FM24 Set Pieces Guide: The 🟢 Pros and 🔴 Cons of each choice in Set Piece Wizard

Set pieces are one of the most pivotal aspects of modern football, often acting as the difference between success and failure in tightly contested matches. Whether it’s a perfectly executed free kick, a well-rehearsed corner routine, or a decisive penalty, these moments allow teams to create scoring opportunities even when open play is stagnant. In fact, a significant percentage of goals in professional football come from set pieces, emphasizing their critical role in both attack and defense. Mastering set pieces not only gives teams a strategic edge but also provides a way to capitalize on specific player strengths, such as aerial ability, precision passing, and composure under pressure. Effective set-piece strategies can turn underdogs into giant killers and champions into dynasties, making them an essential focus for any team looking to maximize its potential.

In Football Manager, you can design and fine-tune your set-piece routines using the Set Piece Wizard, a tool specifically created to help you prepare for crucial moments like free kicks, corners, and throw-ins. These routines are typically managed by your Set Piece Coach, a specialized member of your backroom staff whose sole focus is to train and prepare your team for these situations. If you don’t have a Set Piece Coach, the responsibility will fall to your Assistant Manager, though they may lack the expertise needed to maximize set-piece potential. Set pieces play a vital role in modern football, often serving as game-changing opportunities to score or defend. With a dedicated Set Piece Coach, you can gain a strategic edge, turning these moments into decisive factors that separate winners from losers.

What to look for in a Set Piece Coach?

• Set Pieces: the ability of the staff member to coach the tactical aspect of set pieces
• Tactical Knowledge: the tactical knowledge possessed by a staff member. Their experiences in the game, where they've been and who they've worked with will affect the depth of knowledge they possess.
• Determination: the mental desire of the staff member to succeed. This isn't a coaching attribute in terms of coaching a player's mental approach but rather the staff member's own innate drive to better themselves
• Level of Discipline: this reflects the level of discipline the staff member is likely to take in their approach. A higher attribute means that the coach will take up a harder line in his approach and keep things strict, whereas a lower one means they are a little more relaxed.
• Motivating: high motivation will allow them to suitably prepare the players for a variety of situations.

The following six questions must be answered to allow your staff member to set up the routines effectively. For each question, you’ll be able to see their specific preferences and recommendations, helping you tailor the routines to align with their expertise.

Zonal Marking

🟢 Protects key areas of the box

🟢 Less vulnerable to losing markers

🔴 Opponents can get a running start

🔴 Crosses in-between zones can cause confusion

Player Marking

🟢 Choose specific and advantageous matchups

🟢 Players have more accountability

🔴 Relies on defenders not losing their marker

🔴 Risk of confusion in 2nd phase

Hybrid Marking

🟢 Combines the benefits of both zonal and player marking

🔴 Reduced specificity in approach

Both Posts

🟢 Goal is more protected

🔴 Fewer players defending initial cross

Near Posts

🟢 Extra protection against near post crosses

🔴 Less useful against far post deliveries

No Posts

🟢 More players defending the cross

🔴 Reduced protection against shots

Defend The Box

🟢 More players defending the box

🟢 Team remains compact defensively as a unit

🔴 Opposition may be able to commit more player to the attack

🔴 Counter attacks have to start from deep

Counter Attack

🟢 More opportunities for direct counter attacks

🟢 Opposition needs to leave more players back

🔴 Leaves more space in the box for opposition to attack

🔴 Reliant on team being able to counter attack quickly and directly

Balanced

🟢 A sensible balance between attack and defence

🔴 Reduced specificity in approach

Far Post

🟢 Delivery doesn’t require as much precision

🟢 Particularly effective for teams with a single standout aerial threat

🔴 More time for opposition to react to cross

🔴 Overhit crosses likely to run out of play

Central

🟢 Effective for teams with a collective height advantage

🟢 Effective against Goalkeepers with poor aerial ability

🔴 Zone is usually defended by opposition’s tallest defender

🔴 Ineffective against Goalkeepers with strong aerial ability

Near Post

🟢 Less time for opposition to react to delivery

🟢 Flick-ons can cause chaos

🔴 Delivery requires more precision

🔴 Underhit crosses fail to beat first defender

Defend Transition

🟢 Protects better against counter attacks

🔴 Fewer players attacking the box

🔴 Reduced chance of winning the 2nd ball

Stay High

🟢 More pressure on the opposition defence

🟢 More chance of winning the 2nd ball

🔴 More exposed to counter attacks

🔴 Requires quick recovery defenders on the edge of the box

Balanced

🟢 A sensible balance between attack and defence

🔴 Reduced specificity in approach

Inswinger

🟢 Easier to direct shots on target

🟢 Harder for opposition to get distance on clearance

🔴 Higher risk of Goalkeeper claiming the cross

🔴 More margin for error on the delivery

Outswinger

🟢 Reduced chance of Goalkeeper claiming the cross

🟢 Higher chance of keeping the ball in play

🔴 Harder to score from initial header

🔴 More risk of being hit on the counter attack

After completing those initial steps, you can navigate to the Tactics > Set Pieces section to further customize and refine your routines.