CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd CARDIFF SCHOOL OF SPORT DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS)

CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd CARDIFF SCHOOL OF SPORT DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) SPORT PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS 2015-6 A COMPARISON OF CORNER KICKS BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM FOUR TEAMS DURING THE 2014/2015 ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON (Dissertation submitted under the area of Performance Analysis) HARRY LOWE

A COMPARISON OF CORNER KICKS BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM FOUR TEAMS DURING THE 2014/2015 ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON

Cardiff Metropolitan University Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd Certificate of student By submitting this document, I certify that the whole of this work is the result of my individual effort, that all quotations from books and journals have been acknowledged, and that the word count given below is a true and accurate record of the words contained (omitting contents pages, acknowledgements, indices, tables, figures, plates, reference list and appendices). I further certify that the work was either deemed to not need ethical approval or was entirely within the ethical approval granted under the code entered below. Ethical approval code: 15/5/269U (enter code or 'exempt') Word count: 9977 Name: Harry Lowe Date: 24.04.2016 Certificate of Dissertation Supervisor responsible I am satisfied that this work is the result of the student s own effort and was either deemed to not need ethical approval (as indicated by 'exempt' above) or was entirely within the ethical approval granted under the code entered above. I have received dissertation verification information from this student. Name: Date: Notes: The University owns the right to reprint all or part of this document.

Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements... i Abstract... ii INTRODUCTION... 1 1.1 Aim... 2 1.2 Research Question... 2 1.3 Hypotheses... 3 LITERATURE REVIEW... 4 2.1 Introduction... 4 2.2 Performance Analysis... 4 2.3 Performance Indicators and Set Pieces... 5 2.4 Research to the study: Corners... 7 2.5 Conclusion... 9 METHODS... 11 3.1 Introduction... 11 3.2 Equipment... 11 3.3 Pilot Study... 11 3.4 Data Source... 11 3.5 Operational Definitions... 13 3.5.1 Style of Corner Kick... 13 3.5.2 Corner Outcome... 13 3.5.3 Corner Location... 14 3.6 Data Analysis... 17 RESULTS... 18 4.1 Introduction... 18 4.2 Corner Summary... 18 4.3 Corner Type... 19 4.4 Corner Location... 20 4.5 Corner Location and Match Status... 21 4.6 Corner Success and Time Frame... 23 4.7 Conclusion... 24 DISCUSSION... 25 5.1 Introduction... 25 5.2 Analysis of Results... 25 5.2.1 Corner Summary... 25 5.2.2 Corner Type... 26 5.2.3 Corner Location... 28 5.2.4 Corner Location and Match Status... 29 5.2.5 Corner Success and Match Time... 30 APPENDICIES... A APPENDIX A: Opta consent form APPENDIX B: Variables of all corners on Excel spreadsheet (1) sent by Opta APPENDIX C: Variables of all successful corners on Excel spreadsheet (2) sent by Opta

List of Tables Table 1. The top four and bottom four teams corners during the 2014/2015 season... 18 Table 2. The types of corner taken by the top and bottom four teams and their success. Significant values for corner types (**p 0.01, *p 0.05)... 19

List of Figures Figure 1.The standard pitch measurements required from teams in the English Premier League. The preferred size for English Premier League teams is 105 by 68 meters (115 yd x 74 yd) as stated in the Premier League Handbook Season 2015/2016 (premierleague.com)... 14 Figure 2. The pitch measurements used for the current study.... 15 Figure 3. The pitch representation of corner location used during corner kick analysis. (Template shown applies to corners taken from the left side of the pitch).... 15 Figure 4. The pitch representation of corner location used during corner kick analysis. (Template shown applies to corners taken from the right side of the pitch).... 16 Figure 5. Top four teams total percentage and success rate of corner kicks for delivery location. % of total corners taken (% of successful corners in that area). (Note: as if all corner kicks are from the left side looking towards the goal)... 20 Figure 6. Bottom four teams total percentage and success rate of corner kicks for delivery location. % of total corners taken (% of successful corners in that area). (Note: as if all corner kicks are from the left side looking towards goal)... 21 Figure 7. The percentage of successful corners for the top and bottom four teams when winning, losing and drawing a match... 22 Figure 8. The percentage of successful corners between the top and bottom four teams in relation to game status... 23 Figure 9. The top and bottom four teams percentage of success during different times of a match... 24

Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor Ray Ponting and Peter O Donoghue for their assistance and advice throughout the process. I would also like to thank Swansea City Football Club for their support and guidance during my placement year with the club. i

Abstract Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate corner kick trends and success between two groups of teams (top four and bottom four) during the 2014/2015 English Premier League season. Methods: Optasport provided data identifying all the corners taken by all 20 teams during the 2014/2015 English Premier League season. 499 corners from the eight teams selected were deemed successful and used for analysis. t-tests and a Repeated Measures ANOVA were used in Excel and SPSS to analyse data. Results: Findings presented that the bottom four teams had more successful corners than the top four (33.5% vs. 27.3%) respectively. A swung type of corner produced the highest rate of success for both team groups. The top four teams executed significantly more short corners than the bottom four (p = 0.032). The bottom four teams were found to target the front post area (p = 0.050) and far post area (p = 0.004) significantly more than the top four. However, both team groups accumulated higher scores of success when targeting areas further away from goal, within the penalty area. Regarding analysis of match status and corner location, both the top and bottom four teams had a greater percentage of success when losing a match, however this success resulted from targeting different areas. An investigation of corner success and match time revealed that both team groups were more successful during the latter stages of a match. With the top four team s highest success score (21.1%) occurring during the 46-60 minute period and the bottom four teams scoring highest (20.4%) during 61-75 minutes. Conclusion: Despite a lower number of attempts, the bottom teams fashioned more attempts on goal than their top four counter-parts. The information provided could be of great interest for football professionals interested in improving corner kick performance. ii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in 2014 achieved a record breaking audience for a sporting event, with 3.2 billion viewers recorded across the tournament and one million tuning-in for the final (FIFA.com, 2015). Football s worldwide popularity, support and scrutiny, has resulted in a wealth of research investigating different aspects within the game. Teams, players and coaches are continuously searching for advantages, no matter how small, to gain the upper-hand on their opponents. As football continues to evolve, clubs are making advances in performance analysis to identify potential advantages, including successful patterns of play, reliable avenues for goal-scoring opportunities and weaknesses in the opposition. Despite considerable advances, the dynamic nature of football requires continuous efforts to measure and quantify the sport in order to improve performance. This is evidenced in the rapid development and growth of performance analysis as a pivotal field in sports analysis. The art of goal-scoring ranks at the top of every manager, player and team s agenda, as ultimately, goals win football matches. The method by which goals are scored is a detailed area of research, with academics attempting to discover the most prolific route to goal and popular goal-scoring methods. A significant number of researchers have directed analyses towards identifying patterns of play and possession football in relation to goal-scoring (Hook and Hughes, 2001; Michailidis et al., 2004 and Hughes and Franks, 2005 to name a few). Others (Sousa and Garganta, 2001 and Armatas et al., 2007) have focused on the impact of set-plays on scoring opportunities, in particular, focusing on free-kicks, corners and penalties. Set-plays in football are important, providing the opportunity for a free direct pass or shot towards goal. It offers teams, or individuals, the opportunity to perform tactical routines. Whether it is through the use of team strategies for corners or the individual technique of a penalty, the anticipation of a goal increases as they are deemed to be goal scoring scenarios. 1

