Home-field advantage on throw-ins

I’ve always been fascinated by the things clubs do to give their teams an extra edge. It’s not just in soccer; there are numerous examples of baseball, basketball, and American football clubs using everything from locker room heating to air flow in the stadium to hamper the opposition. And so I came to consider that humblest of soccer moments, the throw-in. A throw-in is, of course, just another kind of pass. Opposing teams defend them particularly avidly in their own half of the field, but attacking teams usually have routine to ensure a completion. If an attacking team is particularly…
Read more →