Analysing Corners With Nods and Flicks - Set-Piece Analysis

21:12 19/10/2023 Analysing corners with nods and flicks - set-piece analysis
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The benefits of nods and flicks at corner kicks and how to

defend against them – set-piece analysis
With the development of teams in set-piece analysis (https://mbpschool.com/en/the-importance-
of-the-set-pieces/) and thus protecting the critical areas in the corners and marking the
distinguished attackers at aerial duels with different defensive styles, whether zonal marking, man-
marking or hybrid system, the attacking teams needed to find new ideas that target less important
areas or less important players and thus unmarked, but in order to target more important areas or
players later.
We will write about two different main ideas, nods and flicks
(https://www.premierleague.com/news/3053137/). In the first idea, Teams sometimes target an
unmarked player in far areas to nod the ball back towards the near post to a good player at aerial
duels, exploiting the chaos that happens while the near-post defenders turn around and focus on
the first conflict, neglecting the second targeted player at their back covering the off-side.
(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/website-ad-728-×-90-px.png)
https://totalfootballanalysis.com/set-piece-analysis/nods-and-flicks-set-piece-analysis-tactics 1/13
In flick-routines, attacking teams plan for winning the first touch before the near post depending on
an excellent player at getting the first touch with the help of many tricks like moving from the
defender’s blind side, blocks and screens and then exploiting the first touch attracts the attention of
the defender neglecting the second targeted player moving at their back to score the goal.
In this tactical analysis (https://totalfootballanalysis.com/tactical-theory-set-pieces-tactical-

