Corner kick analysis 2024-2025

For the last few years, FC Midtjylland have pioneered the importance of set plays and their success has continued this season. This is demonstrated by their extremely high output from attacking set plays this season (see table below). The club even display an updated set play league table at the club’s training ground to remind players of how much they are valued.

Source: Hudl Statsbomb
The Danish club have implemented various principles and techniques to exploit their opponents defensive set piece structure this season.
A common corner routine, under the tenure of Thomas Thomasberg this season has been to overload the front post and win the first contracts in front of the opposition’s zonal markers and flick the ball on to for teammates arriving in the middle or back post areas. Although this routine is nothing groundbreaking, the combination of accurate deliveries and incisive movements to attack the ball have resulted in multiple changes being created.

Far post as a target zone
FC Midtjylland have also had success from different routines targeting the far post and middle of the box, let’s dive deep to explore some examples of them.Against Silkeborg, whose hybrid defensive structure to defend corner kicks included two zonal markers across the six-yards box highlighted in red and six man-markers (Highlighted in blue including the player man marking the short passing option).


The aim of this routine has been to free the target zone as much as possible for Mads Bech Sørensen (193cm) to attack; this is done by three blockers (highlighted in white) trying to detach from their man markers to block the two opposition zonal markers and the Goalkeeper. In addition to this, a runner from the far post has often dragged his man marker away from the target zone, while framing the goal mouth with five players to increase the chance of scoring in case of any rebounds.

FC Midtjylland utilised a similar idea against Sønderjyske Fodbold who deployed four zonal markers across the six-yards box highlighted in red, (two towards the near post, one in the central space and the last one towards the far post) and four man-markers (highlighted in blue).


Mads Bech Sørensen and Han-Beom Lee, the two Centre Backs started their runs from central areas but from different positions, to reach a “fake target zone” in front of the two zonal markers at the front post, which drew their attention. The delivery was instead delivered to Franculino Djú dismarks at the far post who had a huge physical advantage over the zonal marker in this space.


Middle of the box as a target zone
One of the most common routines used by FC Midtjylland targeting the middle of the box has been to exploit interspaces between two or more opponent zonal markers, this idea was applied against teams with multiple zonal oriented defensive structures.
Against Viborg FF, who had a similar defensive zonal structure to Sønderjyske Fodbold (four zonal markers highlighted in red and four-man markers highlighted in blue), the routines were similar: Two runners to the near post to draw the attention of the zonal markers at the near post, overloaded by an additional runner for a potential under-hit delivery.


With the presence of an opponent player like Anosike Ementa (no. 14 = 202cm height) as the third zonal marker, it makes more sense for that idea to be applied with an outswing corner kick, and while such an opponent movement toward the ball is being countered by pushing him away from target zone, Adam Buska was able lose his man marker to exploit the interspace between the zonal markers on the near post and the central area.

Against Lyngby, the overall idea was similar, but with an essential variation: As the oppositions zonal markers were initially positioned quite further apart from each other, it was easier to block them by standing blockers rather than runners, which provided a better chance for runners to frame the goal mouth, resulting in a goal scored from Franculino Djú positioned towards the far post from a rebound.


FC Midtjylland have established themselves as one of the leading European set pieces leaders over recent times. This has been due to their innovative strategies and continuous improvement to become a model for other clubs seeking to have the same edge. Their success has relied on meticulously analysing opponents’ weaknesses to tailor their approach, accordingly, resulting in maximising their goal-scoring opportunities.

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