The Chris Gill Podcast The stats behind successful corners! (football set piece analysis) - Stuart Reid #40
Jan 15, 2024
Stuart Reid, a freelance set-piece analyst, shares his journey from IT to football analysis. He discusses his work with clubs worldwide, highlighting the significance of analyzing corners and free-kicks. Stuart reveals insights from his extensive database of 11,000 corner goals and how he tailors training to exploit opponents' weaknesses. He elaborates on the debate between man-marking and zonal marking and emphasizes the importance of creating an online presence to secure freelance opportunities. Stuart also predicts the future of set pieces with AI advancements.
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Attack Planning Yields More Predictable Wins
- Attacking set-piece preparation yields more predictable gains than defending because opponent defensive patterns are steadier.
- Studying opponent reactions gives tactical edges you can script for scoring chances.
Use Relative Aerial Metrics To Arrange Defenders
- Use advanced metrics (like HOPS) to rate aerial ability relative to opponent quality.
- Place defenders and zonal markers to neutralise likely target zones based on those ratings.
Manual Database Revealed Repeatable Corner Patterns
- Stuart built a manual database of ~11,000 corner goals across leagues to find repeatable patterns.
- The database reveals which defensive setups are weak to direct first-ball corner goals and supplies playable routines.
