Corners, Chaos and Clever Coaching: The Premier League’s Set‑Piece Boom (2025/26)

Forget endless tiki-taka for a moment—this season the Premier League has gone back to basics and stuck it in the mixer. Corners, free-kicks, long throws… they’re winning matches and twisting narratives. Arsenal have set the tone with ruthless, choreographed routines that have the rest of the league scrambling to keep up, and even the great pass-masters are having to respect the dead ball.

Plenty of us have raised an eyebrow at just how ferocious the Gunners look at every corner, with TV pundits admitting they almost expect the net to bulge on cue. And it’s not just the title chasers; up and down the table, coaches are investing hours on the training ground because set-pieces are deciding games, league positions and jobs. For punters weighing it all up on the best betting sites, the fine print now starts at the corner flag, not the centre circle.

The numbers so far

Here’s the current picture from the bottom half upward, a snapshot of how sides are faring from dead balls in the 2025/26 campaign. Some are flying, some are flat—and a few are one long throw from a lifeline.

20) Wolves — Set-piece goals: 7

It’s been a bruising season at Molineux. Vítor Pereira’s rescue act last term couldn’t be replicated and he moved on, with Rob Edwards tasked with mopping up the mess. There are green shoots—think that cathartic 2-0 against Aston Villa—but seven from set-plays tells you why they’ve been marooned. Delivery hasn’t been consistent, runs aren’t timed, and second balls aren’t being snapped up. Margins matter, and Wolves have left too many on the table.

19) Nottingham Forest — Set-piece goals: 8

Forest’s season has been a managerial carousel—Nuno out, Ange in and then out, a Dyche detour, and now Vítor Pereira holding the reins. On paper they’ve got the tools: Chris Wood’s timing, Nikola Milenković’s aerial presence. But the execution has been scruffy. Eight goals isn’t disastrous, yet for a side in churn it needed to be their bread and butter. Structure first, delivery second—Pereira must lock both in, quickly.

18) Burnley — Set-piece goals: 8

Scott Parker’s Burnley haven’t leaned on the old Dyche-era pragmatism as heavily as some expected. The pieces are there, but the production hasn’t followed. The January arrival of James Ward‑Prowse is a dead-ball cheat code in most squads; even so, eight to date suggests movement patterns and blocks aren’t quite synced. If the Clarets want daylight, the near post needs to earn its keep.

17) Manchester City — Set-piece goals: 9

Pep’s City still prefer to pass you dizzy rather than batter you from corners. Even so, they’re on nine. Erling Haaland’s missed penalty in the 3-0 over Liverpool would’ve nudged that up further, but let’s be honest: City treat set-pieces as a nice-to-have, not a necessity. When you monopolise the ball, you don’t need many gimmicks—yet come the run-in, a well-timed near-post flick can be worth its weight in medals.

16) Sunderland — Set-piece goals: 10

Of the new boys, Sunderland look the street-smart ones. Granit Xhaka’s wand of a left foot has been a weapon, with Omar Alderete nodding home off a devilish free-kick against Forest. They’ve also improvised from distance—Robin Roefs launched long, chaos ensued, and Dan Ballard pounced in that rollicking 2-2 with Arsenal. Ten and counting: that’s survival nous.

15) Brighton & Hove Albion — Set-piece goals: 10

Brighton’s creativity now extends to dead balls. Three pens tucked away (Matt O’Riley leading the way), James Milner coolly levelling at the Etihad before the tide turned, and a couple more routines that had Manchester United sweating even if the points slipped away. Danny Welbeck bending in a beauty doesn’t hurt either. Ten’s a decent haul for a side that usually does its art in open play.

14) Everton — Set-piece goals: 10

With David Moyes back, Everton have rediscovered their appetite for the ugly stuff—and that’s a compliment. Michael Keane’s been cashing cheques off James Garner’s whip, scoring versus West Ham and again in the win over Fulham. The Toffees’ overall play has been tidier this season, but when it’s time to load the box, they look purposeful. This is ‘Goodison groan’ football upgraded with a plan.

13) West Ham — Set-piece goals: 11

The Hammers used to bully teams from corners for fun; this term it’s been more fits and starts. Tomas Souček remains a menace and a couple of well-worked efforts helped edge Burnley 3-2, but the consistency’s not there. If Nuno Espírito Santo wants a stress-free spring, set-pieces must go from handy to habitual again.

12) Aston Villa — Set-piece goals: 11

Villa were slow out of the traps but have found their stride. That 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth before the November break was a clinic: Emi Buendía from a free-kick, Ross Barkley and Youri Tielemans capitalising on corner chaos. With Amadou Onana, Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres looming, Villa should be living off these moments. It kept them latched to the title pace for longer than many expected.

11) Fulham — Set-piece goals: 12

Marco Silva’s side are quietly efficient. No Mitro? No problem—Raúl Jiménez and Rodrigo Muniz attack the ball, while dribblers like Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi draw fouls in bad areas. Three penalties converted help swell the tally to 12, but the broader pattern is good habits: quick restarts, varied deliveries, and runners arriving bang on time.

Pundit’s verdict

This season proves the point: coaching and detail win you points before a ball is even rolling. Arsenal have raised the bar, but the real story is league-wide buy-in—survival bids, European pushes, title tilts, all resting on rehearsed chaos. Master the first contact, flood the second ball, trust your routines. Do that, and the table starts moving your way.