Man Utd have been a major threat on set-pieces this season and Ruben Amorim has explained the transformation that has taken place behind the scenes.
Matthijs de Ligt
Manchester United have been a threat from set-pieces this season
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A year ago today, Manchester United lost to Arsenal, conceding two goals from corner kicks. Later in the month, they would concede set-piece goals to Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth at Old Trafford, as well as seeing Tottenham and Wolves score direct from corners against them.
The heat was on Ruben Amorim's assistant Carlos Fernandes back then. United were a soft touch at set pieces and offered virtually no threat at the other end of the pitch, and that woeful combination led to calls for Fernandes to be stripped of set-piece planning responsibilities.
Now, every time United get a corner or a free-kick, Fernandes still rises to his feet to oversee the plans, but gone are the jitters that come defensively and the expectation that nothing will come of it in the opposition's penalty area. United's comeback success at Selhurst Park last weekend was thanks to two set-piece goals and only Arsenal have scored more of them this season.
But United are creating a higher xG from set-pieces and are scoring goals from them at a better rate than the Gunners, who only top the scoring charts because they have more attacking corners and free-kicks than Amorim's side. Amorim has admitted to stealing set-piece ideas from other clubs, but gave credit for the upturn in fortunes to the work Fernandes is doing on the training ground and the research he is putting in on the opposition.
He is backed up by 27-year-old first-team analyst Kaita Hasegawa, who is devoted to set-pieces. Hasegawa has also recruited a team of data experts tasked with focusing on them. Once Hasegawa and his team have passed the information on to Fernandes, the 31-year-old devises routines and gets down to business at Carrington on running the players through them. The work is paying dividends.
"In this league, set pieces can win you games," said Amorim. "Or you can lose if you don't pay attention to that. I'm really pleased with the job that they are doing."
United's approach to set-pieces seemed shambolic when Amorim first arrived, but, as with so much of the Portuguese head coach's first year, a lack of time on the training ground played a part in that.
Now, United have a week to prepare for most games, having failed to qualify for Europe and been dumped out of the Carabao Cup by League Two Grimsby in August. That free time is helping to improve their sharpness at set-pieces.
"Last year we trained without the real movement we can put in the position," said Amorim. "If you don't have space and you cannot put load because they are recovering, it's not the same thing.
"[Now] you have more time to kick corners and free-kicks and you can create real game situations this year. That helps. If you train more time you will improve. That is normal."
Amorim believes United can still improve defensively when it comes to set-pieces and admitted that area of the game is now so crucial in the Premier League that it is impacting his team selection.
"You have to think about who you put in the squad, if you play with Amad, Bryan, Bruno, all these guys," he said. "If you don't have Casemiro - and we suffer against Tottenham with that - not Sesko, not Harry.
"So you have to make a balance sometimes, thinking 'yes, the idea for the game is this one, but if you have set pieces against it cannot be this team'. Our league is like that at the moment.
"You need to think not just the way you are going to play but also in set pieces. If you look at it with a little bit of attention to the league you understand that set pieces are massive for the game. Sometimes, to open the game. If you score a goal you are in better conditions to win the game."