Set pieces in modern football have evolved from attempts based on direct crosses and improvisation into tactical routines prepared through data analysis, the allocation of roles and the choreographing of players’ movements. As technical levels have converged and deep defensive blocks have become widespread, corners, free-kicks and long throw-ins have become a principal means of opening up tight spaces and deciding closely fought matches.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta describes set pieces as an integral part of modern football, explaining that they give a team the ability to control small details that other sides may overlook. He added that Nicolas Jover, the club’s set-piece coach, gives Arsenal options that at times allow it to play as if it had an extra forward.
Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola agrees on the importance of this aspect, particularly against opponents who retreat in large numbers. He said that conventional tactical solutions may not provide enough space in tight matches against teams defending with 10 players behind the ball, describing set pieces as the “capsule” that opens up the narrowest spaces.
Former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann believes the influence of a set-piece coach within a technical staff has become comparable to that of a goalkeeping coach. He said that failing to employ a specialist in this area meant giving away 20% of a team’s goalscoring return for free.
Data increases the contribution of set pieces
Analytical data from Opta and StatBomb points to the growing attacking importance of set-piece situations in Europe’s big five leagues in recent seasons. According to the figures, corners, free-kicks and long throw-ins account for between 25% and 32% of all goals scored in the Premier League and La Liga.
The increase has not been limited to the number of goals, but has also included the quality of chances created from each corner. Expected goals per corner have risen from 0.03 in conventional crossing systems to between 0.08 and 0.12 when modern methods are applied, based on carefully planned blocks and strong tactical positioning inside the penalty area.
Arsenal build their advantage around corners
Arsenal’s plan is based on a series of interconnected movements, including restricting the goalkeeper’s movement within the limits permitted by the law. The team gathers several players at the far post before they sprint towards the near post, seeking to divide the defenders’ duties, disrupt marking and create space for the intended target or the second ball.
Brentford expand their tactical playbook
Brentford are another English club to have integrated advanced data analysis into the preparation of set-piece situations. The club draws on the expertise of Italian Gianni Vio, who has a collection of more than 4,800 tactical routines designed for set pieces, giving the team multiple options that change according to the opponent and its defensive approach.
Brentford accumulated 51.51 expected goals from set pieces, the highest figure among clubs in Europe’s big five leagues. Set pieces and long throw-ins account for about 28% of their attacking efficiency, reflecting their place within the team’s style of play rather than treating them as an occasional solution.
A key part of Brentford’s strategy is turning long throw-ins into situations resembling corners inside the penalty area. After the ball is delivered, the players focus on winning the first contest, then claiming and exploiting the second ball before the opposing defence can reorganise or clear the danger.
The examples of Aston Villa and Everton show the importance of combining physical strength with variety in execution. In the figures presented in this area, one of the two models produced 18 goals from set-piece situations and free-kicks, with 14.8 expected goals, while the conversion rate of corner chances into goals exceeded 11%, one of the highest rates recorded in Europe.
The other model is based on increasing physical presence and using taller players in the penalty area. This approach produced 17 goals from set-piece situations, accounting for nearly 31% of the total goalscoring return, and contributed directly to survival and victories in head-to-head matches. Clubs that rely on possession and open play have not ignored this weapon.
Manchester City surprise defences with short passing
At Manchester City, Guardiola employed specialist Orstein Lanki, and the team scored between 13 and 14 goals from set pieces, against an expected-goals figure of 13.6. Manchester City’s approach differed from the traditional reliance on a direct cross, using a surprise short pass and reverse movements before delivering the ball into the penalty area.
These movements aim to alter angles of vision and marking, then surprise teams positioned in a deep block and closing the spaces near their goal. In response, the growing effectiveness of set pieces has led technical staffs and analysts to develop what is known as the engineering of set-piece defending.
Many clubs have moved towards a hybrid system rather than relying entirely on zonal or man-to-man marking. Four or five players protect the most dangerous spaces in front of goal, while three players track the opponent’s main sources of danger. The system also includes positioning a player at the near post to deal with low crosses and cut them out early.
This distribution of responsibilities is intended to protect the key areas without giving the opponent’s leading players freedom of movement or an opportunity to reach the ball in one-on-one contests. Teams have developed a countermeasure against attempts to isolate the goalkeeper, a tactic used by Arsenal.
The measure involves assigning a physically strong defender to protect the goalkeeper and move away an opposing forward attempting to restrict his movement, giving the goalkeeper more room to come out and deal with the ball before it reaches the intended target. Some coaching schools, including Hansi Flick’s, use what is known as the dynamic offside trap.
Under this plan, the entire defensive line steps two paces forward as soon as the taker of the indirect free-kick touches the ball, aiming to put opponents arriving from behind in an offside position and disrupt the attacking move before it is completed.
Defensive plans also cover management of the second ball and routes for counter-attacks by positioning quick players on the edge of the penalty area. These two players prevent the opponent from regaining cleared balls while preparing to exploit the advance of its defenders and turn the defensive situation into a swift counter-attack in the opposite direction.
