Machida Zelvia 2024: Set-piece dominance without aerial superiority – set-piece analysis

Machida Zelvia have only been in the J League pyramid for a little over 10 years. In the last decade, the team has mainly stayed in the J2 league, moving up from the J3. However, since manager Go Koruda arrived in 2023, the club has been able to play at an entirely different level. Before Koruda left his 28-year role as a high school football coach, the team finished in 15th. In Korudas first-ever professional role as a manager, he was able to elevate the side by guiding the team to the top of the league, achieving promotion to the J1 for the first time in the clubs history. In the current season, over halfway into the campaign, the newcomers are at the top of the J1 with the form and performances of a side worthy of winning the league.

The team does have some high-profile players, with Mitchell Duke being a physical presence off the bench, with his abilities on display during the most recent FIFA World Cup. Another forward, Erik, has won the J1 league before, while playing under current Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou. Their main striker, Shota Fuijo, will be aiming to lead the line for Japan at the upcoming Olympics, while teammate Yu Hirakawa has just left to join Bristol City in the Championship. It is no coincidence these high-quality players are all attracted to Machida Zelvia and the project at the club.

Set pieces have played a key role in the clubs ascent to the top of the league table, with 13 of 36 goals coming from set plays and a further two set play goals being scored in cup games. Interestingly, seven of these league set-play goals have come from throw-in situations, meaning 19% of their league goals are a result of throw-ins. Machida Zelvia are different from most teams Ive analysed, where their success doesnt come due to their ability to make the first contact. Due to their weakness in being able to win the first contact and deliver precise balls into crowded areas, Machida have had to improvise, and most success has come through either short corners or second-phase situations.

In this tactical analysis, we will delve into the tactics used by Machida Zelvia during attacking set plays, with an analysis of some of the many corner routines they have used to gain the edge. This set-piece analysis will look at the different attacking methods they’ve used to remain unpredictable when using both corner kicks and throw-ins and why their strong counter-press has been key to any success despite a lack of chances coming from the first contact after a set-piece.

Short Corner Patterns

Most of Machidas short corners start with the receivers starting in the six-yard box, where the two players then sprint away from the box towards the ball, with multiple benefits coming as a result. Firstly, arriving in the space at the edge of the box, increases the time and space the player receiving the short pass and his teammates have on the ball, as the opposing team is not expecting the corner to be played short. Defending sides usually have one or two assigned players to step up from position to close down short corners, but with two players coming to receive the short corner and the taker getting involved in play after, this gives the attacking side the numerical overload.

Furthermore, with the defenders moving at speed to track the supporting runs toward the ball, they are vulnerable to quick changes of direction, meaning its hard to react and recover the space behind their backs if the ball is played in behind them.

As we see in the examples above and below, the ball is played to the furthest player, which gives the defender tracking the nearer player a problem. When the near player allows the ball to go through his legs and to the further players feet in the image below, that defender is suddenly in a position where he is no longer goalside, and suddenly the attacker is out of his sight. In that moment, the near attacker is able to quickly change direction and attack the space they have just arrived from, at the byline to cross the ball into the box. The player on the ball is facing away from the goal, enticing pressure from the defenders, but uses a reverse pass to access the space behind both defenders.

Machida Zelvia have also used a slight varia