Legendary Arsenal coach responds to theory of where set-piece craze REALLY began

Legendary Arsenal coach responds to theory of where set-piece craze REALLY beganThe Premier League has been taken over by a set-piece revolution, with champions in waiting Arsenal the expert exponents - with the recent trend sourced back to women's footballCommentsSportJohn Cross Chief Football Writer17:00, 03 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesArsenal have had great success from corners this season(Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Football has had inverted full backs, sweeper keepers and playing out from the back. Now the Premier League is dominated by set-pieces. Corners, long-throws, grappling at corners, blocking and free kicks.‌There might be a whole generation who have no idea about the sweeper system and the only time they have heard the word libero is because an excellent football podcast goes by that name.‌If history tells us anything, it is that football is cyclical. Playing styles, formations and even teams come and go. Liverpool's success in the 1980s felt like it would last forever. Manchester United the same in the 90s.‌Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest managers of all time, must take credit for inverted full backs and the risk and reward with playing out from the back.READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel to use not-so-secret weapon to give England major World Cup 2026 edgeREAD MORE: Your World Cup glossary of football tactics, data and stats buzzwordsBut who takes credit for the set-piece fad? And it is a fad. It will soon become less important. Teams will find other ways. And defenders will combat it. Referees will clamp down on the grappling.That is why football’s authorities are talking about it. From UEFA to FIFA to law makers IFAB. They are all looking, observing and discussing it.‌And the popular theory - and it is just a theory - is that actually it began in the women’s game. Senior execs at those organisations have looked into it and traced the history.The women’s game - as it has done in so many other ways - was, according to several o...