Set-piece duties are often treated as shortcuts to fantasy football success. But in 2025, many assumptions around who takes what and what that means are outdated or just wrong.

Here are five set-piece myths in fantasy football that fantasy managers should stop believing.

Myth 1: Being on Corners = Fantasy Gold

The Reality: Most corners don’t lead to goals, let alone fantasy points.

Corners are often split across multiple players, and their end product is inconsistent. Some of the most active corner takers in Europe have minimal goal involvement from those situations.

Example: James Ward-Prowse, West Ham (2024/25)

  • Corners Taken (GW1–GW35): 145
  • Assists from Corners: 4
  • xA from Corners: 3.6
  • Fantasy Points Directly from Corners: 16 (approx)

While Ward-Prowse remains a solid FPL pick, his value lies in minutes and bonus potential, not just corner duties.

🔗 Compare to other Premier League corner takers

Myth 2: Penalty Takers Are Always the Best Picks

The Reality: Penalty duties only matter if the team wins enough of them.

Take Manchester City. Despite dominating possession, they were awarded just three penalties in the 2024–25 Premier League season, one of the lowest totals among top-six teams (StatMuse).

Haaland’s Conversion Rate

Erling Haaland remained City’s primary taker and maintained a career conversion rate of over 90%, scoring 46 out of 51 penalties at club level (Transfermarkt). But with only a handful of opportunities, his fantasy output from spot-kicks was limited.

Compare that to Martin Ødegaard at Arsenal, who converted eight penalties from 9 awarded — a far more fantasy-relevant return thanks to higher opportunity.

📊 View updated Premier League set-piece roles

Myth 3: Set Piece Roles Stay the Same All Season

The Reality: Set piece roles change frequently. Even mid-game.

Injuries, subs, tactical tweaks, and confidence all affect who takes what.

Example: Arsenal (Apr–Jul 2025)

  • GW30: Martinelli (right corners), Ødegaard (left)
  • GW31: Saka took both
  • GW33: Rice subbed in and took a direct freekick

If you’re relying on early-season data, you’re flying blind. Set piece roles need to be tracked weekly, not guessed based on preseason setups.

🔗 Check Arsenal’s current duties

Myth 4: Freekick Specialists Always Deliver

The Reality: Free kicks are glamorous but rarely efficient in fantasy terms.

Most players take a handful of direct free kicks per season. Few convert more than one or two. And when duties are shared, the value drops even further.

Example: Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV)

  • Direct Free Kicks Taken (2024/25): 21
  • Goals: 2
  • Others Involved: Szoboszlai, Mac Allister

Unless a player takes every free kick and converts at an elite rate, it’s not a reliable edge.

Myth 5: Set Piece Monopolies = Fantasy Edge

The Reality: Set-piece committees are now standard in modern football.

More teams are rotating corner and free-kick duties based on footedness, match dynamics, and personnel. Predictability is dropping across leagues.

Example: PSG (Spring 2025)

  • Penalties: Ramos, Dembélé (split by match context)
  • Freekicks: Vitinha, Dembélé, Ruiz
  • Corners: Hakimi, Ruiz, Zaire-Emery

This volatility means managers must check the last three matches, not rely on assumed season-long roles.

🔎 Explore our guide to shared set-piece duties

So What Should You Look For?

If the old set-piece logic is flawed, what matters now?

  • Recent Role Changes: Use tools that timestamp duties
  • Volume Trends: Prioritise teams that generate more set-piece opportunities (e.g., Arsenal, Napoli)
  • Predictable Match Situations: Watch how duties shift after substitutions or in injury time

Final Thought on set-piece myths in fantasy football

Set-piece duties still matter. But they’re only useful if you understand how they work in context and which myths to leave behind.

For reliable, up-to-date tracking across leagues, check out:

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