A corner kick is a type of set-play during a football match. Corners occur when the ball passes across the goal-line, between the goal-post and corner flag. Additionally, they provide attacking teams with the option of crossing the ball into an advantageous attacking position. Despite this, corner kicks have received little detailed analysis, with the majority of findings originating from tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and European Championships (Sainz de Baranda and Borras, 2005 and De Baranda and Lopez-Riquelme, 2012). The nature of these tournaments can result in misleading findings as corner samples are small and very few matches are played per team. There is a minimal amount of recent corner analysis across a full season available, which is surprising as corner analysis across the duration of a season provides comprehensive data and the opportunity for detailed team comparisons. Furthermore, very little research has focused on one area of match play, such as corner kicks. 1.1 Aim Corner kicks are arguably important during match play, therefore, the current study aims to compare two groups of teams across the duration of the 2014/2015 English Premier League (EPL) season in terms of their use of corner kicks. The research aimed to identify similarities and differences between the teams who finished in the top four and bottom four positons of the league table. 1.2 Research Question Drawing on the literature reviewed, the study will aim to answer the following research question: Were top four or bottom four teams more successful at corner kicks, during the 2014/2015 English Premier League season? The current study has deemed a corner successful by defining it as any corner which leads to a shot on goal. 2

1.3 Hypotheses 1. Teams in the top four had a higher rate of successful corners than bottom four teams 2. The in-swing type of corner produced the highest rate of success 3. The highest success rate for both the top and bottom four teams occurred at the front post area 4. The top four teams were more successful at corners when losing a match than the bottom four teams 5. More successful corners occurred in the latter stages of a match The following limitations of the study had the potential to influence the results obtained (O Donoghue, 2010), these include; the majority of testing only sampled the successful corner attempts, analysis of the findings is unable to account for specific tactics and systems used by teams, and results do not account for live match scenarios such as red cards, injuries to key players or events occurring at critical times. The nature of the study meant key implications were ignored such as tactical decisions made by coaches, team selection and injuries. All these factors that had the potential to influence the findings were outside the control of the researcher. Other live match scenarios like red cards were not accounted for and have a serious impact on set-pieces. Teams who have less players will often be under more pressure from attacking teams and be disadvantaged by defending corners with less players. Having affirmed the rationale for the current research topic, chapter two presents an exploration and discussion of the literature. Chapter three considers the methodology employed and data analysis procedures. Chapter four presents findings from the tests conducted and how they relate or argue against the relevant research. The final chapter, reinstates the key findings and highlights limitations and suggestions for future research. 3

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter explores literature in relation to performance analysis, set pieces and corner kicks. Empirical research is presented and evidence is given to support the purpose of the present study. 2.2 Performance Analysis Performance analysis is used to assist the complex process of evaluating and assessing data and, by developing the understanding of a sport, can inform the decision-making involved in the coaching process and enhance performance (Hodges and Franks, 2002; O Donoghue, 2010). The objective of match analysis is to record and examine tactical, technical and behavioural events (Carling et al., 2005). The collection of this data derives from notational analysis systems, such as hand and computer coding, analysing these events during and post-event. The collection of data is a vital part of the analysis process in order to provide feedback on performances to coaches (Franks, 1997). Performance analysis feedback in football partly consists of quantitative analysis and evaluating statistical data of the team and of individual player performance. This frequency analysis has proven valuable to the coach and performers, whilst continually benefitting the coaching process (Borrie et al., 2002). Qualitative aspects profit from video footage, relating traits from performance to the reasoning behind the decision (Carling et al., 2005). Through accumulating the information that performance analysis provides, tactical decisions, technical improvement and training regimes (to name a few) are developed and improved through their application in the game (Yiannakos and Armatas, 2006). 4

2.3 Performance Indicators and Set Pieces A wealth of research has been conducted in areas of football through tactical, technical and physiological studies. Goal scoring is viewed as the most important variable of research as it is the ultimate target of any offensive team (Michailidis et al., 2004). Numerous studies (Hook and Hughes, 2001; Jones et al., 2004; Hughes and Churchill, 2005; Hughes and Franks, 2005; Casal, 2011; Ardá et al., 2014 and Casal et al., 2015), have conducted research on the offensive characteristics in football, focusing their attention on the variable of goal scoring. Reep and Benjamin (1968) pioneered the investigation of scoring methods, providing a platform for further research into key offensive elements. Several recent reports (e.g. Yiannakos and Armatas, 2006 and Armatas et al., 2007) have built ideas on the concept of attacking patterns, developing the original idea of Reep and Benjamin (1968). Yiannakos and Armatas (2006) and Armatas et al. (2007) studies of the 2004 European Championship and 2006 World Cup presented results showing how different attacking patterns were used throughout the tournaments. Goals were found to occur through organised moves 44.1 per cent and 47.1 per cent, set plays 35.6 per cent and 32.6 per cent respectively and counter-attacks 20.3 per cent during the European tournament. Highlighting the value of optimising the use of set plays during a match. The frequent occurrence of set plays throughout a football match highlights their importance across all levels of football (Bate, 1988). Bangsbo and Peitersen (2000) emphasised their significance, stating that each team will acquire, on average 20 set plays per match. The frequency of set plays alone provides encouragement for managers and coaches to focus on offensive and defensive strategies in order to take advantage of their effectiveness. A large quantity of literature has been produced on set pieces, several focussing attentions on their effect during elite tournaments (FIFA World Cup and Continental Championships). Interestingly, similar findings have been produced; with numerous outcomes suggesting 30 to 40 per cent of goals come from a set play (Jinshan et al., 1993; Perez and Vicente, 1996; Marquez and Raya, 1998; Hughes, 1999; Ensum et al., 2002; James et al., 2004 and Lago and Martin, 2007). Bangsbo and Peitersen (2000) stated that during the Italia 1990 World Cup and 1994 World Cup in the USA, 32 and 25 per cent respectively of goals scored were as a result of dead ball scenarios. Similarly, Acer et al. (2009) reported a 37 per cent conversion rate during the Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup and 29 per cent for the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan. Finally, Piecniczk (1983) and Hughes (1990) demonstrated 5

