Rory Delap was apparently ahead of his time. The spirit of Stoke City’s legendary ball flinger lives on with the long throw-in enjoying a renaissance in the Premier League this season. Indeed, statistics show that the number of long throw-ins per match has more than doubled from last season, pointing to a very real and meaningful trend.

It’s a trend bemoaned by some, including Jamie Carragher, who in his punditry has taken issue with the way long throw-ins disrupt the game (the game’s lawmakers are considering taking action too). Others have different gripes, seeing long throw-ins as a low-brow, primitive shortcut to goal in violation of the spirit of the sport. If scoring is now as simple as launching the ball into the box at every opportunity, why would anyone bother coaching technical skill?

Brentford are sticking it in the mixer more than any other team in the Premier League this season. It’s a part of how the data-led West Londoners have continued to punch above their weight, but it’s not just plucky underdogs doing a Delap. Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are also using long throws.

This is part of a wider trend. For years, the best...