One of the reasons football is known around the world as the beautiful game is that it is open and free-flowing. That perception is shifting in the EPL, however. Arne Slot told reporters that Liverpool’s set-piece record is a main component in the Reds dropping points this season. Just how bad are the Reds at set pieces, and what kind of impact has it had on results?
What Was Said by Arne Slot
“I always thought it's impossible to win a big game of football with a negative set-piece balance,” he said. “You have asked me a lot about the difference between our Champions League and Premier League performances, and the most obvious is set-pieces. At Champions League, we are top for set-pieces and Premier League bottom. I found it very, very important, but it has now gone through the roof. It is actually impossible to win the league if you have a set-piece balance like ours, no matter what you do in open play”
The Numbers as of February 7th
Liverpool have conceded the second highest amount of goals from set pieces, with 14 and scored the second fewest, with 7. That’s a net of -7. By comparison, Arsenal have scored 18 and are on pace for an EPL Record from set piece goals in a season. The table below shows how Liverpool compare to other clubs in the EPL on set pieces. As you can see, the Reds are near the top in the league in corners taken but near the bottom in goals scored from set pieces
| Team | Total Goals | Corners Taken | Set Piece Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 41 (6th) | 151 (3rd) | 7 (19th) |
| Wolves | 16 (20th) | 89 (19) | 6 (20th) |
| Arsenal | 50 (2nd) | 157 (2nd) | 18 (1st) |
The Changing Game
Stats also show that as the number of set-piece goals rises, the number of goals in open play have decreased. In 2020/21 expect goals from set pieces stood at 0.5 per match. This season, the XGs (Expected Goals) from set pieces have jumped to 0.8 per game. The number of XGs from open play have decreased from 2.4 to 1.8 during the same time period. (See Chart).
Liverpool Adjustments
With set-piece goals on the rise, Slot and the Reds recognize their importance. The club was struggling so much in this area earlier in the season that they sacked the set-piece coach. It was not made public if Liverpool hired a replacement. The Reds have had some impressive free kicks from Domonik Szoboszlai this season, one vs. Arsenal and the other vs. Man City. Virgil van Dijk also converted the game-winner vs Sunderland on a corner from Salah, but the stat needs to get better.
LFC Globe Verdict
What is behind Liverpool’s dip in set-piece success?. I think it can be attributed to new and injured personnel. Trent Alexander-Arnold was the master of delivering corners at Anfield for years. He is no longer on Merseyside. Jeremie Frimpong took corners at the beginning of the season and then Alexis Mac Allister. Salah is improving on corners and Szoboszlai is always a threat on free kicks, but it is too late for the Reds to recover and challenge for the EPL title.
Which adjustments do you think Slot needs to make, if any, to improve the set-piece goals? Since they have improved in the last few games, should they stick with what’s working for now.