percentages of goals scored from set pieces at the 1982 Spanish World Cup had even risen to 45 per cent. Also supported by Yiannakos and Armatas (2006) who concluded that 35.6 per cent of goals were scored through set plays at the 2004 European Championships. Based on these findings, it is no surprise to discover that the winners of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cup had the highest conversion rate from dead-ball situations (Jankovic et al., 2011). Several reports have highlighted the significance of previous findings, reporting that irrespective of the tournament, goals scored after set plays amountd to one third of total goals scored (Olsen, 1988; Zempel and Rudolph, 1990; Saltas and Ladis, 1992; Jishan et al., 1993; Fifa, 2002; Bekris et al., 2005 and Vitsikanou et al., 2005). Various authors have since identified the breakdown of set play type leading to goals, demonstrating their importance to managers and coaches. During the 1982 World Cup 27 per cent of goals were scored from corners, 28 per cent from free-kicks and 37 per cent from the penalty spot (Jishan et al., 1993). Similar statistics were produced by Pappas (2002), who found that 24.4 per cent of goals resulted from corners, 39 per cent from free-kicks and 26.8 per cent from penalties during the World Cup of 2002. Among these set pieces, free kicks and corners have been found to be the highest producers of goals from organised attacks. For example, Sousa and Garganta (2001) discovered that free kicks and corners produced 46 per cent and 13 per cent of goals scored at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, along with Grant et al. (1999) who stated 50 per cent and 47.6 per cent occurred during the 1998 competition. It is clear from this evidence that the main focus of data collection has occurred across the short duration of a tournament, where few matches are played by each team (seven for the finalists at a World Cup) and only 64 matches in total at the FIFA World Cup. Despite the notable figures surrounding goals being produced from set plays, it must be noted that relatively small samples have been monitored and that tournaments produce smaller quantities of goals compared to entire league campaigns (due to higher amount of matches during a league campaign). Based on this research there is room for further analysis on setplays, by focusing attention away from tournament centred analysis and by examining a higher quantity of set-plays. The current study will aim to investigate an entire league season, which will offer a larger data set. Furthermore, very little research has focused on one component area of match play, such as corner kicks. The following section will investigate research around corners and how they contribute tactically during a match, tournament or entire league season. A further detailed investigation will provide wider 6

knowledge of its effectiveness and why teams should place further significance on their corner kick efficiency. 2.4 Research to the study: Corners The corner kick plays an important role in football, providing teams with a key opportunity to deploy offensive strategy onto the opposition defence. It represents the chance to maintain possession in an attacking area of the field and hit an unopposed pass into the opposition penalty area (Hill and Hughes, 2001). Research has been conducted (Olsen and Larsen, 1997; Hill and Hughes, 2001; Taylor et al., 2005 and Sainz de Baranda and Riquelme, 2012) that has provided information into why and how the corner kick is an important tool. All these studies investigated the effectiveness of corners during tournaments or league campaigns with Casal et al. (2015) providing the most in-depth and recent corner kick research, exploring corner characteristics across three competitions (FIFA World Cup 2010, UEFA European Championships 2012 and UEFA Champions League 2010-2011). The general consensus stated that between nine and thirteen corner kicks on average are taken per match (Hill and Hughes, 2001; Yamanaka et al., 2002; Borrás and Sainz de Baranda 2005; Carling et al., 2005; Taylor et al., 2005; Acar et al., 2009; Sainz de Baranda, and Lopez Riquelme 2012 and Casal et al., 2015). As a result of this finding, Casal et al. (2015), who analysed 1139 corner kicks across multiple competitions, stated that only 26 per cent of these resulted in a shot. From the total shots, 9.8 per cent hit the target and only 2.2 per cent ended in a goal being scored. This is a finding supported by Marquez and Raya (1998) who argued that corner kicks are efficient in 2.28 per cent of all cases and Perez and Vicente (1996) analysis of the 1994 World Cup in the USA said 1.6 per cent of shots from corners resulted in a goal. Initially, readers would be forgiven for thinking goals from corners are uncommon and ineffective. However, throughout elite football they provide a decisive factor on match outcome (Arda et al., 2014). For example, Casal et al. (2015) stated that only 2.2 per cent of corners ended in a goal, but this goal resulted in team winning or drawing the match on 76 per cent of occasions. This statement is subject to criticism, as other factors after the goal being scored could contribute to the match result, such as more goals being scored, injuries to key players on the opposite team or the total players on the field being reduced by a red card. However, this evidence still suggests that teams must be prepared for corner 7

kicks from an attacking and defending perspective due to the significant opportunities they present to win the match (Armatas et al., 2007). Furthermore, common trends have been discovered in terms of corner type and the location that produces the highest number of shots on goal and goals scored. For example, Olsen and Larsen (1997), Taylor et al. (2004) and Taylor et al. (2005) argue that a direct, swung corner provides a team with the best chance to create a scoring opportunity, while Hill and Hughes (2001) also state that corners with curl provide the most opportunities on goal. Both Olsen and Larsen (1997) and Taylor et al. (2005) support each others findings, stating that one in five out-swing and one in three in-swing corners result in a chance on goal. Taylor et al. (2005) further support these findings by arguing that out-swing corners lead to the highest number of attempts on goal (60.7 per cent), whilst in-swing corners lead to more goals (66 per cent). The nature of the out-swing corner means the ball is directed further away from the goal-keeper, increasing the chances of the attacking team making first contact with the ball. However, as a result, the chance of a goal being scored is reduced due to the difficulty of generating enough power on a shot as the ball is travelling away from the goal. The consensus that in-swing corners produce more goals does not come as a surprise, due to its proximity to the goal and the fact that more emphasis is put on shot direction rather than power, creating a greater chance of a goal. On the other hand, the execution of the short corner has been found to produce numerous goal-scoring opportunities, although they are less common (Hill and Hughes, 2001; Taylor et al., 2005). This could be due to the fact that these types of corners are more infrequent and defenders are less familiar with the angle of delivery. As a consequence, this causes confusion as defenders become attracted to the ball, creating greater spaces in behind the defence (Ali, 1998). Multiple discrepancies have been highlighted across research investigating corner kick delivery location. Some researchers (Hughes and Petit, 2001; Taylor et al., 2005) declare that the area between the six-yard box and penalty spot is the optimal area of delivery, as this has led to the greatest number of attempts and goals. Similarly, Taylor et al. (2005) stated that in-swing corners into that same area provide the most attempts and the highest chance of a shot on target. Arguably, the corner is being delivered into the goalkeepers area of uncertainty, not knowing whether to stay on the goal line or come to collect the cross. Hughes (1999) also emphasised the use of in-swing will lead to a higher amount of 8

