Despite their low conversion rate, Vincent Kompany maintains that Burnley is still a “dangerous” team when it comes to set-plays.
Just three of Burnley’s 29 Premier League goals so far this season have come from set-piece situations.
That unwelcome distinction is shared by Sheffield United and Crystal Palace, making it the equal poorest record of any top league team.
Despite that dismal number, Kompany maintains that if you look more closely at the data, his side really creates a lot of opportunities with this strategy—taking those chances is the issue.
When Expected Goals (xG) are taken into account, the Clarets should have scored six goals from set plays.
It depends on your preferred perspective. The good thing is that we do score goals during open play, which is difficult to accomplish, Kompany remarked.
When you look at what’s happened to us in terms of set play and set pieces attacking-wise, we’ve actually been fairly dangerous.” We arguably create more chances from set pieces than the majority of the clubs we currently play against.
The problem lies, for us, not so much in the timing of a player’s career as it does in the degree of quality, but rather in whether the header is clearly visible at the front or back post and should be included.
We’ve got a tonne of opportunities from set plays; the problem hasn’t been coming up with new ones. From set plays, we’re actually a very dangerous squad.
Though it might happen in the future game, we’d like to convert a couple more. At the very least, that’s how you must believe.
