In a sport obsessed with intricate passing and tactical revolutions, Brentford have perfected a simple, yet devastatingly effective, weapon: the long throw-in. While some might call it an old-school, even ugly, tactic, the Bees are proving it’s anything but. Their recent equaliser against Chelsea, a last-gasp goal from Fabio Carvalho after a massive launch from Kevin Schade, was just the latest example of how this unconventional skill is bringing them major rewards.
This isn’t just a fluke. Since the start of last season, Brentford have scored a staggering seven goals from long throws, a feat no other Premier League team can come close to matching. They’ve generated 48 chances from them, demonstrating that this isn’t about luck—it’s about a meticulously planned strategy that is confusing defences and turning games on their head.
From Rory Delap’s Chaos to Modern Science
For many fans, the idea of a long throw-in as a legitimate attacking threat immediately brings back memories of Rory Delap, the Stoke City midfielder who terrorised defences over a decade ago with his missile-like deliveries. He made the long throw-in his signature, turning a basic restart into a terrifying moment of chaos for opposition backlines. If you want a refresher, you can check out some of his best throws below:
Brentford’s approach is a modern evolution of that same principle, but with a scientific twist. And to see it in action from the Bees themselves, check out these examples:
It’s no coincidence that this tactic has become so central to the team’s identity. It was originally a key focus of Brentford’s set-piece coach, Keith Andrews, who has now been promoted to head coach. Andrews, a former midfielder who played against Rory Delap himself, understood first-hand how difficult these throws are to defend. Under his guidance, the Bees have turned the throw-in from a routine restart into a goalscoring opportunity. Instead of simply retaining possession, they’re using it to create mayhem in the box with a precise, rehearsed plan.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: A Premier League Trend
The impact of this tactic is clear in the stats. The average number of long throws (over 20 metres) per game in the Premier League has jumped from 0.9 in 2020-21 to 1.5 this season. Even more tellingly, goals from these throws now account for a significantly higher percentage of all goals scored, showing that teams are getting better at converting these opportunities. It’s a clear sign that what was once a niche tactic is now becoming a valuable tool for looking for an advantage in a league where the margins are razor-thin.
Why It’s So Hard to Defend
So, why does it work so well? The key is the unpredictability. Defenders are trained to deal with corners and free-kicks, which come from a known position with a predictable trajectory. A long throw-in, however, comes from an odd angle, with a different speed and a unique, often awkward, bounce. This forces defenders to react rather than prepare, causing hesitation and disorganisation in the penalty area. Brentford’s long-throw specialists—including Mathias Jensen, Schade, and Ethan Pinnock—can all hurl the ball into dangerous areas, forcing keepers to either stay on their line or come out into a crowd of bodies. This creates a genuine threat and only requires one lapse in concentration for the scoreboard to change.
While some pundits and fans may still view the tactic with a hint of snobbery, the results speak for themselves. In a league where every point matters, Brentford have found a way to win games and earn valuable points by simply embracing the unfashionable. The question now is whether other teams will follow suit. The data is there, the results are undeniable, and it seems the long throw-in is here to stay.