goals. On the other hand, contradicting reports by Casal et al. (2015) and Sainz de Baranda and Borras (2005) highlight higher success rates of corners played to the penalty box edge and indirectly to the far post respectively. Clearly, on demonstration there is room for further development on discovering common and effective corner delivery areas. A variation in results was found in regards to match status and the target area of corners. Sainz de Baranda and Lopez-Riquelme (2012) discovered that there was a tendency for teams during the 2006 World Cup to target the front post regardless of the score-line (36.6 per cent). Agreeing with Marquez and Raya (1998) who previously concluded similar results at the 1998 World Cup in France. An interesting finding by Ali (1998) found a trend in teams winning a match to perform more short corners. A discovery complemented by Sainz de Baranda and Lopez-Riquelme (2012) who found when winning 29.2 per cent were played short compared to 10.1 per cent when drawing and 15.2 per cent when losing. A wealth of research exists examining whether goal scoring is affected by time, (Jishan et al., 1993; Michaildis et al., 2004; Yiannakos and Armatas, 2006; Armatas et al., 2007) yet multiple discrepancies has been found. Jishan et al. (1993) concluded in a study of the 1990 World Cup that most goals were scored in the final 15 minutes. Yiannakos and Armatas (2006) supported this claim by investigating set-plays at the European 2004 Championships and reported more goals were scored in the second half. However, Michaildis et al. (2004) reported that time had no affect on goal scoring when analysing how, where and when goals were scored during the 2002-03 Champions League. A recent study by Armatas et al. (2007) analysed the effect that time had on goal-scoring from three World Cups (1998, 2002 and 2006) and concluded more goals were scored as time progressed during the second half, agreeing with Jishan et al. (1993) and Yiannakos and Armatas (2006). Specifically, across the three World Cups analysed, no significant differences were found between goals being scored per 15 minutes. Evidently, some reports have supported that time-scale affects goalscoring, however this is an area that requires further development. 2.5 Conclusion Within this chapter, the current research has been reviewed with reference to the coaching process in performance analysis, set pieces and corner kicks. In terms of the coaching process, it is clear that performance analysis plays a vital role in supporting the development and progress of coaches, teams and players. Set pieces is a topic that has received much 9

attention in previous literature, concluding that such scenarios are an important part of goal scoring opportunities. Within this, free kicks continuously provided the most goal scoring opportunities followed by corner kicks and penalties. Finally, in relation to corners, previous literature is contradictory in terms of corner location delivery and if corner success is affected by time, and does not reach a general consensus. Whilst it is argued by some that the optimal area of delivery is between the six-yard box and penalty spot, others have claimed that areas such as the front post and far post are more preferential. With reference to time frame during a match, some research has stated more goals are scored the later the game progresses, however other studies have declared that time is not a factor which affects goals being scored. From this literature review, it has been identified that previous research is lacking in both sample size and depth into the specific areas of corners. Therefore, the current study aims to address this by providing a comprehensive analysis into the key characteristics of corner kicks, consisting of a breakdown of traits between the top four and bottom four teams from the 2014/2015 English Premier League season. The results will be based on a large sample size across an entire league campaign of all eight teams. Having explored the literature on corner kick analysis, the following chapter will discuss the methodology used to attend to the research questions, the process of collection and procedures of data analysis. 10

CHAPTER 3 METHODS 3.1 Introduction The aim of the study was to investigate various factors that contributed to successful corner kicks from the top four and bottom four teams in the English Premier League (EPL). The study sought to analyse attacking corners during the 2014/2015 season. An attacking corner was a direct kick from the corner of the field, awarded to the attacking team after the defending team directed the ball over the goal line. The definition of a successful corner was one that resulted in a shot on goal from the team taking the corner that lead to a goal, miss, save from the goalkeeper or hit the framework of the goal. Further analysis looked to investigate whether variables such as corner type, location of delivery, match status and match time affected the team s success rate. A teams success rate was defined as the (total successful corners total attacking corners * 100) to generate success rate percentage. 3.2 Equipment Laptop (Apple, MacBook, California, USA) Excel (Microsoft, USA) SPSS v.22 (IBM, USA) 3.3 Pilot Study Piloting of the data collection process is conducted by Optasport. 3.4 Data Source Optasport, who generate live match statistics, agreed to provide the data for the purpose of the investigation (Appendix, A). They were asked to provide data on attacking corners for all teams from the EPL during the 2014/2015 season. The reliability of the tracking system (OPTA Client System) was verified by Liu et al (2013). Optasport presented the data in two Excel spreadsheets (Microsoft, USA). The first spreadsheet (Sheet, 1) contained all the attacking corners from the 2014/2015 season, with individual identification codes and 11

various corner variables (Appendix, B). The second spreadsheet (Sheet, 2) showed only the successful attacking corners from the entire 2014/2015 season, with matching identification codes (Appendix, C). A third spreadsheet (Sheet 3) was generated by linking the first and second spreadsheets together using the LOOKUP tool in Excel (Microsoft, USA) to connect identifying fields and identification codes. The original data set (Sheet, 2) provided X and Y coordinates to identify where the corner was delivered to, from the corner. Sheet 3 was programed to label the corner with a unique corner location label (Section, 3.5.3) if that corner landed within the designated X and Y coordinates. The final data sheet consisted only of successful corners and was the finalised data set used for the study. The finalised data set (Sheet, 3) used for data analysis: Top (Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City) and bottom four teams (Aston Villa, Burnley, Hull City, Queens Park Rangers) Corner type The style of corner delivered (In-swinger, Out-swinger, Straight or Short) Corner location Where the corner was delivered to Game status The match status (winning, drawing or losing) of the attacking team taking the corner Corner time The time the corner was taken. Time was separated by 15 minute sections. Once the data was sorted in Excel (Microsoft, USA), the pivot table tool was used to firstly, organize, sort and test the data, to find significant values and relationships between the variables. The coding and finalisation of all Excel sheets took a number of days. The original data sample totalled 4071 corners from 20 teams in the EPL during the 2014/2015 season. For the purpose of the investigation, corners from eight teams were used which totalled 1661, from this 499 were deemed successful, therefore used for analysis. For the purpose of the analysis only the successful corners were used. The data sample used was categorised into teams which finished in the top four (first, second, third and fourth) (Chelsea n=226, Manchester City n=277, Arsenal n=254 and Manchester United n=214) and bottom four positions (seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, twentieth) (Aston Villa n=171, Hull City n=169, Queens Park Rangers n=179 and Burnley n=171) from the finalised EPL league table for a team comparison analysis. 12

