Minnesota United’s Secret Weapon? Dead Balls and Ruthless Set Pieces
Anthony Markanich lives for set pieces—and so does his team. But under 33-year-old head coach Eric Ramsay, Minnesota United isn’t just playing soccer—they’re rewriting the playbook.
“I get hyped for set pieces—especially throw-ins,” Markanich beamed after netting his second goal in a week off a long throw-in from center-back Michael Boxall. “I told Boxy, every time he lines up for a throw, I’m buzzing.”
That goal? It clinched a win over FC Dallas and marked the third straight match Minnesota has scored from a long throw. With six throw-in goals by the MLS All-Star break, the Loons have already matched Brentford’s Premier League tally from last season.
But those throw-ins are just the beginning.
Goalkeeper Free Kicks? Yes, Please
Minnesota has gone full Sean Dyche-mode, regularly sending goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair up to launch free kicks from the halfway line. While most teams would tap the ball sideways and reset, the Loons are lobbing chaos straight into the danger zone.
These wild tactics don’t just make them MLS outliers. According to Soccerment, Minnesota leads the world—yes, the world—in long throws and deep free kicks among 30 top-flight leagues, including the Bundesliga and Brasileirão.
Despite their low-budget roster, sitting just 26th in payroll out of 30 MLS clubs, Minnesota sits third in the Western Conference—all thanks to their set piece savagery.
Why It Works: The Data Doesn’t Lie
Ramsay’s belief in maximizing every dead ball is rooted in cold, hard data. Long throws into the box are twice as likely to produce a goal within 30 seconds compared to standard throw-ins. The same goes for those deep free kicks into what analysts call the “Dyche Zone”—the top of the opponent’s box.
Ramsay compares his strategy to Moneyball. With no big-spending war chest, every edge matters. “We’re not unwilling to spend,” he said, “but we’ve focused on efficiency. Set plays are how we squeeze every drop out of this group.”
The Manchester United Influence
Before joining Minnesota, Ramsay served as an assistant at Manchester United, where he studied how underdogs like Brentford, Newcastle, and Burnley leveraged direct set pieces to punch above their weight.
“It became clear—set plays level the playing field,” Ramsay said. “Smaller teams can absolutely outgun giants if they dominate those moments.”
And dominate they have.
Throw-Ins as a Weapon
Thanks to Boxall’s 30-yard hurls and a squad built to crash the box, Minnesota’s throw-ins are as precise as they are lethal. In two recent goals, Markanich simply waited behind the scrum in the six-yard box while striker Kelvin Yeboah peeled off the pack, waiting for the flick-on. “Everyone knows their role,” Markanich said. “Set pieces are our bread and butter.”
Even their deep free kicks come packed with tactical nuance. Ramsay runs through the checklist like a professor on exam day: “Are we attacking the right zones? Can the taker land the ball on a dime? Are we set up for the second and third contacts?”
His goal? Not one perfect strike—but relentless chaos that forces errors, wins second balls, and leads to repeat opportunities.
The Numbers Are Nuts
New data from the Futi app (co-founded by one of Minnesota’s own recruitment analysts) shows just how deadly these strategies are:
Only 14% of throw-ins into the box result in shots—but 20% lead to another set piece.
45% of deep free kicks make it into a second phase of play.
Minnesota hasn’t scored off the first phase of a Dyche Zone free kick—but they’ve scored three goals in the second phase, plus one more from the ensuing corner.
All told, 10 of their goals this season came within 45 seconds of a throw or free kick—nearly a third of their total output.
And they’re doing it with a roster that earns half of Lionel Messi’s salary at Inter Miami—yet they’re ahead of Messi’s team in the Supporters’ Shield race.
From Gimmick to Gospel
What started as a hard sell has become a fan favorite. “There’s a mystique about us on set plays, especially at home,” Ramsay said. “Our crowd goes ballistic—scarves swinging—every time we take a corner.”
Now, long throws and deep free kicks—once labeled as “pragmatic” or outdated—are enjoying a resurgence in MLS and the Premier League, with coaches like Eddie Howe and Graham Potter taking notes.
As Ramsay put it: “This isn’t rocket science. Opponents will figure out what we’re doing—but stopping it? That’s a whole other problem.”
Description:
"Discover how Minnesota United is shaking up MLS with relentless long throw-ins and deep free kicks under coach Eric Ramsay. Learn why their dead-ball tactics are rewriting the rules—and beating big-budget teams."