Set pieces have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years.
While set play goals have always, and will always, be regular occurrences in football, they have suffered from some negative PR despite their undebatable significance.
Associated with Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce teams pumping the ball into the penalty area at every opportunity as some gangly 6'5 striker launches himself at corner after corner, they had become pretty unfashionable in the tiki-taka era.
However, with set piece coaches now minor celebrities within their own right, social media's tactical hipsters have identified dead ball situations as the new chic.
Here is where each Premier League side ranks in terms of set piece goals for the 2023/24 season - excluding penalties.
20. Sheffield United - 2 goals
Opta define set piece goals as those coming from corners, free kicks (both direct and indirect) and throw-ins - of which Sheffield United have only scored two this season.
The Blades have been in desperate form since their return to the top flight and both Paul Heckingbottom and Chris Wilder have been unable to stop the rot at Bramall Lane.
Set pieces are often crucial for newly-promoted teams, levelling the playing field in the final third, but the Yorkshire side have been unable to take advantage of such situations.
19. Crystal Palace - 3 goals
Crystal Palace have some big lads in their squad, but they have been unable to find too many goals from set pieces - even with the likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze on free kicks.
The Eagles have scored just three times from a century of set piece efforts, with an expected goals tally of 7.59 from dead balls.
18. Burnley - 3 goals
Much like fellow strugglers Sheffield United, Vincent Kompany's Burnley have been pretty rubbish at everything this season, and that includes set pieces.
The Clarets have been dismal in both boxes when it comes to set pieces, netting just three times and conceding on 14 occasions.
17. Nottingham Forest - 4 goals
Similarly to Burnley, set pieces have proved a problem in both halves for Nottingham Forest, with the Midlands club having scored four but conceded a league-high 17.
To put that into context, they have conceded over a third of their goals this season from set pieces, while just 12% of their strikes have come from such instances.
16. Brighton - 6 goals
Brighton are known for their exciting, attacking football, but they haven't quite been able to master set pieces under Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi.
The Seagulls have converted just six set pieces this term, with captain and centre-back Lewis Dunk their main threat and midfielder Pascal Gross their key provider.
15. Bournemouth - 6 goals
Bournemouth have also managed just six Premier League goals from set pieces, although their xG is only 7.95. The Cherries have recorded the third fewest shots from dead balls this season, managing just 79 - an average of just three per match.
With the likes of Dominic Solanke and Philip Billing in the mix, Andoni Iraola's side probably should have bagged more set play goals.
14. Brentford - 7 goals
Brentford's tally of seven may be one fewer had referee Darren England noticed that Ivan Toney moved the ball moments before planting his free kick in the back of the Nottingham Forest net in January.
Regardless of Toney's 'clever' tactic, the Bees haven't been too sharp at set pieces this campaign, despite often playing with three large centre-halves.
13. West Ham United - 7 goals
West Ham have a reputation for being set piece kings, spearheaded by the aerial monster Tomas Soucek, but the Hammers have been a little underwhelming from dead balls this season.
David Moyes' side have scored on just seven occasions, despite boasting an xG of 9.86.
12. Manchester United - 7 goals
Manchester United have conceded three more set pieces than they have scored this season - yet another underwhelming stat from a disastrous campaign at Old Trafford.
Even with the concrete head of Harry Maguire, they have only scored seven times from dead balls.
11. Fulham - 7 goals
Fulham have certainly missed the influential Aleksandar Mitrovic since he left the club last summer and his absence at set pieces has made life difficult for the Cottagers.
They have scored just seven times from dead balls so far this term - half as many as they did in the entirety of last season.
10. Chelsea - 7 goals
Chelsea may have only scored seven times from set pieces, but they are actually outperforming their 6.43 xG having only taken a league-low 63 shots from dead balls.
The Blues have been profligate in front of goal all year, but they have been surprisingly ruthless from set plays.
