Ligue 1 2023/24: Why Lens struggle to defend out-swinging corner kicks – set-piece analysis

Lens started this season poorly in Ligue 1, where they occupy 14th place with eight points after eight matches, after being second in Ligue 1 last season with only a four-point deficit to Paris Saint-Germain.

Lens have conceded 13 goals this season, of which four have come from set-pieces, with a percentage exceeding 30%, which indicates a problem in their defensive system in set-pieces.

You might be surprised to know that despite having the worst defensive record in Ligue 1 from set-pieces with four goals — all from corners, equal with Marseille and Montpellier — they are, according to the expected goals (xG) conceded from set-pieces one of the best teams defensively in set-pieces in Ligue 1, where they conceded only 1.38 xG from set-pieces.

This makes them the fifth-best team in terms of xG from set-pieces after Nice with 0.71, PSG with 1.11, Metz with 1.25 and Marseille with 1.27.

In this tactical analysis and set-piece analysis, we will discuss the extent of the polarity between the large number of goals conceded by Lens from set-pieces and their good numbers as xG conceded from set-pieces by knowing their tactics in defending corners because all four goals they conceded at set pieces were from corners.

Lens defending system at corners

Lens depend mainly on the man-marking defending system by using only two zonal players; the rest are man markers. The two zonal markers stand in the same horizontal line; one is on the near post, and the other is in front of him, against the in-swinging and out-swinging crosses, but they stand a little outside near the six-yard line against the out-swinging crosses, as shown respectively in the two photos below.

To know the effect of the position of these two zonal markers, we should compare them with Newcastle United, who defend with the same system, knowing that they are the only team in the Premier League who havent conceded any goal from set-pieces yet.

In the f