Comparative analysis of the top six and bottom six teams’ corner kick strategies in the 2015/2016 English Premier League

This study compared the corner kick strategies employed by the top six and bottom six teams across 120 matches of the 2015/2016 English Premier League Season. In total, 2,303 corner kicks were examined by univariate analyses (individual χ2) and bivariate analyses with contingency tables (χ2 and association measures). Top six teams favoured an outswinging delivery, whilst the bottom six teams favoured inswinging deliveries (p < 0.001). Top six teams operated a dynamic attacking organisation during ball deliveries, (p < 0.001), whereas the bottom six operated static and dynamic attacking strategies in equal measure. Top six teams took corner kicks frequently when winning or drawing, whereas bottom six teams took most corner kicks when losing or drawing (match status, p < 0.001). Bivariate analyses identified that goals were scored from corner kicks when attacking organisation was dynamic, two defenders were on the posts and the score line was level (p < 0.05). Results supplement the design of practice tasks that afford successful corner kicks in training and game play scenarios.