3.5 Operational Definitions Operational definitions are formed to reduce the likelihood of errors occurring during data collection. The following definitions were the relevant definitions used by Opta for main match actions (OPTA, 2012). These definitions were used in the current study. 3.5.1 Style of Corner Kick 1. Out-swinger: When the ball is kicked it moves towards the goal-line then finishes moving away from the goal 2. In-swinger: When the ball is kicked it moves away from the goal-line then finishes moving towards the goal 3. Straight: When the ball is kicked it moves directly in a straight line through the air to the intended target 4. Short: When the corner is passed to another teammate along the floor over a short distance 3.5.2 Corner Outcome 1. Attempt on goal: Any shot by a team that is directed towards the goal. 2. On target: Any attempt on goal that Goes into the net Would have gone into the net but was saved by the goal-keeper or blocked by the defender 3. Off target: Any attempt on goal where the ball goes wide of the target, misses the goal or hits the framework of the goal. 4. Goal: Where the ball completely passes over the goal line between the goalposts and cross bar and declared by the referee, unless it is later disallowed. 13

3.5.3 Corner Location The original data set provided by Opta consisted of corner location coordinates. The following definitions provided are generated from the author s own interpretation of corner location after specific areas were clarified from the coordinates. Figure 1 shows the standard pitch measurements that teams in the premier league must abide to. Figure 2 shows the measurements used for the current study. The corner location definition is dependent on the side taken (left or right). Each corner location refers to the first point of contact with the ball after the corner has been taken as seen in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Figure 1. The standard pitch measurements required from teams in the English Premier League. The preferred size for English Premier League teams is 105 by 68 meters (115 yd x 74 yd) as stated in the Premier League Handbook Season 2015/2016 (premierleague.com). 14

Figure 2. The pitch measurements used for the current study. Figure 3. The pitch representation of corner location used during corner kick analysis. (Template shown applies to corners taken from the left side of the pitch). 15

Figure 4. The pitch representation of corner location used during corner kick analysis. (Template shown applies to corners taken from the right side of the pitch). 1. Goal-keeper Near (GKN) (1): the area of the penalty box next to the goal-post nearest to the side the corner was taken from 2. Goal-keeper Central (GKC) (2): the area of the penalty box in the centre of the goal between the goal-line and the six-yard box 3. Goal-keeper Far (GKF) (3): the area of the penalty box next to the goal-post furthest away from the side the corner was taken from 4. Penalty Near (PENN) (4): the area of the penalty box located from the penalty box edge to half-way towards the goal, nearest the side the corner was taken from 5. Penalty Central (PENC) (5): the area of the penalty box central of the goal located from the penalty box edge to the halfway point of the penalty area. 6. Penalty Far (PENF) (6): the area of the penalty box located from the penalty box edge to half-way towards the goal, furthest away from the side the corner was taken from 16

7. Short (Short) (7): the area located nearest the taker, usually found when the ball is passed to a teammate. 8. Penalty Edge (Edge) (8): the area outside the penalty box, spreading from one corner of the penalty area to the other. Occupies space from penalty box edge to halfway point of that half of the pitch. 9. Overhit (Overhit) (9): If the first contact made with the ball is beyond the penalty area or the penalty edge area, in the opposite side to the taker. 3.6 Data Analysis The data that was collected from the top four and bottom four sample was analysed in order to find overall success rates and differences between the two groups of teams. The finalised data set was separated into the top and bottom four teams and tested for significant differences when carrying out statistical testing. This involved inputting the data into Excel (Microsoft, USA) and SPSS (IBM, USA). From this the relevant statistical tests were used, a t-test and a Repeated Measures ANOVA determined statistically significant differences and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. t-tests were conducted between the two groups of teams on overall success rate, corner type, corner location and corner location compared to game status. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted for the location of corners across different time frames (15 minute sections) between the two groups of teams. A t-test was used to determine if the two sets of data between the two team groups were significantly different from each other. The Repeated Measures ANOVA was used for its ability to test the equality of means and measure groups under a number of different conditions. 17

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS 4.1 Introduction The following section will discuss results from the present study that investigated differences between the top and bottom four teams from the EPL during the 2014/2015 season. The analyses conducted investigates corner types, corner location, corner location compared to match status and corner success during different time frames of a match. The analysis conducted aims to directly compare the two team groups. 4.2 Corner Summary Data analysis was conducted in order to discover if there were any significant findings from the corner kicks taken between the top and bottom four teams. The matches that were analysed (Table 1) showed that 971 corners were taken by the top four teams, of which 267 (27.3%) resulted in an attempt on goal and were categorised as a successful corner. In contrast, the bottom four teams performed a total of 690 corners, but similarly to the top four, completed 232 (33.5%) of those successfully. Therefore, a general corner summary suggests that the teams in the bottom four proved to be more effective at corner kicks, successfully completing more attempts on goal (33.5%) from the corners taken. Nevertheless, the top four teams demonstrated greater efficiency in the number of goals scored from corners, scoring three more goals in total. Table 1. The top four and bottom four teams corners during the 2014/2015 season Teams Total Corners Mean ± SD Success Rate (%) Goals Top four 971 242.7 ± 28.3 27.3 19 Bottom four 690 172.5 ± 4.43 33.5 16 18

4.3 Corner Type From the data, clear contrasts became evident between the two groups of teams in relation to the styles used to take a corner. Four styles of corner kick were found when conducting the analysis: in-swinger, out-swinger, short and straight (Table 2). Independent t-tests found that the total percentage of corners taken short by the top four teams occurred significantly more than the bottom four teams (p = 0.032). Despite this, the overall percentage of straight corners taken by the bottom four teams occurred significantly more than the top four teams (p = 0.021). There was no significant difference found between the top and bottom four team s overall percentage for in-swing (p = 0.093) and out-swing (p = 0.191) corners. In terms of successful attempts on goal, the bottom four teams produced significantly greater success rates than the top four teams when conducting in-swing (p = 0.039), out-swing (p = 0.024) and straight (p = 0.045) corners. Despite these higher success rates, the top four teams scored more goals (19) than the bottom four (16). Table 2. The types of corner taken by the top and bottom four teams and their success. Significant values for corner types (**p 0.01, *p 0.05) Corner Type Frequency (%) Success Rate (%) Goals Top four Bottom four Top four Bottom four Top four Bottom four In-swinger 35.9 52.4 23.6 31.7* 7 12 Out-swinger 46.9 29.2 31.8 39.4* 8 4 Short 14.4 7.5* 24.7 28 4 0 Straight 2.8 10.9* 13.9 32.1* 0 0 19

