Hi there and welcome to my new BBC Sport column, Going Direct.
From techniques to man-management, I will be tackling a distinct side of the trendy sport each week, and evaluating old-school concepts to new developments.
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There’s just one place to start out, and that is with the rise of set-pieces, which might be the story of the season thus far.
I used to be seen as a dinosaur for my concentrate on dead-ball conditions and long-throws with Stoke Metropolis after we had been promoted to the Premier League in 2008, however I would not say I really feel vindicated by the best way they’re now in trend – as a result of I knew again then how necessary they had been.
My job, whoever I used to be supervisor of, was to get outcomes. Sure, I used to be pragmatic, however I used to be additionally purposeful. I labored on my fundamental beliefs of being efficient in a method that will assist my membership win video games.
Crucial areas of the pitch are each ends, and never within the center. In some way, you need to preserve the ball out at one finish and put it into the online on the different.
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Attacking set-plays, and in addition defensive ones, have gotten extra prevalent this season, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal aspect main the best way, however this isn’t a brand new idea.
Manner earlier than Arteta’s time, there have been younger coaches and managers absolutely conscious of the advantages, which golf equipment in the present day are reaping the rewards from.
Why are set-pieces so necessary?
Wanting again now on the notes I made when Stoke went as much as the highest flight, we knew one of many issues we needed to nail down was set performs within the prime finish of the pitch as a result of if we did them correctly, it could assist the crew get outcomes.
In tight video games within the Premier League, particularly within the first couple of years we had been there, they had been the distinction between us selecting up factors and dropping them – and staying up or taking place – so we labored actually laborious on them.
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The identical ideas apply for Arteta and Arsenal now, simply on the prime finish of the desk.
Like me, he has recognised how necessary clear sheets are and he has additionally recognised that plenty of his video games final yr had been drawn. So, he has regarded for a option to flip these attracts into wins.
Greater than 20% of all of the non-penalty objectives scored within the Premier League final season got here from corners or free-kicks so Arteta has in all probability checked out these stats and thought if we are able to get a bit of it so as to add to what we have got, we have got likelihood of turning into a profitable crew.
His ambition is to win the Premier League for Arsenal, and he has now added one other string to his bow. His crew is filled with expertise and might now outplay sides in open play, preserve clear sheets and, on prime of that, they will rating recurrently from set-plays too.
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‘Stoke comparisons are a praise’
I believe it is sensible that Arteta has embraced set-pieces and, like me, I do not assume he’ll give a rattling concerning the individuals who wish to knock him for doing it.
Whichever membership you’re at, and no matter your method, you’re at all times going to be in a state of affairs the place there may be going to be noise and criticism from outdoors however in case you are profitable video games then your supporters will likely be completely delighted about it.
We noticed that from the Arsenal followers, who had been singing ‘set-piece once more, ole ole ole’ when Eberechi Eze received on the top of Declan Rice’s free-kick for his or her winner towards Crystal Palace on Sunday.
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I do discover it humorous that 10 or 12 years in the past, I used to be taking plenty of flak from Gunners supporters and Arsene Wenger was saying that Stoke had been a rugby crew due to our nook routines and lengthy throws.
That is another excuse why I’ve received nothing however respect for Arteta, as a result of he has seen all of that on the time and simply thought, ‘you already know what, doing that might assist us’.
I’ve seen the mocked up image of together with my baseball cap, and I find it irresistible – he makes me look handsome!
Wenger might be shaking his head about what Arsenal are doing however I do know Arteta sees the Stoke comparisons as a praise and so do the opposite Premier League managers who’re doing the identical.
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Wenger by no means appeared to understand the worth of set-pieces, and he additionally discovered it tough to play towards groups who had been direct like us, so he did all the things he presumably might to have an effect on that by complaining about folks like Sam Allardyce and myself.
I can perceive why he did that, it’s normal sense, however I do not see many managers now moaning about it – even those who wish to play another way to me.
‘Fashions change, what issues is profitable’
I noticed Pep Guardiola being interviewed not too long ago and so they had been making an attempt to get him to be unfavourable about set-plays and lengthy throws coming again into the sport.
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He is among the most influential coaches this nation has ever seen and, as a substitute of complaining, he stated how if he had somebody with broad shoulders who might launch the ball in for throw-ins, he would possibly use that very same tactic too.
In fact, the actual fact it is Arsenal who’re doing it now, not Stoke, makes a distinction. When you’ve got Arteta doing it at one of many greatest and most well-known golf equipment on the planet then everybody takes discover.
Thomas Frank used the identical techniques at Brentford and now they’re working for him at Tottenham. Straight after their win over Everton, he was over to their followers, pointing at Micky van de Ven, as a result of he had scored two nice objectives from set-plays.
When it retains occurring, you may have folks realising and recognising it. It is like when Stoke had been on the Britannia Stadium and we would get a throw and the gang can be cheering and cheering till Rory Delap threw it, as a result of it was an occasion.
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It’s turning into that method with Arsenal now too – they’re taking corners and the gang is up earlier than the ball is even performed. The expectation, and the stress they placed on the opposition, is wonderful. There may be nonetheless criticism, after all, however all of the reward Arteta is getting is absolutely deserved.
One of many issues that’s totally different about it now could be that I did all of the set-plays myself once I was with Stoke, Crystal Palace or West Brom, however Arteta has introduced in Nicolas Jover as a specialist set-piece coach, and they’re having fun with big success.
So, possibly Huge Sam and myself had been trend-setters in any case however I would stress that I did not give a rattling after we had been getting criticised a lot as a result of I knew their worth to the membership I used to be at.
Some folks had been snobbish and regarded down at what we did, however no-one was snobbish contained in the membership – we laughed on the state of affairs, as a result of we knew it was bringing us rewards and, on the time, we weren’t going to inform anybody.
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Sean Dyche is identical. He talked about how the style of soccer modifications on a regular basis when he got here on the Managers podcast I do with Mick McCarthy final week, after which when he received the Nottingham Forest job just a few days later, and talked about me and Stoke’s lengthy throws.
For Dyche, like myself, what issues is profitable.
Tony Pulis was chatting with BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.