Arsenal have continued to find joy from dead ball situations this season, but a former Premier League player has accused them of “killing the Premier League” with what he describes as boring tactics.
The Gunners have carried on from where they left off last campaign, continuing their dominance from set pieces. A number of crucial goals from dead ball situations have helped them win key matches this season, proving especially effective against teams who sit deep defensively. Arsenal are currently the set-piece kings of Europe, so it is little surprise that other Premier League clubs have tried to emulate their success in this area over recent months.
O’Hara blames Arsenal for “long throw” trend
More clubs have also turned to the long throw, and former Tottenham Hotspur man Jamie O’Hara has unsurprisingly blamed Arsenal for the trend. Speaking on Sky Sports, O’Hara said:
“I can’t stand it, I hate it. It’s killing the game, especially the Premier League. It’s like watching non-league at the moment, some of the football I’m watching. Spurs at the weekend: territory football, head it out, [Kevin] Danso comes up, gets the towel out and starts throwing… It’s so one-dimensional.
“I get it, some of the lesser teams like Brentford, if you’ve got a long throw then it can cause problems and maybe create a chance. But the top teams doing throw-ins? I can’t believe what I’m watching. It’s all down to Arsenal, Arsenal started this. Arsenal started the long throw, the set pieces. They’ve killed the Premier League in terms of fluid football and enjoyable football.”
Arsenal respond in emphatic fashion
The former Spurs midfielder made his comments just hours before Arsenal’s 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid. Mikel Arteta and his team responded in perfect fashion, dismantling the Spanish giants with a blistering second-half performance.
That victory made Arsenal the first side to record seven consecutive wins against Spanish opposition in the Champions League, highlighting the club’s growing dominance against some of Europe’s most experienced teams since 2023.
As for O’Hara’s remarks, it raises an interesting debate about the resurgence of long throws and set-piece football.
What do you make of this growing trend in the Premier League?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Benjamin Kenneth
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O’Hara will never pass a chance to take a dig at Arsenal. it’s not like we’re having ten throw ins per game for him to complain, it’s two or three throw ins in a game.
Even if the throw ins are 20, is not part of football?
Didn’t say it breaks the rules, But would you enjoy a game with 20 long throw ins?
The media are getting obsessed with this set piece goals issue.
At what point does it not be a set pieces goal? Eg Corner was taken and it was cleared by a defender Nd Zubamendi volleyed a worldy…
Free kick was taken yesterday and it was cleared and Eze scored a great volley
For me neither of those are set pieces they are both back in open play
A set piece goal is a free kick or corner that is headed in or tapped in… not once it’s cleared.
Arsenal fans now objecting to these sort of goals as if they’re boring is ridiculous!
I fully remember when we were playing fast flowing football and getting caught on the break and losing and fans going apoplectic…
Just shows some fans just want to moan … I remember even some negative posts after we thrashed Real Madrid 5 -1 !!!
We need to get the monkey off our back and win the PL or CL. Anyone thinking we are not close to that after 3 second places and semi final of CL last year needs to go support another team
I for one am very happy at the results and we still see great goals being scored ( Zubamendi and Eze above plus the Martinelli has scored excellent ones against City and Atleti) … and only 10 – 12 games into the season
No , it’s not killing the premier league, the success with set pieces is a case of using what we have to devastating effect, surely it is creating a significant advantage in what is turning out to be a tight title race.
This is as a direct result of the large numbers of set pieces we generate partly through our strong defense, this forces opponents into dificults situations.
But it is the well drilling of intense practices, tactical planning and exploiting these situations to score goals turning them into a deadly weapon.
I love the way certain rentaquotes are trying to spin this. It’s as if the prior to the 2025/26 season there was an unspoken rule in the PL whereby all teams had a gentleman’s agreement in place where they would all agree not to try and score from a set piece – like how Corinthian Casuals would always deliberately miss pens because they deemed pens were an unfair advantage – what happened to them, eh? Then along came same old Arsenal always cheating, ripped up the aforementioned and agreement and started scoring from set pieces every game.
It doesn’t really reduce EPL popularity, because the league has more high-profile players as compared to LaLiga and Bundesliga
A goal is a goal no matter how it’s been scored goals wins games so even if it’s through set pieces or open play it does count.
How is scoring from a set piece killing the game O’Hara you numptie. The object of the game is to score goals whether from open play, set pieces or penalties. I’ve given up listening to Talks**t, whoever is on there just says things to be controversial whether they believe what they say or not.
Is there any place in the fifa or eufa rules that says, no team should score with set pieces? If none, then, why are we bothered with a lousy comments from frustrated Gunner haters? If set piece goals will guarantee us major trophies, please, I beg you gunners, go ahead.
Well, for me it is Arsenal capitalizing on the numerous fouls on players like Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard, etc….
Teams foul and kick our players to death rather than try to run and defend 1v1, try to physically intimidate us.
Arteta has just seized an opportunity to find a silver lining from us being constantly fouled; set-piece dead ball situations.
