For nearly two decades, football was dominated by the guardiolista consensus: possession, pressing, and positional play. But this year has seen a dramatic shift, with set pieces becoming a primary source of goals. In the Premier League, 21.8% of goals have come from corners or throw-ins, up from 13.9% last season, driven by a new breed of set-piece coaches like Nicolas Jover and Austin MacPhee.
The rise in set-piece effectiveness is partly due to referees allowing more physical challenges on goalkeepers. The era of any contact being a foul is over, but some argue the pendulum has swung too far. For instance, Bournemouth's David Brooks grabbed Gianluigi Donnarumma's arm before a goal against Manchester City, yet was not penalised because he released his grip before the ball arrived.
This tactical shift reflects a broader pattern in football history: old methods being reinvented. As the game focused on possession, defenders' heading and marking skills declined, creating vulnerabilities that set-piece specialists have exploited. This has sparked a moral panic about the future of fluid football, with IFAB even considering a 30-second limit on set plays.
However, football has historically self-corrected. Defenders are relearning how to head, and teams are adapting. Chelsea, for example, left three players upfield against Tottenham, forcing Spurs to leave men back and allowing goalkeeper Robert Sánchez to claim throws more easily. The proportion of goals from set pieces has already fallen 5.2% since October.
The era of Guardiolismo may be over, but what follows remains unclear. Football is a mature sport, and future revolutions will likely be driven by technological advances, such as AI and data analytics. For now, the game is finding a new balance between technique and physique, attack and defence.
