworthy achievement is that corners comprise a record 19% of all goals, whereas long throws that were previously unpopular have been rapidly directed in the box.Being able to do so, Brentford have utilized set-plays for a long time to gain advantages against teams with bigger budgets. Consequently, the trend has spread across the league with newly promoted clubs now setting up plays between the sticks to create a level playing field effect.
On the other hand, the changes in tactics have brought the loss of time for the game itself. The percentage of ball-in-play time is as low as 54.8% — the smallest figure since 2015-16 has been noted. In an average match, fans get 55 minutes and 15 seconds of live football, while the game is stopped for a long time between corner, throw, and free-kick.
While there are fans who are unhappy with the slow pace of the game who are very vocal, coaches have the opposite view and say that set-pieces are just smart tactics. Setting an example of that is Arsenal, who are very efficient from dead balls, while Tottenham under Thomas Frank have revived their focus on long throws.
Whether supporters like or dislike set-piece, they are the ones who have the biggest impact on the reshaping of English football. To a certain extent, the tactical transformation or the return of the past, the only certainty is that in the modern Premier League, dead balls are very much alive.
