'Definitely something we want to use' - Daniel Farke on latest tactic to end Leeds United's attacking woes
Daniel Farke has admitted he is looking to utilise a new attacking method with Leeds United.
Leeds United could be the latest club to join the Premier League’s long throw resurgence, according to Daniel Farke’s latest comments.
Long throws have largely been couched in the Premier League era, scorned as a throwback to an inferior era of English football or seen as a tactic employed by unfashionable sides such as Stoke City in the Rory Delap era.
However, it’s a route to chances on goal that has made a comeback this season, with the Premier League seeing an average of 3.3 long throws per match this season according to Opta (via The Times) -- up from just 1.5 per match in 2024/25.
The Premier League’s long throw-in resurgence
Bournemouth and Brentford have been the biggest proponents of long throws this season with 14 each, followed by Crystal Palace on 13.
The result has been a decrease in the time in which the ball has been in active play this season, at an average of 54 minutes and 21 seconds per match -- down 133 seconds on last season, according to the PA news agency. << HYPERLINK TO SUNDERLAND ECHO THROWINS ARTICLE HERE
Leeds are yet to create a chance directly from a throw-in this season. In fact, the Whites’ matches have had the longest ball-in-play time so far this season at an average of 56 minutes per match.
To further combat time-wasting, it’s understood that the Premier League are considering bringing in time limits on throw-ins and corners, similar to the eight-second rule for goalkeepers introduced at the start of this season.
Daniel Farke looking to add long throw-ins to Leeds armoury
While the throw-in landscape may change in the medium term following any rule changes, they’re here to stay in the short term.
With that in mind, Daniel Farke would do well to add the tactic to his arsenal, given Leeds have scored just one goal from their opening four Premier League matches this season, and none from open play or in their last three outings.
In fact, that’s exactly what Farke is going to do based on his latest comments, with the manager very familiar with long throw-ins from his playing days as a striker in the lower levels of German football.
“Football, everything out of fashion comes back 20, 30 years later,” Farke told reporters when asked about long throws.
He continued: “In my generation, we had no solution to create a chance, we moved centre-backs up for a long throw, go for it and create a bit of chaos. Then we had possession-based football, the attitude that goals from a throw-in or set-piece are not for the best teams.
“Right now, it’s the next wave, proper long throw-ins are back in fashion, also set-piece goals. If you want to win a title there are games when you need to score from set-pieces. We are still a possession side, but if possible against some opponents it’s definitely something we want to use.”
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