The 2025/26 Premier League season is only just getting started, but there’s already a noticeable shift in how teams are approaching the game. And it’s not what you might expect. While high-pressing systems and possession-based football still dominate headlines, it’s the return of some old-school tactics that’s caught the eye—and they’re proving to be more than just nostalgic gimmicks.
Long Throw-Ins: From Gimmick to Strategy
Long throw-ins, once associated with gritty, physical sides, are now back in fashion—and widespread. In Matchweek 1 alone, 11 teams launched long throws into the opposition box. For comparison, only four did the same last year at this stage.
This isn’t just a curiosity. Teams are seeing real returns: last season produced 14 goals from long throw-ins, the most ever recorded in a Premier League season. Already this year, there have been three more. Teams are now averaging 3.03 long throws per match, double the previous record.
Even strikers are starting to anticipate these scenarios more actively. It’s no surprise that someone like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a known anytime scorer, has seen his anytime scorer odds tighten recently on NetBet Sport. Teams that can weaponise the throw-in are giving target men a new lease of life.
Going Long: A New Role for Goalkeepers and Defenders
Another nod to the past: goalkeepers going long on purpose. After a decade of playing short from the back, the trend is reversing. This season, 51.9% of keeper passes are long (32m+), up significantly from last year. The reason? Relentless pressing.
Managers are now willing to sacrifice some control for security, which helps avoid turnovers in dangerous areas. Even more intriguing: we’re seeing outfield players take goal kicks, sending them directly into the opposition’s half to disrupt defensive setups. Virgil van Dijk has already done it multiple times.
It’s a slight tactical twist, but it says a lot about how teams are trying to outthink opponents before the ball even crosses midfield.
Kick-Offs Straight into Touch: Absurd or Genius?
Yes, it’s really happening. A handful of teams have kicked off by deliberately putting the ball out of play, deep in enemy territory. The goal? Force a throw-in high up the pitch and break up the opponent’s rhythm.
Only three games into the season, it’s already happened more times than in the last five seasons combined. A tactic borrowed from PSG’s Champions League final last year, it’s the clearest sign yet that managers are questioning long-held assumptions—even about kick-offs.
The Top Teams Are Adjusting, Each in Their Own Way
Liverpool under Arne Slot mixes aggressive pressing with direct, wide play in a 4-2-3-1 system. Their transitions are fast, and their use of the flanks is lethal.
Arsenal under Mikel Arteta still play structured football, but the addition of Gyökeres and Eze adds a sharper edge in the final third.
Man City, without De Bruyne, are relying more on squad depth and positional rotation, but cracks have appeared defensively.
Chelsea under Enzo Maresca prefers control through a 4-2-3-1 shape, mixing slow build-up with bursts from Neto and João Pedro.
Sunderland, newly promoted, looks surprisingly solid under Regis Le Bris. A well-drilled 4-3-3 with pace on the wings and clever positioning has helped them settle quickly.
A League in Transition, Not in Regression
The 2025 Premier League isn’t going backwards. It’s cycling through ideas, dusting off tactics that had been shelved, and modernising them for today’s game.
Managers aren’t abandoning modern principles—they’re rebalancing. In a league where space is harder to find and risk is everywhere, direct play, strategic throw-ins, and disruptive kick-offs are making sense again.
Sometimes, the smartest innovation is knowing when to bring back what used to work.
📰 Subscribe to our newsletter 💬 Leave a comment
