There is a worrying Premier League trend emerging and fans are being shortchanged
According to statistical research conducted by Opta Analyst, there is a concerning trend developing in the Premier League this season.
Set pieces have been a hot topic in the Premier League this term, with long-throws making a comeback, while teams are opting to fire corners straight into the box rather than take them short.
However, according to Opta Analyst, there may be a knock-on effect from the increased scrutiny of dead-ball situations.
Indeed, the ball has only been in-play for 55 minutes on average in the competition this term, down almost a full two minutes on the season prior.
This is despite games lasting 51 seconds longer on average from start to finish than last season.
Ball in-play time is dwindling
The average ball in-play time for a Premier League game in 2022-23 was 54 minutes and 49 seconds, a figure that concerned top officials when it gained national attention in the football media at the time.
The result was a key change to how much injury time was added on for each game, with teams finally accurately penalised for wasting time, whether it be from delaying restarts or feigning injury.
This led to an increased ball in-play time of 58 minutes and 11 seconds for the following season, with matchgoers and home viewers alike all benefitting.
But ball in-play time dropped back to 56 minutes and 59 seconds for the following this season, and it has dropped again this campaign, with games now averaging exactly 55 minutes of ball in-play time, which is only 11 seconds more than before the rule change.
Newcastle fans are the most affected
Leeds United game have had the most ball in-play time on average this season, coming in at 56 minutes and 48 seconds.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United‘s game have lasted just 53 minutes and nine seconds on average, the lowest of any side in the competition.
Indeed, if you have watched every Newcastle game this season, then you have only seen the ball in-play for 52.3 per cent of your viewing time, with various stoppages of play accounting for the missing time.
Newcastle’s 3-2 defeat against Liverpool in August had the lowest ball in-play time of any match this season, coming in at 45 minutes and 55 seconds, despite the match iself lasting 109 minutes and 24 seconds.
Manchester United (52.7%) and Chelsea (52.6%) fans have also been shortchanged in this respect, ranking second and third-bottom across the league by this measure.
Which teams take the longest at set pieces?
Opta Analyst‘s research shows that only Sunderland (49.5 seconds) have taken than Arsenal (45.4 seconds) to take their corners this season in the Premier League, while Wolves (29 seconds) and Manchester City (29.1 seconds) are the quickest in this respect.
Wolves are also the quickest team when it comes to throw-ins, averaging a delay of 12.7 seconds on average.
Given they are considered the Premier League’s throw-in specialists, you will not be surprised to hear that Brentford take longer at throw-ins than any other side, an astonishing 25.4 seconds on average.
Meanwhile, former Brentford manager Thomas Frank appears to be having the same affect at Tottenham, as they take the second-longest at throw-ins (21.5 seconds).
Opta Analyst‘s full analysis can be found here.