4.4 Corner Location The area of the pitch a corner was directed into and the success rate of both team groups was also investigated. Figure 5 shows the percentage of the total corners taken by the top four teams and their success rates. The front post area (1) was found to have the greatest frequency of deliveries (30%), but one of the lowest success rates (24%). The area at the far post (3) proved to be the most successful area for the top four teams, with 46 per cent of corners resulting in an attempt on goal. Figure 6 highlights that the area located central of the goal, within the six-yard box (2), was the most frequently hit area for teams in the bottom four (32%). In contrast, the area those teams found the most success (52%) was located central of the goalmouth around the penalty spot (5). Independent t-tests conducted between the two groups of teams highlighted significant differences in the total frequency of delivery between areas one (p = 0.050), three (p = 0.004) and seven (p = 0.021). To compare these results further, corner location was compared to match status, analysing the corner performance between the top and bottom four teams when winning, drawing and losing a match. Figure 5. Top four teams total percentage and success rate of corner kicks for delivery location. % of total corners taken (% of successful corners in that area). (Note: as if all corner kicks are from the left side looking towards the goal) (Significant values for corner location, *p 0.05). 20

Figure 6. Bottom four teams total percentage and success rate of corner kicks for delivery location. % of total corners taken (% of successful corners in that area). (Note: as if all corner kicks are from the left side looking towards goal) (Significant values for corner location, **p 0.01, *p 0.05). 4.5 Corner Location and Match Status The next test conducted analysed corner location in relation to match status. Figure 7 shows the total percentage of successful corners for the top and bottom four teams when winning, drawing and losing a match across the duration of the 2014/2015 season. Overall, the top four teams had more success (54%) than the bottom four (46%) during the season. When winning a match, the top four teams had more success (19%) than the bottom four (6%) by creating an attempt on goal. When losing a match, teams in the bottom four had more attempts on goal from corners, therefore producing a greater success rate (19%) than top four teams (8%). When drawing a match, the top four teams had more success (26%) than bottom four teams (21%). The t-tests carried out showed no significant differences between the top and bottom teams when winning (p = 0.632), drawing (p = 0.823) or losing (p = 0.376) a match. 21

Figure 7. The percentage of successful corners for the top and bottom four teams when winning, losing and drawing a match Figure 8 shows the levels of success of corner location for the top and bottom four teams when winning, drawing and losing a match. In terms of location, both the top and bottom four teams attained their highest scores of success when losing. The bottom four teams had a success rate of 37.6 per cent when targeting the Goal-keeper Central (GKC) area from a losing position. The top four teams had a success rate of 35.9 per cent, targeting the Goalkeeper Near (GKN) area, also from a losing position in the match. 22

Figure 8. The percentage of successful corners between the top and bottom four teams in relation to game status 4.6 Corner Success and Time Frame After investigating the relationship between corner success and game status, a comparison of successful corners between the top and bottom four teams in relation to time of a match was carried out. Figure 9 shows the percentage of successful corners delivered within each 15-minute section. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted between the two team groups and showed there were no significant differences across each 15-minute time frame (top four p = 0.821, bottom four p = 0.413). Both the top (53.2%) and bottom (56.4%) four teams accumulated higher success rates during the second half of matches across the season. The top four teams recorded their highest success rate (21.1%) just after half time during the 46-60 minute period. In contrast, the bottom four teams were most successful (20.4%) during the next period between 61-75 minutes. 23

Figure 9. The top and bottom four teams percentage of success during different times of a match 4.7 Conclusion Throughout this section, the results from the data collected have been analysed using statistical tests including t-tests and a Repeated Measures ANOVA. The results have been discussed in terms of corner type, corner location, corner location in relation to match status and corner success in relation to time. Overall, bottom four teams were more successful from corners, scoring a higher success rate. This pattern continued when comparing the different corner types. The bottom four teams were more successful than the top four teams when performing each of the four corner types. After investigating corner location, significant differences occurred between the top and bottom four teams in terms of frequency of delivery, with the top four teams targeting the front post (GKN) and short corner significantly more, where as bottom teams scored significantly different at the far post area (GKF). Comparing corner location to match status showed that the top teams highest success came when targeting the near post (GKN) from a losing position and similarly bottom teams scored their highest success percentage, but when targeting the goal-keeper central area (GKC) from a losing position a match. Lastly, no significance between the two groups was found when comparing success across different time frames. However, the most success for both groups was found during the second half of matches. 24

CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION 5.1 Introduction This section discusses the key findings from the previous chapter and how they relate to the hypotheses and research question. The following analysis aims to discuss and contribute to the discipline by identifying trends concurrent with existing research or in opposition to previous findings. The aim of the initial analysis was to conduct a corner summary of the top and bottom four teams from the EPL 2014/2015 season. 5.2 Analysis of Results 5.2.1 Corner Summary Findings from the current study demonstrate that teams finishing in the top four of the English Premier League 2014/2015 season executed more corners than the bottom four teams. Therefore, evidence from the current study suggests to support the previous findings of Lago-Ballesteros and Lago-Peñas (2010) who found that, on average, the top four teams performed more corners than the bottom four teams in the Spanish football league during the 2009-10 season. Nevertheless, this is as far as the similarities can be said to run between the current study and previous analyses of corner kicks. In contrast, Armatas et al. (2009) and Lago-Ballesteros and Lago-Peñas (2010) stated that the top four teams had more corners overall and therefore more shots on target than bottom teams, the current study found that the bottom four proved to be more successful, recording a higher success rate (33.5%). This seems to oppose the suggestion made by Armatas et al. (2009) and Lago- Ballesteros and Lago-Peñas (2010) that executing more corners would provide top teams with a greater chance of success from a corner. In turn, the evidence found in the present study contradicts hypothesis one which suggested that the top four teams would be more successful at corners than the bottom four teams. In the current study, despite a lower corner count, the bottom teams proved to be more successful, achieving more shots from their corners. However, a reason for this finding could be due to researchers adopting an alternate definition for success. As discussed earlier, the current study categorises the term success as any corner which leads to a shot on goal. It is important to recognise that other 25

