DEFENSIVE corners have dominated Twitter feeds in recent weeks following soft concessions against Ajax and PSV.
Last week in Amsterdam, Edison Alvarez scored a free, unopposed header that earned Rangers’ zonal marking system further criticism. Coming just weeks on from two goals against in the Champions League play-off that exposed similar weaknesses.
The ease with which both Dutch opponents found the net was no coincidence. Armando Obispo and Edison Alvarez were handed free headers of the ball from close range by exploiting Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s zonal marking approach. Undoubtedly, other teams will be eyeing corners as an area of vulnerability they can target when looking back at either goal.
As a consequence of this discussion, attacking corners have somewhat slipped under the radar when the numbers show urgent attention is also required.
As a caveat, only corners taken in the league are included in this conversation as opposed to all attacking set-pieces (indirect/direct free-kicks).
At present, Celtic's goal difference (24) is 17 stronger than Rangers' (7). After just six league games, that should provoke serious concern even if the league leader's 25 goals from 16.73xG represents an overperformance.
From corners, Ange Postecoglou’s side have scored six times, meaning they’ve averaged one goal/90 from 0.47xG/90.
In contrast, from corners Rangers have scored just once, 0.17 goals/90, and created 0.08 xG/90. Malik Tillman’s header against St Johnstone, which didn’t arrive after the initial cross but James Tavernier’s second delivery into the box, is the only success at time of writing.
League-wide, Ross County and Livingston are the only sides to have created a lower corner xG/90 than Rangers. Six games is a small sample size but even so, such low chance creation numbers are notable from this area.
Last season, Rangers scored the most goals in the league from corners (15 to Celtic’s 11) and had the highest corner xG/90 (0.30 to Celtic’s 0.29). That's 0.39 goals/90 from corners.
After six league games and 39 corners, marginally less than Celtic’s 46, they’ve hardly tested the opposition.
Let’s take a closer look at the earlier shot map that charts any efforts originating from corners Rangers have attempted in the league.
Van Bronckhorst’s side have managed 10 shots, only four of which have been headers (outlined in circles). The six other hexagon-shaped efforts are shots from cutbacks or following an initial clearance.
Looking at the event map below which records all 39 corners they've attempted this season, we can see that outswinging crosses are the favoured method of delivery.
Tavernier has taken 22 outswingers from the right, Borna Barisic nine outswingers from the left and Tom Lawrence five inswingers from the left. Tillman has taken two short corners and Scott Arfield one.
When the core of this squad have enjoyed their best domestic runs, offensive corners have been a source of threat.
Particularly in European competition, there is a need to improve the defensive structure at corners quickly, to ensure other teams don't target the zonal marking system like Ajax and PSV.
In the league, Rangers need to increase the threat they pose from corner kicks to seize marginal gains and keep pace at the summit.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here