Funny how that muppet O’Hara said precious little about how often Saka is fouled; as if that was not ruining the game. However, now that we found a way to spin all those fouls, suddenly O’Hara blames Arsenal for killing the game.
Jose’ wasn’t killing the game with his defensive style? Newcastle bullying teams is not killing the game? Constantly facing low blocks against us isn’t killing the game?
I will tell you what is “killing the game” in my opinion, and that is VAR. stopping the game for minutes at a time, wrong calls, inconsistency, and worst of all is Howard Webb chatting nonsense defending the miserable state of VAR; as if we can’t see the wrong calls and incompetence with our own eyes.
I take it as a compliment when muppets like O’Hara whine, when Webb contradicts himself explaining why Saliba’s foul is a penalty, but the ones against Gyokeres and Saka were not; even though both had contact after touching the ball first.
Common sense as usual Durand.
Take the Atletico Madrid game – they were using all the tricks of the trade, including intimidating the referee.
It was from a great dead ball situation that we broke their defence and the rest is history.
It’s just bitterness from opposing fans; noise and jabs that is part of the fan-side of the game.
Ken we agree on much, we try to set aside emotions and deal with the facts as they are, not as we wish them to be.
I don’t think refs are “out to get us,” but I do think that some pundits never miss an opportunity to twist the knife in Arsenal fans. O’Hara certainly never does, and anytime he can cast Arsenal in a bad light he does.
A badge of honor for me, if all O’Hara has is an unverifiable emotional opinion about how Arsenal are “ruining the game.”
We could have scored 4 open play goals and O’Hara would still find something to nitpick.
I doubt he would say Spuds were “ruining the game,” if they scored a couple late game-winning dead ball goals; tells you everything.
Your analysis is sport on, you should write articles on this website. I love your analysis of the game
Durrand
There was a time, when every team that came up against us used the long throw, due to the lack of height in our squad. Stoke being one of the main benefactors. No one was screaming about how it killed the game. All that was said then was , how such and such beat us “with the long throws. And how susceptible we were to them. O’hara needs to take a seat a corner somewhere and zip it.
That’s just a pathetic hater whining. A bang average ex player who played in an average team crying out for attention, match made in heaven.
Arteta today said he had been working on set pieces for a decade as he got the coaching badge. So he’s seen its importance and fine tuned it with other specialists like Jover. Many top teams now are also trying to maximize the benefits not only from corners but also throw ins. I remember Klopp employing a certain Scandinavian to improve throw ins. Arsenal are not in a luxurious situation so winning trophies in whatever way is much more important than the aesthetic value of football. Give me trophies now with a hattrick of set pieces goals.
All this does for me is confirm that Arsenal are worrying opposition fans and pundits alike that they feel the need to vent.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but set pieces whether a corner, free-kick or throw-in have all been apart of football since time.
Arsenal are very good in these area’s, so therefore it makes sense to make use of them. Now I want to see us score more from open play, but set pieces have there place in the game.
And just a word on the plank known as Jamie O’Hara, first don’t forget he’s a former Spurs player, and two he’s a wind-up merchant.
The likes of him and Carragher have both complained in recent days. But doe’s anyone on this forum really think that when 2 of Liverpool’s goals the other night came from corners, who on here thinks a certain Carragher wasn’t celebrating them going in.
As I said earlier, the people are concerned about Arsenal. And this continual venting regards set pieces confirms it.👍
Set pieces are part of the game, and being this good at them doesn’t just happen — if it did, every team would be doing it. You need the right players, tons of practice, and some serious coaching magic. It’s kind of like the “Tush Push” in the NFL — the Philadelphia Eagles have nailed it so well that nobody can stop them,, the other teams just keep whining and begging the league to ban it. we need to ignore the noises and support the team. A goal is a goal regardless of how it happened.
@Ibrahim
Exactly. They’re just mad we’ve added another lethal weapon to our”Arsenal”, that they can’t contend with. Just sayin…😁
Come on O’Hara give Tony Puli some credit at least..
Should we perhaps start by saying the low block is killing football… that’s non league football getting 10 or 11 people behind the ball !
To counter it set pieces are ideal to get a goal which then opens up the game
I don’t understand why people haven’t used long throws in the past to also create confusion in the box !
Great teams always find a way past stubborn defences… we haven’t in the past but last couple of years since opposition teams determined we were one of the top teams they have gone super defensive.
Just look at Slot’s comments today when he is saying the same is happening to them ! They scored from a set piece to beat us and no one said a thing other than what a great free kick !
And let’s not give O’Hara any oxygen. Third rate footballer and even worse commentator!
As an Arsenal fan, I have no gripes with my team scoring from set pieces, however as a football fan you have to ask questions. Is it boring,?Yes most of the time. Is it anti football? Again , yes because the running about with decoy runners and time delays are bringing us closer to American Football. As some pundit pointed out , it will now be possible to place adds during the time it takes the teams to set up for a corner or free kick. At the same time Arsenal are not classic Stoke City. You have to attack and not park the bus to earn those set pieces, which we mostly do. Set pieces worked against Fulham and Atletico but there will be dry spells.,so a plan B is essential. I mean one of the reasons why the Skelly assisted Martinelli goal brought all Arsenal fans to their feet was in watching a player carve up the defence, lay on a beautifully timed pass and see the assist converted with maximum skill. It’s the reason why we love football, Right?