authors may have adopted a narrower definition, only including scored goals. Therefore, this may account for the differences in the results found. There is little research to suggest why this pattern has emerged, however, it is inevitable that teams who find themselves in the attacking third less often will target set-pieces as a key goal-scoring strategy. Therefore, bottom teams who obtain fewer corners will aim to perfect this form of attacking strategy, considering it to provide a better chance of scoring than during open play. As a result, these teams might devote more attention to set-play strategies than top teams, who perhaps perceive their strengths to be in other areas. 5.2.2 Corner Type Results from the current study were in support of other research (Olsen and Larsen, 1997; Hill and Hughes, 2001 and Taylor et al., 2005), finding that in-swing and out-swing corners produced the highest number of successful outcomes for both the top and bottom four teams. This partially concurs with hypothesis two, in which it was suggested that the inswing corners produced the most success. An initial response to this finding would be to suggest that the swung type of corner was the most frequent on display by accumulating the highest frequency percentage for both the top and bottom four teams. Nevertheless, tactical reasoning suggests that the swung corner has been preferred by teams due to the likelihood of it leading to a shot (Carling et al., 2005; Taylor et al., 2005 and Sainz de Baranda et al., 2011). The top four teams preference to use an out-swing corner may have been linked to the ability to generate more power into shots and the opportunity to keep the ball away from the goalkeeper, therefore, increasing the chances of the attacker making first contact with the ball. In contrast, the success shown by the bottom four teams from corners swung towards the goal showed their preference to apply pressure on the goalkeeper and make contact with the ball closer to the goal. Interestingly, both sets of teams differed when executing a short and a straight corner. Teams in the top four executed significantly more short corners than the bottom four teams; the top four teams executed 14.4 per cent in contrast to the bottom four only achieving 7.5 per cent (p = 0.032). Despite the short corner being less frequent than a swung corner in the current study, the short corner still produces numerous goal-scoring opportunities. Short corners provide an uncertainty amongst defences because of a sudden adjustment in set- 26

up; defenders are now required to man-mark the attacker or watch their movement and must be aware of an alteration of the ball flight-path (Ali, 1998; Casal et al., 2015). Additionally, defences are often caught unexpectedly, as attacking teams often perform a short corner impulsively, dependent on the game circumstances or defensive set-up. The space created through a short corner could be the key factor in top four teams performing short corners more often than the bottom four. In general, top four teams will have higher quality attacking players and their ability to create goal scoring opportunities from the space created could be a key factor in this finding. The fact that top four teams scored an identical number of goals from short corners as the bottom four teams managed from out-swing corners could suggest this method of corner is effective for sides of superior quality. This is an important finding as numerous authors (Carling et al., 2005; Taylor et al., 2005; Sanchez-Flores et al., 2012) have stated that a swung corner will provide a greater number of shots and success on goal. This suggests that the short corner could be becoming a more reliable avenue for goal scoring opportunities. In contrast, the bottom four teams completed significantly more straight corners, totalling 10.9 per cent, compared to 2.8 per cent from the top four (p = 0.021). The preference for bottom four teams to use a straight type of corner could be due to the direct flight path of the ball. Movement of the ball in the air away or towards the goal is reduced during a corner, allowing attackers to run directly onto the ball rather than adjusting their run-up. Alternatively, straight deliveries are more simplistic to defend due to minimal ball movement, which could explain why neither top nor bottom teams managed a goal during the entire 2014/2015 season. This finding is not surprising when compared to findings from Taylor et al. (2005) who found that the straight corner was the least effective corner type, scoring the lowest success rate and fewest goals. When analysing the overall success rate (%) for both team groups, the bottom four teams scored higher than the top four on each type of corner, recording significantly different results for the in-swinger, out-swinger and straight corner type. As suggested previously, bottom teams may dedicate more attention to corners because the potential to score is greater than during open-play. Furthermore, teams at the bottom of the table may be in losing positions more often during matches, thus increasing their desperation to score and possibly increasing the amount of players sent forward, which could explain their higher success scores. 27

5.2.3 Corner Location Through the investigation of corner delivery location, evidence was found to suggest both similarities and disparities with previous studies. Findings of particular interest included the differences in target area for both groups of teams, with the bottom four aiming for the far post (GKF) (p = 0.004) and near post (GKN) (p = 0.050) significantly more than teams in the top four. This evidence disagrees with hypothesis three which suggested that the GKN area would produce the highest rate of success for both the top and bottom four teams. As expected from earlier results regarding corner type, the top four teams executed significantly more corners into the short area than bottom four teams (p = 0.021). The findings of the current study are supported by the findings of Taylor et al. (2005), Sánchez-Flores et al. (2012) and Casal et al. (2015) who all found that teams were highly successful when corners were directed to the far post area. The present study reinstates that the far post area is an effective target area, as both top (46%) and bottom teams (43%) recorded high success rates. This could be because although defending teams having more time to judge the ball pathway, defenders are forced to change direction or run backwards instead of meeting the ball head-on by running towards the taker. Despite the clear target area being in the six-yard box, both groups of teams found greater success when deliveries were targeted further away from goal, between the six-yard box and the edge of the penalty area, as seen on figures 1 and 2. The results from the present study agree with research by Hughes and Petit (2001), Hughes and Franks (2004), Carling et al. (2005) and Taylor et al. (2005) who proposed that the optimal area of delivery was between the edge of the six-yard box and the penalty spot; within the areas of the near side penalty area (PENN), central of the penalty area (PENC) and far side of the penalty area (PENF) (4,5 and 6). This links to data in the current study concerning the success shown by top four teams when performing an outswing type of corner, because the ball is played into those areas with more space for attackers. Meanwhile, it increases the difficulty for the goalkeeper to make contact with the ball (Casal et al., 2015). However, this result is surprising considering the area between the six-yard box and the penalty spot is predominantly where defending players position themselves in the penalty area, especially when defending with a zonal style of play. Therefore, further research into why attacking players accumulate so much success in this area could be investigated in further detail. 28

5.2.4 Corner Location and Match Status Following the analysis conducted on corner delivery location, a further test was carried out to establish whether match status was a key factor in teams tactical thought processes. Unsurprisingly, results from testing showed that the top four teams had more successful corners (19 per cent) than bottom four teams (6 per cent) when winning a match, and bottom four teams had more success (19 per cent) than top four teams (8 per cent) when losing. Logically, top four teams will be in winning positions more often than bottom teams during the season, suggesting why their success rate and league position is higher. When in losing situations, teams may adapt their strategy, putting more attackers in the penalty area and even allowing the goalkeeper to join the attack when in desperate situations (Casal et al., 2015). Interestingly, the bottom four teams accumulated their highest proportion of successful corners (37.6 per cent) when the ball was played into the area closest to the goalkeeper (GKC) when in a losing position during the match. This result contradicts the findings of Sainz de Baranda and Lopez-Riquelme (2012) and Marquez and Raya (1998) who argued that teams aimed for the front post regardless of the match status. The contradictory evidence from the current study may suggest that applying pressure onto the goalkeeper, by directing the ball into the GKC area, central of the goal-mouth, may cause defensive errors. Equally, when in losing positions, teams may position extra players within the penalty area, causing restricted space for a goalkeeper and the increased chance of making first contact with the ball (Casal et al., 2015). Another theme which emerged from the study showed that both the top four (10.4 per cent) and bottom four (9.3 per cent) teams performed more successful short corners when winning. As discussed previously, Ali (1998) and Sainz de Baranda and Lopez-Riquelme (2012) agree that teams perform more short corners when in a winning position. Winning teams will be more inclined to keep the ball, avoid a turnover in possession and thus not offer an advantage to the losing team. Success could occur more from winning positions because losing teams may opt to leave players further up the pitch in anticipation of a counter-attack, consequently leaving less defenders in the penalty area. Top four teams could be more prone to short corners due to their confidence and ability in keeping possession of the ball. 29

