Though for many fans the idea of the set-piece may conjure up images of Tony Pulis or convoluted chalkboard diagrams, such situations have long been considered golden opportunities within the realm of football analytics.
Set-plays tend to produce a surprisingly high volume of a side’s goals, accounting for between 25% and 35% of an average team’s tally across the major European leagues. The current Premier League season has been no exception to this rule, with 27.2% of all goals to date having come as a direct result of a set-piece.
Teams who can best profit from these situations therefore earn a meaningful advantage over their opposition. Perhaps the most famous example of this in recent history are FC Midtjylland, whose dedication towards dead-ball routines brought the Danish underdogs 23 set-piece goals en route to their first-ever league title in 2015.
Analysing sides – and players – who thrive in this oft-overlooked aspect of the game may help to identify some hidden gems among the FPL player pool as we enter the final Gameweeks of the campaign.
Indeed, with two (yet-to-be-scheduled) double Gameweeks between now and the end of the season, scouting for underpriced players who boast a goal threat from such scenarios could prove additionally vital as we look to supplement our core players with high-upside options.
This week’s Technical Area will look to break down the league’s premium set-piece threats, in the hope of outlining some key targets ahead of the busy upcoming run-in.
