1. FC Heidenheim 2023/24: Breaking down the Bundesliga’s most dangerous corner takers – set-piece analysis

Frank Schmidt has been the manager of Heidenheim since 2009 and has taken charge of over 600 games. In what has been his first and only job, Schmidt has overseen the clubs rise from the fifth tier of German football to the first, becoming the longest-serving manager at a single club in German history.

In the last game of the 2022/23 season, 1. FC Heidenheim scored two stoppage-time goals to send them to the Bundesliga for the first time in the clubs history. Currently, the top-tier debutants are maintaining their status in the league, with a position in the top half of the league table.

From open play, only FC Koln have created fewer chances than Heidenheim, but, their impressive set-pieces have aided their solid position in the Bundesliga. No side has scored more than the 10 goals Heidenheim have managed from dead balls, making up 40% of their total league goals. These set play goals have earned the newcomers 9 points, 45% of their total points earned, at the halfway stage of the season.

Jan-Niklas Beste, a Borussia Dortmund youth product, has been key to Heidenheims set play success with 12 goal contributions in 14 league appearances. His superb technique on dead balls means that every delivery into the box is fired in with speed and precision, causing chaos for opposition defenders.

In this tactical analysis, we will look into the tactics behind Heidenheims offensive set-pieces, with an in-depth analysis of the key differences between the routines of inswinging and outswinging corner kicks. This set-piece analysis will examine why these routines have helped them score goals so frequently, but also the steps to take to increase the efficiency.

Inswinging Corners

FC Heidenheims most used method for creating chances has been to attack the near side of the six-yard box, attacking the space in front of the zonal defenders. Rather than relying on the attackers to win aerial duels against zonal defenders, Heidenheim attack the space where attackers dont have to compete for aerial duels, but just have to arrive in the space at the right time, where the attacker has to utilise the pace and curve of the ball to direct it towards goal, although from a slightly less favourable angle.

The inswinging corner makes it easier for attackers to get a dangerous shot off from these tight angles, as seen below, where the attackers momentum takes him away from the goal. With the run taking the player away from the goal, it is hard to generate enough power to beat the goalkeeper, but the superb delivery of the corner means that the speed on the ball is already there, and it is simpler to redirect the ball towards the goal as seen in the example below.

The key to attacking the space at the near side of the six-yard box is through the timing of the movement. If an attacker waits in the target area, he will attract a defender towards them. When the ball is eventually played in, the players in the area would have to compete in a potential aerial duel. Through the right timing of the run, the attackers are able to attack the ball without any defensive pressure forcing a mistake.

As seen in the image below, the defenders attention is on the ball and the space in front of him. In order for attackers to be able to arrive in the space with as much time as possible, the attacker must be out of the defenders sight. The best way to remain out of a defenders sight is to lurk in the defenders shadow behind their back before sprinting into space as the corner is about to be taken.