Rory Delap was widely regarded as the master of the long throw during his time at Stoke City in the Premier League in the late 2000s. The former midfielder perfected the art of launching powerful, precise throws into the opposition’s penalty area, a tactic that became one of the most recognisable features of Tony Pulis’ side. Every time an opponent conceded a throw-in deep in their own half, it felt almost as dangerous as a corner kick.
Delap’s ability to generate such distance and accuracy with his throws regularly unsettled defenders, as teams found it incredibly difficult to deal with the aerial bombardment that followed. The Potters built a reputation for being one of the most physically demanding teams to face, especially at the Britannia Stadium, where the combination of intensity, physicality, and Delap’s long throws made them formidable.
Delap Reflects on the Irony of Arsenal’s Set-Piece Strength
At the time, many top Premier League clubs were openly critical of Stoke’s approach, accusing them of being overly direct and relying too heavily on set-pieces. Among those critics, according to Delap, was Arsenal, who often found Stoke’s tactics frustrating to play against. Ironically, the Gunners have now become one of the most effective teams in Europe when it comes to scoring from set-pieces, a shift that Delap finds particularly amusing.
As cited by Stoke Sentinel, Delap reflected on the irony of Arsenal’s current reputation for set-piece efficiency, contrasting it with the criticism they once directed at Stoke. He said, “So many people used to complain about the way we played. It’s funny that Arsenal are now known for their set pieces, because they were probably the worst for complaining about how we played the game during that period. You know, with them it went as far as them wanting to ban throw-ins and replace them with kick-ins! That would have probably made it worse for them, to be honest, because we’d have been putting it into the box from everywhere on the pitch!”
Changing Perceptions of Set-Piece Football
Delap’s comments highlight how perceptions in football can change over time. What was once seen as an unsophisticated tactic has now evolved into a key strategic weapon used by top teams. Arsenal’s current reliance on set-pieces underlines their adaptability and willingness to embrace any advantage that contributes to winning. The evolution of this approach reflects the broader shift in modern football, where efficiency and results are now valued just as highly as style and flair.
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There is a huge difference between this Arsenal and Stoke though. Stoke stood behind the ball and hardly showed any attacking intent.
By contrast,Arsenal is piling pressure on opponents in their own half and getting set pieces as a result. It is a genuine way to break down teams that put a thousand men behind the ball.
I think there’s an increased reliance on set pieces throughout the league; it’s no longer just about Arsenal. We should be asking ourselves why this is happening. Physicality is the main selling point of the the Prem but has this gone too far?
Delap is knows he’s lying, saying Arsenal was the worst of the complainants about the way Stoke City used to play. He’s just sensationally jumping on the bandwagon of those frustrated with the failure of their own tactics in trying to stop Arsenal.
Is he claiming that of all the teams making noise today, he can only remember Arsenal, the practitioners of set-piece attacks who’ve now perfected the art as the loudest complainants?
Wenger complained about Delap’s throws, calling them “rugby on the goalkeeper”. He also moaned about the grass being too long at Stoke.
When you saw delap take that towel during a throw-in, you just knew it was about to go down
Is anyone else having problems with the Running Man ad continuously suddenly taking over their screen?