It’s been impossible to avoid the narrative about set pieces so far this Premier League season.
From Match of the Day to the front pages, every pundit in the world is talking about Mikel Arteta’s set-piece tactics, the return of long throws, and whether or not all of this is “good” for the game.
More set-piece goals are indeed going in than ever before. Last year, of the 1,115 league goals scored, 215 came from set plays, which is just under 20%.
Of 241 goals scored so far this year, 63 have been set pieces. That’s a little over a 6% increase in the share of goals coming from set pieces. It’s certainly a change, but we’re a long way from running a series of plays up and down the pitch like an American NFL game.
Until last weekend, Everton had yet to experience any of the set-piece madness that’s been running rampant through the rest of the league. Entering Sunday's match against Tottenham Hotspur, the Toffees were the only team in the Premier League yet to concede from a set piece.
Fast forward an hour, and Everton’s perfect clean sheet record was gone, thanks to two corners off the head of Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven.
But these things happen over the course of the season; on the surface, conceding from a couple of well-taken corners against an organized side isn’t a sign of any greater worrying trend.
However, there is something to be said about Everton’s set-piece scoring. The Toffees have scored only twice from set pieces this season; only Liverpool, Manchester City, West Ham, and Wolves have scored fewer from set plays.
While, as a league, teams are getting a greater percentage of their goals from set pieces, Everton’s share of set-piece goals has gone down.
Last campaign, 12 of Everton’s 42 Premier League goals came from set pieces —around 28%. So far this year, that’s gone down to 22%, or two of nine.
This is while also having one of the taller squads in the Premier League. Even with 6’-5" Jarrad Branthwaite out of action, Everton still have 6’-5"+ outfield players regularly on the pitch with Beto, Thierno Barry, and Jake O’Brien.
Add to this that Everton also have the Premier League's most fouled player, Jack Grealish. Combined, this should spell regular set-piece scoring, but it hasn’t.
It’s worth noting that, unlike last season, Everton do not have a staff member devoted to set pieces. Charlie Adam joined David Moyes’s staff as set-piece coach back in January, but left the club over the summer to pursue a role as a full-time manager.
Whether or not his departure has led to a decrease in emphasis on set-pieces in training is unknown. But for a team that seems well equipped for the league's most fashionable trend, Everton haven’t yet joined the party.
Perhaps it’s time for David Moyes and his staff to reconsider bringing in a set-piece coach to help capitalise on his squad's strengths, as goals from open play are proving harder to come by.
Reader Comments (11)
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2 Posted 27/10/2025 at 19:14:46
Our Number 9 with the most striking minutes on the pitch is mostly poor.
We were absolutely suckered by Spurs yesterday. It wasn't a 3-0 score line game, just like our 2-0 against Brighton wasn't.
3 Posted 27/10/2025 at 19:19:49
The reason being we couldn't do basic defending well on the set-pieces and, in the second half, we were defensively sloppy again. Let's also not ignore Richarlison missed a sitter from Tarkowski's schoolboy error.
You lose games if you don't take chances and defend like lemons.
4 Posted 27/10/2025 at 21:41:18
Now we find defending set-pieces is a problem. Everton did not replace their set-piece coach since June after Adams went.
Some may say this is presumptive, but in the coming games, watch how many times Everton will be up against opposition long throws, playing for corners rather than crossing the ball, and getting sold fouls on the edge of the penalty area.
Everton had better be doing training on set pieces this week, because the opposition certainly will be.
Additional info: Brentford are now known as Set-Piece United; fortunately, we don''t play them for a while.
5 Posted 27/10/2025 at 00:05:53
Man mark! I see it from every team. A line across the box marking nobody and then all defenders pointing at each other asking "How did that happen?" after they score. Another "new idea" in football that doesn't work. As soon as a set-piece is given away, man mark their players. It's not hard.
6 Posted 28/10/2025 at 03:03:24
No team can ever prevent conceding a set-piece goal throughout an entire season but v Spurs we were woeful, twice.
In every ensuing game this season I'd expect the opposition to very actively exploit our crystal clear defensive inability in this regard, but, already by now, I'd expect serious training to be taking place to rectify such a glaringly obvious weakness.
It's not all down to Pickford, it's down to the rest as well and, refs permitting, scoring at the other end.
7 Posted 28/10/2025 at 06:56:41
When Charlie Adam was in place, set-pieces were not much better. I thought when he left, he had seen the writing on the wall in June. I did think he would be replaced, but maybe Moyes was not putting emphasis on set-pieces.
The other problem with poor attacking set-pieces is the defence are given the percentage chance to get the ball back so will chance the foul. This could explain Grealish being the most fouled player in the Premier League. There are also the fouls the opposition get away with for whatever reason, recovering the ball.
8 Posted 28/10/2025 at 07:29:57
Never to be seen again.
Sunday's second came after a ridiculous Gana challenge on the edge of the 18-yard box which led to the series of corners.
He needs a rest... he's becoming ragged.
9 Posted 29/10/2025 at 07:52:49
We need to be able to go on the offensive at defending corners and out-think any plan our opponents may have. Man-mark their target man so they have no opportunity to have a header on goal.
10 Posted 29/10/2025 at 09:05:28
You can be sure it is being analysed to death by clubs.
11 Posted 29/10/2025 at 16:07:50
The International Football Association Board - football's lawmakers - has discussed placing a countdown on throw-ins and goal-kicks to stop timewasting.
At a meeting of the Ifab's Football and Technical Advisory Panels (FAP-TAP) on Tuesday, it was also agreed to go forward with a proposal to allow a video assistant referee (VAR) review when a player has been sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
What next, adding time for referees cock ups?
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1 Posted 27/10/2025 at 17:08:36
Saturday, it was just the opposite.