Cast your mind back to early November and Newcastle United were being lauded for their innovative and successful set piece strategies as they shot up the Premier League. The start of this season saw the Magpies find the net against Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Everton, Brentford and Aston Villa from well-worked corners and free kicks that had clearly been perfected on the training ground.
Toon boss Eddie Howe, in typical fashion, was quick to deflect praise onto someone else for the successful routines when quizzed on the subject. “It’s Jason Tindall, it’s Simon Weatherstone, Graeme Jones, Stephen Purches — they deserve a lot of credit for our innovative set plays," Howe said.
"It’s something we have always prided ourselves on and a lot of work goes into it. It’s not just the coaches, it’s the analysts as well. It’s really a collective effort. I’m delighted when they work, though not every one is going to, but the element of surprise is important in our routines.”
