Featured Image Credit: X/@KRennicks40 - Football League
Topics: League Two, Football
Jack Kenmare
Notts County manager Luke Williams gave a fascinating insight into why his team continue to take short corners during a recent fans' forum at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies, who currently sit third in the League Two table behind Mansfield and Stockport, boast an impressive success rate when it comes to set pieces this season.
In fact, according to Williams, high-flying County record a shot on target from one in four corners – a stat that would make them one of the best corner-takers in the Football League and beyond.
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If you've ever attended a game, then you'll know that a short corner can often be met with audible sighs from supporters.
But the Notts County boss is clearly a big fan of the tactic. Following his side's recent win over Bradford, he gave this brilliant response as to why they continue to take short corners. Take a look below:
Williams began: "Right, I'm going to tell you the truth now. We have the most shots on target from corners in the EFL. One in four corners results in a shot on target, which is the best by a long way.
"We've actually scored the most goals in the division from corners, but you [reporters] don't know they're from corners, do you? Because unless we whack it in the box it's not a corner. We take a corner, we pass the ball, until that ball is turned over or we give it away or it goes off the pitch, it's still a corner.
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"And we are extremely successful at corners. I'm sorry to break your hearts but it's the truth.
"I made sure we did the research, and I'm being serious now. Corners [crossing the ball into the box] have a very low success rate across football worldwide. When someone runs through the crowd and heads the ball and smashes it into the back of the net, we remember it.
"We don't remember the 50 corners that get caught by the goalkeeper or hit the side netting or get headed away. We just forget. We also forget that when ball comes into the pitch immediately and gets passed five times and crossed in from the other end we think it was open play, that it was just a part of the game. But it wasn't, it was from a corner."
Williams, who was sat alongside chief executive Joe Palmer and director Richard Montague, also said their aim was to keep the ball moving as a way of tiring out the opponent, who would ordinarily enjoy a brief rest from corners.
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Thoughts on the tactic? Do you agree with the Notts County boss? Let us know in the comments.