Oliver Glasner Set-Piece Tactics At Crystal Palace 2024/2025 – Tactical Analysis

Crystal Palace are 12th in the Premier League with 36 points after 27 matches, having won, drawn, and lost nine matches each.

With a balanced performance and statistics, Oliver Glasners side have scored 35 goals and conceded 33.

While these figures may seem average at first glance, a closer look reveals that 12 of their 35 goals came from set pieces, accounting for nearly 35% of their total goals.

Interestingly, they are the second-highest scorers from set pieces in the Premier League this season, with 12 goals, just one goal behind Aston Villa, who have scored 13.

We all know Aston Villas proficiency with set pieces and Unai Emerys reliance on Austin MacPhee, the set-piece coach.

However, it may surprise you that Palace rank just behind them, having scored more goals from set pieces than prominent teams like Arsenal.

You might argue that this could be a matter of luck, but that is not the case.

The goals alone do not place them among the best teams for set pieces in the Premier League this season; other factors also contribute.

For instance, they have scored 12 goals from 120 set-piece shots, the highest in the league.

This has resulted in expected goals (xG) of 11.41 from set pieces, making them the third-best team in the league after Arsenal (12.96) and Aston Villa (12.55).

More importantly, there is something that distinguishes them on the field, which translates these statistics into actual performance.

Across his decade in management, Glasner has worked wonders and helped develop promising attacking stars like Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jens Petter Hauge, and Daichi Kamada.

Rather than splurging heavily, he can develop his own players and transform them into deadly scorers who can make a difference from open play or dead-ball situations.

This tactical analysis will delve into Oliver Glasner tactics at Crystal Palace.

Coming Behind The Zonal Defenders

Their first repeated idea is to start with two or more players behind the zonal line, usually Jean-Philippe Mateta as one of them.

As shown below, Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. defends with four zonal defenders (green), four-man markers, a short-option defender (navy blue), and a player on the edge of the box for the rebound (pink).

In the photo below, two yellow attackers start between the goalkeeper and the zonal line, moving from the zonal line blind side.

Mateta, who starts near the goalkeeper, moves to the first zonal defender, while the second one (Maxence Lacroix) moves to the second zonal defender.

A runner (blue) moves in the area ahead of the near post in front of them, but why?