Title: Set Piece Woes: England’s Conundrum, the 2022 Edition
In the world of football, scoring goals is as much an art as it is a science. Teams that are able to perfect the art of set pieces – corners, free kicks, throw-ins, etc. – generally find themselves winning more games, and ultimately championships. For the English national team, however, set piece woe has been a recurring thorn in the side for the past few tournaments.
As England prepares to compete in the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar, doubts are beginning to creep in. Can Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions finally conjure up an effective set piece strategy to capitalize on their scoring opportunities? Given the team’s recent struggles on this front, it’s easy to understand the concerns.
Before delving deeper into the latest set piece worries afflicting the team, let’s take a stroll down memory lane. England fans will recall their team’s crushing defeat to Chile in the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, where Phil Jagielka’s own-goal from a Colombian corner kick still haunts us to this very day. Come the 2018 World Cup, England limped out to a 0-0-2 draw to Belgium in Group G, scoring just one solitary goal from direct play. They eventually succumbed to Croatia on penalties in the semifinals after a 2-1 (1-2) defeat with a set-piece goal conceded – courtesy of Ivica Perisic’s trademark header.
Even in the early stages of England’s 2020 European Championships campaign, manager Gareth Southgate’s men came unstuck via a set-piece goal. An 80th-minute equalizing header from England’s own Phil Foden via a Raheem Sterling left-wing cross has left fans bemoaning, “What do we do from here?”
Of late, stats have only magnified the scope of the dilemma. According to Opta sports data, of the 36 goals England managed to score prior to the rescheduled 2022 World Cup qualifiers, fewer than 21% (12 goals) occurred from set-pieces. If we fasten our gaze only on the five matches played leading up to Southgate’s group stage draw assignment, England struggled to capitalize by scoring just half of their all-important goals this way.
Understandably then, the coach has been mulling over team dynamics and seeking answers to combat this recurring difficulty. In various interviews, Mr. Southgate has acknowledged there’s room to further improve set play execution, insisting that his key players are constantly working on finding the perfect coordination to unlock any opposition.
When contemplating long-serving teammates like Harry Maguire, Aymeric Laporte, and West Ham’s very own Declan Rice, will England’s tactical flexibility and collective understanding ultimately grant them the break-through they hope for? On the other flank, the partnership between Raheem Sterling (Manchester City and England) plus the pace to be found, for instance in the form of Jadon Sancho (Dortmund – and England youth), could result in a surge of set play goals.
Moreover, the onus falls primarily on the forwards to capitalize after these set up opportunities. How will England best utilize the potency of their focal points, both in terms of physical presence with the likes of Harry Kane as well as otherworldly marksmanship gifted to the wily Marcus Rashford? Combining these pieces of the enigmatic set pieces puzzle could spark a new kind of English team, one potent enough to potentially make a greater impact in competitive tournaments.
Looking ahead to upcoming World Cup Qualifiers, any lingering doubts we may have initially about England and their set play woes will vanish once they create a consistent correlation between set-ups and goals that count. When that day becomes a reality – and it one day will arrive – the faith of the three lions’ worldwide fan base could be restored further, as hopes for a fresh, triumphant era in World Cup history takes shape. With a bit more set piece aptitude, don’t be quick to dismiss just how far off the mark “Set Piece Woes” label might be transformed into “Power Play Pivotal” indeed.
