"It started as a trickle, but now it's a flood. Set piece mania has taken over the Premier League, with the past five seasons seeing teams take advantage of these situations for maximum benefit. Arsenal's dominance from corners and free kicks is now globally revered, Brentford's long throws are threatening to reshape the tactical makeup of the league, while Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are three further teams that can turn just about any set piece into a well-worked goal."
"But what has changed? Firstly, the amount of detail that goes into preparing for them is night and day in comparison to years past. Where once a corner might be aimed for one of four distinct zones, or free kicks simply delivered to the tallest player, set-play designs have become infinitely more intricate. Arsenal and Tottenham were among the first to embrace a designated set piece coach -- hiring Nicolas Jover (2021) and Gianni Vio (2022) respectively --"
Set-piece influence in the Premier League has surged over the past five seasons, with teams converting corners, free kicks and long throws into regular sources of goals. Arsenal, Brentford, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace all deliver sustained set-piece threats through rehearsed routines and precise delivery. Preparation has become far more detailed than in previous eras, moving beyond simple zonal targets or tall players to complex, choreographed set-play designs. Clubs have invested in designated set-piece coaches such as Nicolas Jover, Gianni Vio and Andreas Georgson, while tactical ideas borrowed from American football have informed new formations and blocking methods.
Read at ESPN.com
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