It feels like a lifetime ago, but it was rather fitting that the first goal of the Eddie Howe era was from a corner kick as Jamaal Lascelles headed Newcastle United in front against Brentford. Set-pieces may be one of the less glamorous aspects of the game, but they decide matches and free-kicks and corners are becoming part of Newcastle's identity under Howe and his staff.
According to Opta, Newcastle scored 14 goals from corners and free-kicks last season, which was the seventh best return in the division and a four-goal improvement on the previous campaign. To put that figure into perspective, nearly one in three of the 44 goals Newcastle scored last season came from either a corner or a free-kick.
Although that haul admittedly included the period before Howe arrived, last November, Newcastle's improvements have not gone unnoticed and that threat now dominates opposition analysis meetings at clubs up and down the country. Everton assistant Paul Clement even referred to Newcastle as 'one of the best set-play teams in the country'.
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That feat has been achieved without a so-called set-piece coach, a position that is so in vogue that even Championship sides Swansea City and Norwich City have appointed specialists in the field in the last week alone. Yet, interestingly, of those Premier League sides with a free-kick and corner kick specialist, only Arsenal and Southampton had a marginally better record from offensive set-plays than Newcastle last season and only Arsenal and Manchester United were better defensively.
It is an obvious point to make, but a team's success at set-plays does not depend on having one individual with a title employed to do the job. Rather, it is that each part of the process - from analysing footage on the laptop, communicating the detail to the players and carrying out the drills on the training ground - is working effectively. At Newcastle, clearly, progress has been made in that regard and set-plays have become so important that Bruno Guimaraes learning where to stand at corners and free-kicks was a factor when Howe decided to ease the Brazil international in following his mid-season move from Lyon.
Newcastle's improved record should, perhaps, not come as a huge surprise. In Howe's final season at Bournemouth, after all, half of the Cherries' goals came from set-plays and the 44-year-old earmarked corners and free-kicks as one of those fundamental areas Newcastle could do better in before he even took charge.
Assistant Jason Tindall and first-team coach Stephen Purches were responsible for set-pieces becoming one of Bournemouth's real strengths and it is easy to see why even the incredibly hands-on Howe has again delegated that responsibility at Newcastle. It falls to Tindall, Purches and number two Graeme Jones to break the set-plays up and each coach has a specific area of the team to focus on.
A lot of detail goes into not only devising and drilling the offensive routines, but keeping the opposition out defensively, too. Former Bournemouth captain Tommy Elphick previously told ChronicleLive that Tindall, in particular, was 'unbelievable at dead ball situations and getting you organised'.
That work is paying off. Set-pieces contributed to some big goals last season for Newcastle, particularly when top scorer Callum Wilson was injured and the Magpies were not quite so potent from open play. Where would Newcastle have been without Mason Holgate's own goal against Everton, for instance, from Kieran Trippier's corner after Jamaal Lascelles' header struck the bar? That goal, one of many mini turning points last season, pulled Newcastle level just a minute after Lascelles had put through his own net himself.
A few weeks later, Fabian Schar's header ultimately proved the difference from Ryan Fraser's free-kick in a 2-1 win against Brighton, as did Bruno Guimaraes' ingenious back heel volley at Southampton from Matt Targett's corner that same month. Bruno popped up with another important goal from a corner - an equaliser this time - against Leicester in April.
From direct free-kicks, Trippier stepped up with a stunning effort that sealed the aforementioned 3-1 win against Everton and similar goals also proved the difference in nervy games against Leeds and Aston Villa. Penalties, which are also rehearsed, secured seven points in tight matches against Norwich City, Wolves and Burnley.
The challenge going forward, of course, is to build on those improvements, to become even more unpredictable, and Newcastle also have work to do defensively. Newcastle let in 13 goals from set-plays last season, which puts the Magpies in mid-table when it comes to goals conceded from corners or free-kicks. In contrast, in 2020-21, Newcastle 'only' shipped 10 goals from set-plays.
Having an extended period of time during pre-season to work on set-pieces will help, as will a fully fit Trippier for his deliveries, and the coaching staff will inevitably be able to go into more detail as time goes on. Interestingly, Newcastle are even bringing in a new first-team analyst, whose responsibilities will include a 'detailed focus on set-play analysis'.
For all the strides Howe's side will make in possession, set-pieces will, clearly, remain an important part of Newcastle's arsenal this season and it is noticeable how the Magpies are becoming a taller side. Indeed, Dan Burn (6ft 7in), Nick Pope (6ft 6in), Sven Botman (6ft 4in) and Chris Wood (6ft 3in) have all arrived under Howe in 2022.
Of those players likely to start Newcastle's season opener against Nottingham Forest, only Trippier, Allan Saint-Maximin and Ryan Fraser are below six foot. That does not feel like a coincidence.
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