9. Liverpool - 10 goals
Liverpool have been relatively impressive from corners, free kicks and throw-ins this season, but they are still underperforming their xG despite having netted ten times from set pieces.
Virgil van Dijk is their greatest threat from dead balls, while full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are the chief creators.
8. Wolves - 10 goals
Gary O'Neil's Bournemouth only scored nine set piece goals last season, with the current Wolves boss having already seen his new side bag ten this term.
The Old Gold are currently outperforming their 8.86 xG having been particularly clinical in the opposition box.
7. Manchester City - 10 goals
It seems a little unfair that Man City are also darn good at set pieces, with Pep Guardiola's side seemingly unable to do anything wrong.
The treble-winners have scored ten goals from an xG of just 8.64, while they also boast the sternest set piece defence having conceded from just two dead balls.
6. Tottenham - 10 goals
Tottenham are averaging a goal for approximately every nine set piece shots they take this season, which is a pretty impressive record in the opposition box.
With James Maddison on free kicks and corners and the likes of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven attacking dead balls, it's no surprise that Spurs have been so prolific.
5. Newcastle United - 11 goals
Eddie Howe's side have already scored more than they did from set pieces last season, netting 11 so far this campaign thanks to some enormous defenders (see Sven Botman and Dan Burn above).
The Magpies have struggled with injuries throughout the course of the season, but they have always been able to rely on set pieces to save them.
4. Luton Town - 12 goals
Where newly-promoted Burnley and Sheffield United have struggled to utilise set pieces this season, the same cannot be said of Rob Edwards' Luton.
The Hatters have scored 12 times from set plays, with dead balls having helped them pick up some much-needed points home and away this term.
3. Aston Villa - 12 goals
Logic suggests that teams that are good at attacking set pieces should also be adept at defending them, but Aston Villa prove that that's not necessarily the case.
The Villans have 12 goals from dead balls, yet they have conceded 13 from such situations this season - the third most in the Premier League.
Unai Emery has them firing in the opposition penalty area, but he may need to make some tweaks in his own.
2. Everton - 15 goals
It may be cliché, but Sean Dyche teams are good at set pieces. Everton will be very thankful to have his dead ball expertise this season as well, especially given their struggles from open play.
The Toffees have scored 15 from corners, free kicks and throw-ins, while having only managed a grand total of 29 goals in the Premier League.
Dwight McNeil's delivery has been doing a lot of heavy lifting this year.
1. Arsenal - 18 goals
Arsenal have been simply relentless from dead balls this season, with set piece coach Nicolas Jover deserving a colossal pay rise at the end of the current campaign.
The Gunners have scored an astonishing 18 goals from set plays so far - more than Everton and Sheffield United have bagged from open play - with centre-back duo Gabriel and William Saliba having been sensational from corners and free kicks.
Mikel Arteta's side are outperforming their 10.83 xG by some margin, but their impressive returns show few signs of slowing down.
Premier League set piece goal table
Team | Set piece xG | Set piece goals |
|---|---|---|
Arsenal | 10.83 | 18 |
Everton | 14.60 | 15 |
Aston Villa | 9.13 | 12 |
Luton Town | 9.16 | 12 |
Newcastle | 9.25 | 11 |
Tottenham | 7.26 | 10 |
Man City | 8.64 | 10 |
Wolves | 8.86 | 10 |
Liverpool | 10.48 | 10 |
Chelsea | 6.43 | 7 |
Fulham | 7.44 | 7 |
Man Utd | 8.21 | 7 |
West Ham | 9.86 | 7 |
Brentford | 11.96 | 7 |
Bournemouth | 7.95 | 6 |
Brighton | 8.15 | 6 |
Nottingham Forest | 7.50 | 4 |
Burnley | 6.15 | 3 |
Crystal Palace | 7.59 | 3 |
Sheffield United | 5.08 | 2 |
Data courtesy of Opta - accurate as of 6 March 2024
