Dissecting Tottenham Hotspur’s deadly near-post corner routines – set-piece analysis

Tottenham Hotspur have had a mixed start to the current Premier League campaign. After inconsistent performances from game to game, the only constant has been their ability to cause chaos during set-pieces.

Spurs have scored 12 goals from corners this season in the league, with those goals having earned them an additional 11 points, being the difference between a UEFA Champions League spot and mid-table mediocrity. Tottenham have particularly attempted one specific corner routine more than any other; a delivery towards the near post, flicked on towards the back post.

In this tactical analysis, we will delve into the tactics used by Tottenham, including a particular offensive corner routine, with an in-depth analysis of why this is so effective. This set-piece analysis will look at the different intricacies of the routine, as well as the slight variations used depending on the opposition teams defensive set-up.

Improving the odds

As a result of their corner routines continued success, Spurs often face heavy zonal defences around the front of the six-yard box. They are aimed at crowding out the target area, to prevent Spurs from being able to make the first contact and redirecting the ball towards the back post.

One way in which Tottenham have attempted to work around the congested areas, is through sharp movements, from the blindside of opposition defenders. In the diagram below, we can see three Spurs players attacking the space in front of them, which can be referred to as stepping up the queue. Each player takes the free spot in front of them, with the numerous movements causing chaos inside the six-yard box for the defensive team.

The benefit of making a run from the blindside of a defender is that they cannot see and track an attackers movement, until after they step in front of them. By the time the attacker moves into the defenders line of sight, their momentum allows them to create separation from a defender, making an effort on goal a viable option. The defender doesnt have time to follow the attacker, and so the attacker has time to redirect the header goal-wards as long as the delivery is accurate. With the quality of the likes of Heung-Min Son and Ivan Perisic, these corners are regularly delivered to the target areas with precision and pace.

Furthermore, when an attacker steps up the queue away from one defender and onto the next, the original defender falls into a false sense of security as they assume there is no attacker around them. The defenders let their guard down as an attacker moves away before a new attacker comes into that space from a different angle.