The reason why we are scoring from set pieces is because most of our opponents put 1000 men behind the ball when playing against us. It becomes difficult to penetrate and set pieces give us a way of breaking them open. Once we break them,they’ll go looking for an equaliser and we can then score from open play.
The way I see it, teams are so scared of us. If they try actually playing football,we’d put five past them.
Goals from set pieces start from either corner kicks or dead balls after fouls. If people don’t like gunners to score from set pieces, perhaps they should think of not fouling in the first place.
On the same note, there was nothing wrong with the Margheles set piece goal. Also an example of excellent footballing skills. A pin point delivery and a clinical finish. Great football. But too often set piece moves turn into ugly wasteful affairs time wise. I guess when other clubs have hired their own set piece coaches and when we’ll be on the receiving end, then it’s our turn to feel hard done by and moan.
Arsenal have benefited from working hard on getting goals from set pieces and this has been lauded by some pundits. Naturally, some pundits find this rather unsatisfactory as many of these types of goals do not generate the same type of excitement as others do. Most fans would rather see a goal from great skill or combinations when the ball is in play. In this case O’hara does make a point even though he’s probably saying some of these things just because he doesn’t like Arsenal.
There is an issue here however. Some Arsenal fans have been criticising Arsenal for the same things. Most of the critics are currently rather silent because Arsenal have been winning games.
😂
If people get wound up over O’Hara, then he’s achieved what he intended. Best to just treat him as the troll that he is and completely blank his output.
💯
Jax,
While I hear what you say regards ignoring O’ Hara, I must admit I enjoy answering his complaints just so that I can confirm what a plank he is. 😂👍
👍👍👍🤣
Jax,
I’ve never noticed before, but you change the face of your emoji by you’re name on different posts. Is that deliberate?. 🤷♂️
Nope, first I knew of it. I suppose it’s just some random thing.
It might have happened the last time when I didn’t use a capital on my name.
Jax,
Thank you for answering my question. And maybe your right regards not using a capital letter for one of you’re posts. 👍
When Floyd Mayweather fought Conor McGregor in the boxing ring in 2017, a punitive clause was inserted for McGregor not to use his legs and heads. Not such prohibiting rule exists in the world of football. Even the maestro Maradona used his Hand of God to register an historic triumph. Haters take it in and bow to the league leaders!
Ambachew,
It’s always been a mystery to me, why they call Maradona’s handball goal the hand of god.
That’s calling God a cheat, and to be honest I don’t suppose that God has any interest in sport full-stop.
Just an aside to this, it always makes me laugh when I see a boxer stand in the corner before a fight and pray and cross themselves.
Just before going out and knocking seven bells out of each other. I believe that God would not be happy seeing such a violent sport, and two humans knocking the hell out of each other to be honest.
Sorry I got a bit side tracked there. 😂👍
This is the same Arsenal who people used to complain about because we tried to ‘walk the ball in to the net’. We played some beautiful football in the last 20 years with not much to celebrate. I loved every minute of the beautiful goals and I’m loving every minute of this too because it’s making us competitive, it’s making us feared and it makes it impossible to set up against. 1-0 to the Arsenal. COYG!!!
Sent this to Arsenal FB page:
”I’m an fan since 35 years.
Message for Arteta:
He’s killing the joy of watching Arsenal in terms of zero fluid football. The bizzare focus on set pieces, and control just sucks the sould out of all people watching, and depriving us fans on anything worthwhile watching. It’s a pain, a sorrow, and devastation being a fan. Titles are not more important than giving fans 90 minutes of joy from the kind of 1 touch passing and dribbling football Wenger gave us. What we’re seeing is not about the fans. It’s about Artetas ego, and the boards pockets. PLEASE stop this madness of destroying all bits of joy and the premier league.”
Remarkable .. ! The Wenger out bridge was because he wasn’t winning and now we are winning we have fans saying we just want to see good football
As we haven’t won the PL for many years surely the objective is to get the monkey off our back or else we might as well be Spurs of the last 30 years…play nice football and win nothing ! (Europe league doesn’t count as they played conservative football to win which goes against the comment above !)
I understand some shared opinions that this might be a response to the constant reckless tackles on Saka, Oodegaard, etc. Alsi the “get the monkey off our back” thinking.
But I never ever wanted Wenger out.
He didn’t have the pockets Arteta have today, while City could splash whatever they wanted, so don’t blame him for not winning those years.
For me winning has no point if done boring. Because here’s the thing;
Why would I even bother to a watch a single game if it doesn’t entertain me? Then it’s just waste of my time.
Brazil didn’t win the world cup 1982, but they won everyone’s heart for ever.
If this madness continues, I for one won’t watch another game this season.