In this article…
In the modern game of football, set pieces have evolved from mere opportunities for restarts to pivotal moments that can significantly influence a player’s value in the goalscorer and assist markets.
107 penalties were awarded in the Premier League last season, the fourth most of all time. The xG of each penalty is considered to be 0.78, making the probability of a goal extremely high. In comparison, there were just 84 open-play attempts with a higher xG in the entirety of last season.
Similarly, free-kicks and corners have become an increasingly intricate skill, with clubs recruiting specialist coaches solely for this purpose. One example would be Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s set-piece coach who became a bit of a celebrity amidst his side’s impressive set-piece conversion rate.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper into which players and clubs could present additional value thanks to their side’s respective set-piece routines.
Here at Andy’s Bet Club, we’ll have Premier League acca tips and a variety of Premier League bet builder tips throughout the 2024/25 season. You can back our bets, including our both teams to score tips on any of the top bet builder sites all whilst using these Premier League free bets to make the most of your money.
Make sure to use our betting Cheat Sheet tool in addition to our expert football tips to give yourself the best chance of backing a winner. We have a guide on how to use a cheat sheet, along with our player shots on target tips to give you an edge every time you bet.
🥅 Penalty Takers
As most people are aware, we’re seeing many more penalties given out now than ever before in the era prior to VAR’s introduction.
Interestingly, we’re also seeing a higher rate of conversion than ever before (89.7% last season), meaning it’s crucial to take penalty responsibilities into account. This upward trajectory has been consistent over the last 20 years and has been put down to a variety of factors including law changes, increased research, more practice and even a higher proportion of left-footed takers.
Penalties are rightly no longer considered a lottery, and with conversion as high as it is, basic knowledge of each side’s taker is integral for anyone looking to have a punt.
Team Penalty Takers
🦵🏼 Free Kick Takers
The free-kick market is a bit more difficult to navigate with direct free-kicks (20-25 yards out, resulting in a shot) having a typical xG of between 0.05 and 0.09, and indirect free-kicks (resulting in a pass or cross) tending to range from 0.03 to 0.05xG. Just 11 direct free-kicks were converted last season with only Foden managing more than one.
That said, football is a game of fine margins and if you’re looking to incorporate this information into your bets, a sensible option is to back direct free-kick takers for goals, and indirect free-kick takers for assists.
Similarly, only 2-3% of corners result in a goal. Of those 2-3 per 100, not all of them will go down as an assist for the taker with some being taken short and others being glanced on by a player at the near post.
Nevertheless, we have compiled a list of likely takers for each club. It’s important to take into account that it can be much more variable who takes free kicks. There are many more factors, such as distance and angle, to consider, as well as who happens to be on the pitch at the time.
Team Free Kick Takers
🚩 Set Piece Specialists
We have also selected two players and a club that are always worth considering for set-piece-related goals and assists when betting on the Premier League in 2024/25.
🦵🏼 Free Kicks: James Ward-Prowse (West Ham)
One of, if not the world’s best Free-Kick takers, Ward Prowse’s unique skillset makes him one of the very few players you can truly depend upon from direct free kick situations.
He’s scored from a remarkable 17 Premier League free kicks, second only to David Beckham’s 18. Since November 2013, the West Ham man has recorded a simply ridiculous 12.7% conversion rate.
In the goalscorer market, it might be worth considering him in matches against opposition averaging a high number of fouls per game. Last season that included Bournemouth, Wolves and Liverpool but that could change as managers set their sides up in different ways and adapt to new playing styles.
🥅 Penalties: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Despite their lacklustre season, no side drew more penalties than Chelsea’s 12, with Cole Palmer scoring 10 out of 10 for his side.
He was on similarly good form during the Euros where he netted England’s first penalty in their shoutout against Switzerland, prompting Southgate to label him a ‘fearless old man’.
Palmer might also be the only Chelsea forward who is not a rotation risk so he’ll be on the pitch more than not should the opportunity arise. This is important to note with other sides such as Arsenal drawing many penalties but sharing the responsibility.
🚩 Club Set Pieces: Arsenal
Arsenal’s proficiency in converting set-pieces last season was remarkable, with Mikel Arteta quick to credit Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s set-piece coach. Previously Jover was at Man City, where he made an immediate impact. In his first season, Guadiola’s side scored more goals from set plays than any other side.
The season before he joined the Gunners, they scored from six set pieces (penalties excluded). Since his arrival, this figure has risen to 16, 15 and last year, a remarkable 22 with 16 coming from corners, a premier league record.
The trajectory has been there for a while and it could only get better for Arsenal, who after signing Calafiori will have 7-8 starters all over 6ft tall.
* All odds displayed correctly at the time of publishing *
Written by an Andy verified content writer
18+ please gamble responsibly.