5.2.5 Corner Success and Match Time A final analysis of corner success and time during a match shows that both the top four (53.2 per cent) and bottom four (56.4 per cent) teams were slightly more successful during the second half of matches, but no significant difference was reported. This finding is supported by Casal et al. (2015) who found that successful attempts on goal occurred more often during the latter stage of matches. Both findings can be justified when looking at tactics employed by losing teams who try to attack more frequently in the latter stages of games (Acar et al., 2009 and Casal et al., 2015). Such teams may allow more players to move forward to participate in corners during the second half, as corners during this stage are viewed as significantly important and teams become more desperate to change the scoreline. From a physiological perspective it is well known that the physical state and performance levels of players will decrease as a match progresses (Bangsbo, 1994), providing greater goal-scoring opportunities as the physical levels of defender s decrease. The analysis of corner location and time frames during a match, led to a breakdown of 15- minute segments. Results suggest that the top teams enjoyed more success during the 46-60 minute time frame, recording 21.1 per cent of successful corners. Similarly, the bottom four teams recorded their greatest success rate during the second half, recording 20.4 per cent during the 61-75 minute time frame. A contributing factor to the higher success rates during the latter stages of matches could be due to fatigue levels. Research shows that players ability to perform high intensity exercise is reduced towards the end of games (Krustrup et al., 2006 and Mohr et al., 2004a). The findings from the current study concur with the results of Armatas et al. (2007) who stated that more goals were scored as time progressed through a match and during the second half. This common trend in late success in matches could link to the physical levels of players, dependent on their playing position. Mohr et al. (2003) stated that central defenders had a lower physical capacity due to their tactical role, which could make them vulnerable during the latter stage of matches. Nevertheless, this statement could be disputed considering how team s set-up tactically in the modern game, often with physically powerful and quick defenders to oppose fast attackers and teams that play on the counterattack. Additionally, the nature of the modern game requires players to sustain high physical levels for a full match and specialist staff and training programs are available in elite football for this purpose. 30

This common occurrence of successful attempts during the second half of matches can be said to agree and disagree with reports by Jinshan et al. (1993), Acar et al. (2009) and Casal et al. (2015) who stated that successful corner kicks are most common during the first and last 30 minutes of a match. In fact, results from the current study demonstrate that both the top and bottom four teams recorded their lowest success rates at the start of matches, with top teams recording 12.6 per cent and bottom teams 12.8 per cent, during the first 15 minutes of matches, thus disagreeing with the first statement of the reports by Casal et al. (2015) who stated successful corners are most common during the first 30 minutes of a match. Explanations for this could stem from teams being tactically switched on to the first corner of a match, along with concentration levels being at their highest during the early stage of a match. The current result, of both the top and bottom teams recording their highest success scores between 46-60 and 61-75 minutes respectively, also contradicts the conclusion by Reilly (1996). Who stated that a higher than average scoring rate was recorded during the last 10 minutes of matches and Michailidis et al. (2004) who argue that time does not affect goal scoring. To summarise, findings from the current study agree with hypothesis five which stated that more successful corners occurred during the latter stages of a match. This is, due to the fact that more success occurred in the second half. 31

CHAPTER 6 6.1 Conclusion CONCLUSION This research has generated new ideas and expanded on existing research as to why teams should place further significance on their corner kick efficiency. The study explored the importance that corner kicks provided to two groups of teams in the EPL. The findings suggested that teams in the bottom four were more successful from attacking corners during the 2014/2015 season, accumulating a higher success rate than the top four teams. This finding disagrees with those of Armatas et al. (2009) and Lago-Ballesteros and Lago-Peñas (2010) who conducted team group comparison research in Spanish league football. However, when comparing corner type, the current study supported findings by Hill and Hughes (2001) and Taylor et al. (2005) who found a swung corner would produce the highest rate of success. Additionally, results showed that the top four teams executed significantly (p = 0.032) more short corners than the bottom four teams. An analysis of corner location highlighted a difference in target area between the top and bottom four teams. As the bottom four teams targeted the near and far post areas significantly (p = 0.050, p = 0.004) more than the top four teams and the top four teams performed short corners significantly (p = 0.021) more than the bottom four teams. Despite the significant differences in attempts at the far post area, both groups of teams proved to be very successful in that area, which supported research highlighted earlier in the literature. With reference to results regarding corner location and match status, the current study contradicted general findings that proposed teams would aim for the near post area regardless of the score-line. The present study found that, the bottom four teams accumulated their highest percentage of successful corners when targeting the area closest to the Goal-keeper, central of the six-yard box, from a losing position in the match. Which indicates when larger samples are used, the results can alter the general consensus. Lastly, when analysing corner success in relation to match time, results from the present study revealed both the top and bottom four teams were more successful during the second 32

half and latter stages of matches. With the top four teams accumulating their highest rate of success between 46-60 minutes and the bottom four teams between the 61-75 minute period. Results agreed with previous findings by Casal et al. (2015). 6.2 Future Research With regards to future research, the study unveiled some interesting, as well as obvious findings when comparing teams that finished at the top of the Premier League against those at the bottom. The current study did not consider playing style implemented by the teams. Therefore, a comparison of corner success regarding teams with differing styles of play, such as counter attack, direct and possession play, should be undertaken. As highlighted in the study, there are conflicting reports within the research regarding goals scored and scoring opportunities from corners in relation to time and the current findings fail to provide clarification. Future studies may devote more attention to goal scoring opportunities from corners or set-plays across similar time-frames, by using a larger sample size, such as all the teams participating during the season. The current conducted a season-long comparison, due to small sample sizes and a difference in the number of matches played by teams during a tournament. Conducting similar research, across different seasons, would provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of corners as football has evolved. Expanding the research across different countries would also help identify trends that other nationalities adopt. 33

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