Goalless Scores Are on the Rise, Premier League Under Threat

Unusual results were presented in the 22nd week of the English Premier League. The three teams at the top of the standings, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Aston Villa, all failed to score. The last time something similar occurred was in May 2018, nearly eight years ago. From this anomaly, concerns about the state of the league have begun to emerge.

If top teams are struggling to score goals, it is even more challenging for those below them. It is understandable that the trend of goalless matches is on the rise. Just last weekend, there were two matches that ended with a score of 0-0, namely Nottingham Forest versus Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers versus Newcastle United.

According to Opta data, 17 matches have ended goalless by the midway point of this season. This figure is alarming, as it comes from just 218 matches so far. Compare that to the 2024-25 season, where there were only 16 goalless matches out of 380 matches.

That concern is further substantiated by other statistics. Along with the increase in the number of goalless matches, the goal productivity of English teams has also decreased significantly. The average productivity this season is only 2.74 goals per match. This is the lowest record in the last five seasons.

Upon further observation, the decline in goal productivity seems peculiar. This is because English teams are currently reaping the benefits of scoring from set pieces. They are averaging 0.72 goals per match from set pieces, the highest record since 2010, whether through corner kicks, free kicks, or throw-ins.

Overall team productivity should ideally be enhanced. They possess other weapons to score goals. However, the reality is not as beautiful as that. The productivity of open play has actually declined because many teams have started to rely on set-piece executions.

Since the 2022 season, the average goals from open play have never been below two goals. This season, the average is only 1.72 goals per match. The English Premier League seems to have returned to the early 2000s era, before managers Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp arrived to introduce a modern playing system that is very open.

Set pieces are highly relied upon because they are quite efficient and not overly risky. Arsenal, the league leaders, have proven this. They can consistently win by relying on goals from set pieces. This way, they do not need to attack recklessly and leave their defense vulnerable to counterattacks.

Thirty percent of Arsenal's goals in the league this season have come from set pieces, excluding penalties. So significant is this reliance that 11 of their 15 victories in the league have been achieved thanks to opening goals from set pieces. The majority of goals from Mikel Arteta's team have originated from corner kick schemes.

"There are no secrets. It is because of practice, mastering what you do, just like other aspects of the game. You can see trends in the league, the number of matches and goals determined by that aspect. It is not just us doing it. So, we just want to adapt and evolve," said Arteta regarding set pieces for "The Gunners," as quoted by the club's official website.

Arsenal is accustomed to relying on inward swinging crosses during corner kick schemes. They will pile up many players in front of the goal to crowd the opposing goalkeeper. This scheme has proven effective as it is often not counted as a foul by the referee. Other teams have also adopted similar schemes.

About a decade and a half ago, former Stoke City player Rory Delap introduced his trademark with exceptionally long throw-ins. He would typically take a towel first to wipe the ball, then throw the ball as far as possible into the opponent's penalty area.

Throw-ins similar to corner kicks have become trendy again this season. Many teams, notably Brentford and Leeds United, are looking for opportunities with these speculative throws. The hope is to create chaos and chaos in the penalty box that can be exploited.

Delap stated that the trend has returned due to significant opportunities. "Pep has changed how the team plays. If you look at the academy, all teams will play from the back and want technically skilled players. As a consequence, many players cannot withstand long passes or set pieces," Delap said in the On The Grass podcast last October.

The long throw-in attempts have increased drastically, from 1.5 times per match last season to 3.97 times this season. Leeds has become the most effective team in utilizing this scheme. They created 28 shots from just 75 long throws. The value of these shots amounts to a total of 3.46 xG (expected goals).

Along with the excessive focus on corner kicks and throw-ins, the wasted time has also increased significantly. The dead ball executor will perform various routines before taking their stance, while waiting for other players to gather in the opponent's penalty area.

As a result, according to ESPN, effective playing time on the Premier League pitch is down to 55 minutes per match. This has steadily decreased from the 2024-25 season (56.6 minutes) and 2023-24 (58.1 minutes). When playing time drops sharply, chances and goals naturally also decline. Everything is interconnected.

The throw-in specialist coach who previously worked for five years at Liverpool, Thomas Gronnemark, provides a different perspective on the correlation between set pieces and open play. According to him, during his time under Klopp, there is a reason why Liverpool has never scored a single goal from a long throw-in.

That's because it takes a lot of long-range shots to score a goal. They need to spend a lot of time on it. "I think Klopp felt that this system would stop Liverpool's fast, attacking play," Grönnemark told The Athletic.

For him, with the current trend, it is only a matter of time until long throws will be taken into greater consideration. "If each team makes 8 to 12 long throws in every match, we will change the game. We need to reconsider the entertainment aspect (in football)," said Gronnemark, who has just been recruited by Arsenal.

Football fans love the game for its intensity, the constant battles on the pitch. Ultimately, the reliance on set pieces has led to too much stoppage time, and it's starting to feel like American football.