There’s been a lot of noise in the Premier League this season surrounding the importance of set pieces, whether it is Brentford’s threatening long throws or Arsenal’s chaotic corners.
But who’s actually leading the charge?
Alongside Coventry City, with the most set piece goals this season in the top four English divisions (20) is Andy Woodman’s Bromley.
The Ravens used this method of scoring even before its recent trend and it has now propelled the Ravens to first in the League Two table.
A 6’6” centre back, statistically the most successful crosser in League Two and a cheeky near-post positioned striker. Below, we will unpack the formula to Bromley’s set piece success.
Since Andy Woodman’s arrival at Hayes Lane in 2021, Bromley have always posed a threat from set pieces due to already being a physically dominant side.
At the heart of that is the second tallest outfield player in League Two: Omar Sowunmi.
The man-mountain is the key cog in Bromley aerially finding the back of the net and therefore is who the Ravens’ takers primarily target.
Moreover, he has consistently had a habit in scoring goals despite his defensive position, notching an impressive twenty-four in his last four campaigns.
Albeit, it’s not just his height that helps. Sowunmi knows how to physically out-muscle his opponent.
As a result of this, he ranks in the 94th percentile* of aerial duels won per 90 for League Two center-backs with 7.12 (a percentile shows the percentage of people that you’re ahead of in a group – in this case, Sowunmi is therefore in the top 6%).
This ability can be epitomized in his goals away to Colchester United and at home to Salford a few months ago.
Here, he deliberately steps a yard back first to gain that extra bit of momentum when charging forwards and a player of that size at speed simply can’t be stopped.
The first piece of the puzzle to pose a threat from set pieces may actually be the most important: the delivery.
One of the most frustrating parts of football for fans, players, coaches alike is when a corner or free kick fails to fly past the first man.
But, Bromley fans rarely experience that feeling due to winger Mitchell Pinnock successfully and consistently curling the ball towards the back post.
Pinnock, who has recently been announced as Bromley’s December Player of the Month, holds the joint most assists in League Two this campaign (eight).
Furthermore, this is mainly down to his quality deliveries.
This has been epitomized so far this season through him being in the 99th percentile (top 1%) of League Two wingers for both successful crosses and chances created.
Consistently targeting a deep cross puts opponents vulnerably on the back foot whilst, like we pointed out earlier, physical presences like Omar Sowunmi and Deji Elerewe are rushing in to head home.
Bromley’s set piece success is also due to the fact that their preferred deep cross can also threaten in another way.
This is why Michael Cheek often operates at the front post before a wide free-kick- as pictured in the earlier photo.
By putting the ball back post towards Bromley’s tallest players, they are given a greater opportunity to score but also to head the ball back across goal where their number nine, Michael Cheek.
In this range, the striker can score given that he wins the second contact.
Where this has been notably demonstrated this season is during Bromley’s most recent home game against Newport County in a 2-1 win.
Sowunmi is found in space but doesn’t choose to shoot as he is in a more difficult position to score than his teammates.
Therefore, and instead, the ball is played back across the box where Jude Arthurs hits the post and subsequently Michael Cheek dispatches via a Courtney Baker-Richardson own goal.
Chances are that this latest set piece strategy will eventually be found out.
But Woodman and his coaching staff are bound to again think of another brilliant way to be so successful from dead ball situations.
That’s why Bromley will persistently pose this threat.
