Liverpool manager Arne Slot admits that many matches in the Premier League are no longer a "pleasure to watch," criticizing the increasing influence of set pieces in English football: "My footballer's heart doesn't like it." Looking at the data from the current season, 27.5% of goals have been scored from set pieces (excluding penalties), the second highest percentage since 2009/10. Last Saturday, Liverpool defeated West Ham 5-2, with three goals in the first half coming from corners. "You have to accept it," Slot acknowledged: "I think this happens especially here in the Premier League. If we look at other leagues, I don't see as much emphasis on set pieces. When I watch a game in the Eredivisie, which I still do, I see goals being disallowed and fouls on goalkeepers being called, and I think 'wow, what a big difference.' Here, you can almost hit the goalkeeper in the face and the referee still says to play on." Set-piece coach Aaron Briggs left Anfield on December 30, and yet Liverpool scored the most goals from set pieces in the English league in 2026. "Do I like this? My heart doesn't like it. If you ask me about football, I think of the Barcelona team from 10, 15 years ago. Every Sunday night, I looked forward to watching them," he said, expressing nostalgia for the famous tiki-taka style of the Catalans, popularized by Pep Guardiola. "Most of the games I watch in the Premier League are not a pleasure for me, but they are always interesting because they are very competitive. That's what makes this league fantastic, because there is so much competitiveness. Anyone can win," Slot stated, emphasizing that set pieces are the "new reality of the Premier League" and could become common practice in youth levels: "I wouldn't be surprised if I went to watch an amateur league game today and the 16-year-olds were completely focused on set-piece plays." The impact of set pieces on the English league is evident throughout the season, with several teams exploiting corners and free kicks as offensive weapons. Arsenal's effectiveness from set pieces has been crucial in the title race, having scored 16 goals from corners—three more than any other team—equaling the record for goals scored in this manner in a Premier League season.
Who Misses Liverpool remains central to this story.
Who Misses Liverpool remains central to this story.
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