analysis-tactics), we will analyse the tactics (https://totalfootballanalysis.com/set-piece-
analysis/the-art-of-short-corners-part-1-attacking-set-piece-analysis-tactics) used in these
routines and the potential counter, giving examples from the Premier League
(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/category/competitions/premier-league), Bundesliga,
(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/category/competitions/bundesliga) Serie A
(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/category/competitions/serie-a), UEFA Champions League and the
national team of Belgium.
Nods
In this idea, attacking teams target a player without marking because he isn’t a good player at aerial
duels, so opponents neglect him, using him only to nod the ball to an excellent player at aerial duels
in a better and nearer area. At the same time, the defenders give their attention to the first headed
touch, forgetting the second targeted player at their back. Let’s explain in detail.
In the first photo, Man City use this idea by the principle of underloading against RB Leipzig’s four
man-markers by targeting Bernardo Silva, who is free coming from the near post because he isn’t a
dangerous player at aerial duels, so no one focuses on him while the other four attackers are
unloading the targeted area for him dragging the man-markers with them, as in the second photo.
In the third photo, five attackers are framing the goal. Rodri blocks the zonal player in the middle to
isolate the three attackers behind him against only the last zonal defender. At the same time,
another drops back, standing on the line beside the goalkeeper, covering the off-side. Two attackers
take the attention to free Erling Haaland behind him, who gets the headed pass, and the result is a
goal, as in the fourth photo.
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(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Karim-ElShesheiny-9.jpg)
The counter idea
Borussia Mönchengladbach can deal with that idea against Bayern Munich, as we will explain in
detail.
In the first photo, it is clear that they defended with five zonal players, three man-markers, a player
against the short corner and a rebound player. In the second photo, Bayern Munich face these three
man-markers with five attackers, so there are two players free, highlighted in blue, so one of them,
the late one who is away from man-markers, moves toward the far post to nod the ball, so the first
part is difficult to defend.
The attacking team can achieve numerical superiority in these outlying areas because the defending
team focuses on the most critical areas near the goal, so the solution is using the off-side trap while
taking care of the defenders’ back, not only focusing on the first touch, as we will explain in the third
photo.
In the third photo, we see the zonal defender on the near post who will move with the line after the
ball is played, as shown in the fourth photo, unlike the previous example.
(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Collage-Maker-16-Oct-2023-09-
53-PM-9040-1.jpg)
In the first photo below, the five-player line is shown. We come to the second important thing that
reduces the chaos: leaving the last two zonal defenders to go up to defend the first touch. At the
same time, the three players on the near post are ready to defend the area behind them while
keeping themselves on the same line, as in the second photo below.
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Flicks
In this idea, attacking teams plan for winning the first touch before the near post depending on an
excellent player at getting the first touch with the help of many tricks like moving from the
defender’s blind side, blocks and screens and then exploiting that the first touch attracts the
attention of the defender neglecting the second targeted player moving at their back to score the
goal.
In this example, Newcastle defends with two zonal markers (highlighted in green); Miguel Almiron is
there to defend the short corner if it happens, while Joe Willock defends the rebound zone. The
remaining six players act as man-markers.
(https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/1LongoMatch-5-8-2023.png)
Clement Lenglet, with the green arrow, is the player who flicks the ball in this routine, so as the taker
prepares to play, he starts moving in a curved run around the goalkeeper, using him as a screen to
win a moment before his marker comes from Joelinton’s blind side. You can notice that there are
seven players of Tottenham against six markers, so Eric Dier, with a yellow arrow, runs towards the
near post to hit the ball if the ball passes Lenglet using Oliver Skipp as a screen.
OK
To make sure that Lenglet can get the ball, Spurs need to block the two zonal markers we have
mentioned, so when the taker prepares to move, Rodrigo Bentancur goes to block Joelinton (the
yellow arrow) and Davinson Sanchez blocks Burn (the green arrow).
Here, the two blocks we have mentioned happen in green; Skipp, with a yellow arrow, returned to
the rebound zone after having previously been performing the screen, and Yves Bissouma, with a
red arrow, dragged his marker back to empty the area in front of the far post for Harry Kane.
OK
Here, we can see the two blocks we have mentioned happen in green. With a yellow arrow, Skipp
returned to the rebound zone after doing the screen and Bissouma, with a red arrow, dragged his
marker back to empty the area in front of the far post for Kane. So, we come to the second part of
the plan, which is the second targeted player, and here we can notice that the first principle Spurs
depend on is that the marker, Kieran Tripper, has a problem in orientation that he can’t follow the ball
and Kane at the same time.
Here, Kieran Tripper turns towards Harry Kane, losing connection with the ball. The second principle
applied here is “mismatch” because if you put Kane in a 1v1 situation, he will have superiority.
OK
The result is a goal, as shown below.
We go again to the Bundesliga, but this time to see how Bayern Munich used these tactics.
In the first photo, SC Freiburg defend with two zonal players, and the rest are man-markers while
the attackers stand in a stack, noting that the targeted player is the last one highlighted.
He goes toward the near post in a curved run in the second photo. At the same time, his green mate
moves in the same direction to distract the man who goes with him, making his targeted mate win a
more second. Still, to ensure that he won’t catch him, the targeted player moves around his mate
using him as a screen, as shown in the third and fourth photos, while Harry Kane goes to the far post,
exploiting that his marker focuses on the ball and the first touch.
OK
55-PM-2254-1.jpg)
The screen is apparent below, in yellow.
The plan works, and the first targeted player gets the ball while Kane escapes at his marker’s back,
which focuses on the first conflict, as shown below.
OK
But the headed pass is inaccurate, so the ball goes behind Kane, not behind him, as shown below.
In this example, Genoa’s first targeted player comes from the middle to be in the zonal defenders’
blind side, but without any tactical huge tricks because they depend only on his strength over his
marker, which is called a mismatch, to push his marker a little away then moves quickly to get the
targeted area noting also all the rest attackers stand away with their markers which makes him
have the space to show this mismatch.
In the second photo, he becomes accessible after the slight push. In contrast, the second targeted
player moves to the far post, exploiting the orientation problem of his marker, who wants to follow
the ball and give his back to him, so he loses communication with him, as in the third photo. The
result is a goal, as in the fourth photo.
OK
56-PM-4448-1.jpg)
The counter idea
The ideal solution to deal with this routine is preventing the first touch in such a dangerous area
because if the attacking team succeeds in flicking the ball into closer areas from the goal, it will be
dangerous and difficult to control the situation, so big teams now have a player before the zonal line
to get the first touch getting the flick, highlighted in red below, and then goes to help against the
short corner, if it happens.
He gets the first touch against the attacker, who tries to flick the ball, killing the problem in its
infancy, as shown below.
OK
In this example, Belgium use a man-marking defending system by only two zonal players in green,
but they use a blue player to go up and get the first touch or help against the short corner if it
happens.
After the taker plays the ball before the near post, he defends this area, as shown below.
OK
He gets the first touch, as shown below.
Conclusion
In this analysis (https://totalfootballanalysis.com/set-piece-analysis/the-art-of-short-corners-part-

two-defending-set-piece-analysis-tactics), we discussed the two-headed touches routines by
targeting less important areas or players at first to targeting important areas or players later with
flicks and nods.
Karim El-Shesheiny, Football Writer and Performance Analyst. I am very

interested in set-pieces. Karim on twitter @elshesheiny.
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21:12 19/10/2023 Analysing corners with nods and flicks - set-piece analysis

 LOGIN (HTTPS://TOTALFOOTBALLANALYSIS.COM/PROFILE/)  GET THE APP (HTTPS://TOTALFOOTBALLANALYSIS.COM/BETA-APP-DOWNLOAD)

October 17, 2023 | Karim El-Shesheiny (https://totalfootballanalysis.com/author/karim-el-shesheiny) | 

The benefits of nods and flicks at corner kicks and how to

In this tactical analysis (https://totalfootballanalysis.com/tactical-theory-set-pieces-tactical-

The counter idea

The result is a goal, as shown below.

The screen is apparent below, in yellow.

The counter idea

He gets the first touch, as shown below.

In this analysis (https://totalfootballanalysis.com/set-piece-analysis/the-art-of-short-corners-part-

Karim El-Shesheiny, Football Writer and Performance Analyst. I am very

More from the same analyst

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ALL CONTENT © 2023 TOTAL FOOTBALL ANALYSIS MAGAZINE

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