Set pieces are extremely important in football. It has been estimated that between 40 - 50% of all goals are scored from set pieces. This statistic also includes penalties, but non the less it shows the importance of preparing and being organised for both attacking and defending set pieces. Many teams play a style of pressure football to force situations where they can gain attacking set piece situations. Of the present teams, Bolton Wanderers are great exponents of these tactics. Given the importance of set pieces all professional clubs spend hours on the training pitch practicing and developing both attacking and defending set pieces.

So how relevant are set pieces for grassroots and younger teams. Given that coaches have little time enough to coach their teams on improving basic skills, it is almost impossible and possibly counter productive to spend too much time with young players on practising set pieces. But it can be useful to spend some time on the training pitch to make sure your team have a decent organisation and understanding for defending and attacking set pieces. This doesn't require a great deal of the valuable training time, but can pay big dividends in respect of the goals scored and conceded. As players get older and develop a better range of technical passing and heading skills and have a better understanding and sharper concentration, more time can be spent as a team on the organisation of set pieces.

Even allowing for the fact that the players may have spent time on the training pitch working on attacking and defending set pieces, players will forget their roles and responsibilities as the excitement of the match approaches. That's why it is very useful to prepare visual reminders of what is expected of the players and post them in the dressing room prior to the game. This way the players can be reminded of what their roles are at set pieces. It is also worthwhile spending 5 minutes or so in the pre match preparation reminding the players of what is expected of them as individuals and as a team, at both attacking and defending set piece situations.

Many teams are using the coaches chalkboard to design their attacking and defending set piece organisational structure, which they use as a visual reference point prior to the game and at half time.

There are two types of set pieces:

• Attacking set pieces
• Defending set pieces