Yes, Arne! It's time for change as Slot fires starting pistol | OneFootball

Arne Slot has fired the starting pistol for change in the Premier League. He's absolutely correct.

Arne Slot spoke out against the quality of Premier League football this week. Liverpool's head coach isn't exactly a fan of what he's seeing, claiming the Eredivisie is a better watch.

"If I watch an Eredivisie game, which I still do, I see goals being disallowed and fouls on goalkeepers being given and I think 'wow, that's a big difference'," said Slot on Monday. "Here, you can almost hit a goalkeeper in his face and the referee still says 'just go on'.

"Do I like it? My football heart doesn't like it. If you ask me about football, I think about the Barcelona team from 10, 15 years ago. Every Sunday evening you were hoping they would play.

"Now, most of the games I see in the Premier League are not for me a joy to watch but it's always interesting because it's so competitive.

"That is what makes this league great because there is so much competitiveness. Everyone can win against everyone."

There's been a lot of talk about set-pieces lately and the reliance of clubs in the Premier League on goals from dead ball situations. This is the first time that a prominent figure has outright said that it's affecting the standard of play, however.

Set-pieces: Situation Summary

The Dominance of Arsenal and "Set-Piece FC"

Arsenal currently leads the league with 22 total set-piece goals, 16 of which have come directly from corners. This tally, reached with nine games still to play, has already equaled the all-time Premier League record for corner goals in a single season. Following their 2-1 victory over Chelsea on March 1, where both goals came from corners, Mikel Arteta’s side has embraced the "Set-Piece FC" moniker. Their success is widely attributed to coach Nicolas Jover, whose contract reportedly includes specific performance bonuses for every goal scored from a dead-ball routine.

Tactical Trends and Statistical Reliance

While Arsenal uses set pieces to maintain their title charge, other clubs are using them as a survival mechanism. Newcastle United has shown the highest statistical reliance on dead balls, with approximately 50% of their total goals this season coming from set-piece situations. Conversely, Manchester City remains the outlier, with less than 11% of their goals (excluding penalties) originating from dead balls, as Pep Guardiola continues to prioritize open-play dominance.

Notable Overperformers and Underperformers

Promoted side Leeds United has emerged as a surprise specialist, ranking fourth in the league with 17 set-piece goals, a factor that has kept them clear of the relegation scrap. In contrast, Liverpool began the season poorly in this department but has seen a "New Year surge," moving up 11 places in the set-piece rankings since February. This improvement was highlighted in their recent 5-2 win over West Ham, which featured three goals from corner routines. Meanwhile, Burnley and Nottingham Forest continue to struggle, with the latter failing to replicate the set-piece efficiency they enjoyed in the 2024/25 campaign.

Analysis

But here's the thing - set-pieces are merely a symptom. Teams haven't turned to them because they want to play that way, they've turned to them because scoring any other way is more of a struggle.

Risk aversion has taken over the Premier League. That's a consequence of the money involved and sporting directors ruling the roost - the idea of a head coach/manager coming in and implementing a style of play with a squad of their choice is now completely gone. Clubs won't allow it.

Instead, there's an insistence on perfection from the angle of risk. Teams will not use players who bring about risk and those who do are judged.

Arsenal are naturally the best example simply because they're the most effective team right now. They have built an attack around players who are difficult to play against, press hard, and cover lots of ground.

The actual attacking part is secondary. If you can't press, after all, you'll leave gaps for opponents to exploit and no one can afford that.

This is the thinking now. Midfielders need to be big, physical and impossible to play through. Everyone has to run incredibly hard or you're a weakness. Again, teams can't afford weaknesses now. Florian Wirtz joined the league and was immediately criticised for being too small - and he's one of the most talented players on the planet.

And so when that's the thinking on the pitch, of course set-pieces become the inevitable solution for finding goals.

Slot is firing a starting pistol for change here and he's absolutely right to do so. Premier League football is heading down the wrong path, so obsessed with money that risk can't happen.

But teams will be relegated. Teams will miss out on European football. Plenty of clubs will fail even while taking no risks. The success will be found by those who implement risk and exploit the fact that so many clubs struggle outside of set-pieces right now.