Jamie Carragher has voiced serious concerns over the growing trend of long throw-ins in the Premier League, labelling it a sign of regression. The former Liverpool defender argues that the product is being diluted and fans are being served less entertaining football as a result.
This season, the average number of long throws per match has risen to four, up from just 1.5 in the 2024/25 campaign. While Brentford remain the leading exponents, Arsenal's frequent use of the tactic has attracted particular attention.
In a column for The Telegraph, Carragher wrote that the rise should be “cause for concern, not celebration”. He pointed out that the ball is now in play for an average of 10 minutes less per match than six years ago, suggesting the game is moving in the wrong direction.
“Percentage football is not multidimensional or sophisticated,” Carragher wrote. He compared the trend to “a chip-shop tea” versus “a Michelin-starred meal”, arguing that while one is easier to produce, it never truly impresses.
Even Thomas Gronnemark, the world's only professional throw-in coach, expressed irritation. “There are far too many teams taking low-quality long throw-ins,” he told Mirror Football. “People look at the best teams and copy them without the years of work behind it.”
Gronnemark added that an over-reliance on long throws leads to “too much start and stop”, harming the entertainment value for fans.
