AS Monaco sit in 6th place this season, with the goal of securing UEFA Champions League football after another season in the Europa League. Monacos fixtures this season have been quite entertaining, featuring 50 goals in 15 games in the league.
Les Rouge et Blanc have only had 69 corners this season, which is the 11th most out of all teams in Ligue 1 this season, but have scored more from these scenarios than any other club in the league. Philippe Clement has done well to make Monaco so efficient from these scenarios and will look to set pieces to push them up the table in the quest for Champions League football.
In this tactical analysis, we will delve into the tactics Philippe Clement has used to make AS Monaco so dangerous from corners and free kicks. The set-piece analysis will show the different ways that Monaco have been able to win so many headers from a limited number of opportunities. Furthermore, the analysis will look into the movement and routines used, and why this may be the difference between European football and not.
Monacos corner opportunities
During offensive corners, Monacos set-up could be called cautious. They use 5 players in the box, with one on the edge and one available for the short pass. This leaves Monaco with two players deep in their half, who are irrelevant in such situations, making it easier for teams to defend against, as they have fewer attacking options to deal with. However, while Monacos slightly negative corner philosophy could be braver, they have still managed to achieve a lot of success with such methods.
A key part of Monacos corner success is their smart use of screens to create openings in dangerous parts of the penalty box. With a smaller number of attacking options, its crucial to create space, as it is easier to defend individuals by doubling up on them when man-marking. Monaco use a 2-man screen, on the edge of the 6-yard box, to create space on the edge of the 6-yard box.
Having the 2 blockers means that the zonal markers cannot step forward to attack a cross and so are stuck inside their own 6-yard area. These 2 blockers also prevent the goalkeeper from coming out to claim the cross. This example below shows the 2 Monaco players standing in close proximity to each other setting up a wall where the Toulouse defenders cannot step past it. As a result, the area in front of the 6-yard box is open and accessible for players to attack.
The zone just outside the 6-yard box is usually left open, due to the screening of the 2 Monaco players. In the example below, the 2 screeners move apart from each other to block the zonal markers. This shows the adaptability of the Monaco players to react to situations, and position themselves accordingly to block the players. As a result, we can see Badiashile be allowed to attack the open space, from which he scores a goal.
Some teams attempt to create opportunities closer to goal, but an open header from 8-10 yards away still leads to a very good scoring opportunity, combined with the heading ability in Monacos squad means that these lead to chances with a very high likelihood of resulting in a goal.
