Chapter 14: Quiz

Set Piece Analytics Assessment

Test your understanding of set piece analysis concepts, methodologies, and applications.

Section 1: Set Piece Fundamentals (Questions 1-10)

Question 1 What percentage of goals in professional soccer typically come from set pieces?

A) 5-10% B) 15-20% C) 25-35% D) 45-55%

Question 2 Which of the following is NOT considered a set piece?

A) Corner kick B) Counter-attack C) Penalty kick D) Throw-in

Question 3 Approximately how many corners are taken per team per match on average?

A) 1-2 B) 5-6 C) 10-12 D) 15-18

Question 4 What is the typical penalty conversion rate in professional soccer?

A) 55-60% B) 65-70% C) 75-80% D) 85-90%

Question 5 Which set piece type is most frequent in a typical match?

A) Corner kicks B) Free kicks C) Throw-ins D) Penalties

Question 6 What is an "inswinger" corner delivery?

A) A corner that curves away from the goal B) A corner that curves toward the goal C) A short corner pass D) A driven low corner

Question 7 Which factor most strongly predicts penalty conversion success?

A) Taker's preferred foot B) Shot placement zone C) Goalkeeper dive timing D) Match score at time of penalty

Question 8 What is the primary analytical advantage of set pieces compared to open play?

A) Higher goal probability B) More player involvement C) Controlled, repeatable starting conditions D) Faster pace of play

Question 9 Approximately how many throw-ins occur per match?

A) 10-15 B) 20-25 C) 40-50 D) 70-80

Question 10 What time window is typically used to associate a shot with a preceding set piece?

A) 3 seconds B) 10 seconds C) 30 seconds D) 60 seconds

Section 2: Corner Kick Analysis (Questions 11-16)

Question 11 Which target zone typically generates the highest xG per corner?

A) Near post with inswinger B) Short corner C) Far post with outswinger D) Edge of box delivery

Question 12 What is "first contact analysis" in corner kick evaluation?

A) Analyzing which team takes the corner first B) Tracking who wins the initial header/touch from delivery C) Measuring the speed of corner kick delivery D) Identifying which player delivers the corner

Question 13 Which corner delivery type curves away from the goal?

A) Inswinger B) Outswinger C) Driven D) Lofted

Question 14 A team takes 200 corners in a season and scores 5 goals. What is their corner conversion rate?

A) 0.5% B) 2.5% C) 7.0% D) 12.0%

Question 15 What machine learning technique is commonly used to group similar corner routines?

A) Linear regression B) K-means clustering C) Random forest classification D) Neural networks

Question 16 If a team generates 0.04 xG per corner and takes 200 corners, what is their expected goals from corners?

A) 4 goals B) 8 goals C) 12 goals D) 20 goals

Section 3: Free Kick Analysis (Questions 17-21)

Question 17 What distance range is considered "prime" for direct free kick shooting?

A) 10-15 meters B) 18-22 meters C) 25-30 meters D) 35-40 meters

Question 18 Which shot placement zone has the highest conversion rate for direct free kicks?

A) Bottom corners B) Top corners C) Mid-height D) Central low

Question 19 What is a "lay-off to shooter" free kick routine?

A) Direct shot from free kick position B) Cross into the box C) Short pass setting up an edge-of-box shot D) Driven near post delivery

Question 20 Typical xG for a direct free kick from 25 meters is approximately:

A) 0.01-0.02 B) 0.04-0.06 C) 0.10-0.12 D) 0.15-0.20

Question 21 Why might a separate xG model for free kicks be more accurate than a general xG model?

A) Free kicks are more common than open play shots B) Free kicks have different defensive structures and shot contexts C) Free kick data is more reliable D) Goalkeepers perform better on free kicks

Section 4: Penalty Analysis (Questions 22-26)

Question 22 In game theory terms, what is the optimal penalty-taking strategy?

A) Always shoot to preferred side B) Always aim for top corners C) Mixed strategy with randomized placement D) Always shoot central

Question 23 Which penalty placement zone has the highest conversion rate but also higher miss rate?

A) Bottom corners B) Top corners C) Central D) Mid-height

Question 24 What is the typical save rate for goalkeepers on penalties?

A) 5-10% B) 15-20% C) 30-35% D) 40-45%

Question 25 In a penalty shootout analysis, which finding would suggest pressure effects?

A) Conversion rate stays constant across all kicks B) Conversion rate decreases for "must-score" situations C) All takers shoot to the same side D) Goalkeepers never move early

Question 26 A taker has scored 15 penalties from 20 attempts. What is their conversion rate?

A) 65% B) 70% C) 75% D) 80%

Section 5: Throw-in Analysis (Questions 27-30)

Question 27 What defines a "long throw-in" in analytical terms?

A) Throw-in from defensive third B) Throw-in traveling more than 30 meters C) Throw-in that leads to a shot D) Throw-in taken with one hand

Question 28 What is the typical possession retention rate for attacking throw-ins?

A) 40-50% B) 60-70% C) 80-90% D) 95-100%

Question 29 Why have long throw-ins gained tactical importance?

A) They are easier to execute B) They function like additional corner opportunities C) Referees award them more often D) Players prefer them to corners

Question 30 What is the shot rate from regular throw-ins (not long throws)?

A) 2-3% B) 10-15% C) 20-25% D) 30-35%

Answer Key

Section 1: Set Piece Fundamentals

1. C - 25-35%. Research consistently shows set pieces contribute about one-quarter to one-third of goals.
2. B - Counter-attack. Counter-attacks are open play situations, not set pieces.
3. B - 5-6. Teams average 5-6 corners per match.
4. C - 75-80%. Penalty conversion rates typically fall in the 75-80% range.
5. C - Throw-ins. With 40-50 per match, throw-ins are the most frequent set piece.
6. B - A corner that curves toward the goal, creating direct threat.
7. B - Shot placement zone. Where the penalty is placed is the strongest predictor of success.
8. C - Controlled, repeatable starting conditions make set pieces more analytically tractable.
9. C - 40-50. Throw-ins occur approximately 40-50 times per match total.
10. B - 10 seconds. A 10-second window is standard for associating shots with set pieces.

Section 2: Corner Kick Analysis

11. A - Near post with inswinger typically generates the highest xG per corner.
12. B - Tracking who wins the initial header/touch from the corner delivery.
13. B - Outswinger. Outswinging corners curve away from goal.
14. B - 2.5%. (5/200) × 100 = 2.5%
15. B - K-means clustering groups similar corner routines by features.
16. B - 8 goals. 0.04 × 200 = 8 expected goals.

Section 3: Free Kick Analysis

17. B - 18-22 meters is the prime shooting distance for direct free kicks.
18. B - Top corners have the highest conversion rate (90-95%) but also higher miss rate.
19. C - Short pass setting up an edge-of-box shot.
20. B - 0.04-0.06 is typical xG for a direct free kick from 25 meters.
21. B - Free kicks have different defensive structures and shot contexts than open play.

Section 4: Penalty Analysis

22. C - Mixed strategy with randomized placement prevents goalkeeper exploitation.
23. B - Top corners have highest conversion but players miss the frame more often.
24. B - 15-20%. Goalkeepers typically save 15-20% of penalties.
25. B - Declining conversion in "must-score" situations indicates pressure effects.
26. C - 75%. 15/20 = 0.75 or 75%

Section 5: Throw-in Analysis

27. B - Throw-in traveling more than 30 meters is considered a long throw.
28. B - 60-70%. Attacking throw-in retention is typically 60-70%.
29. B - Long throws function like additional corner opportunities with high xG potential.
30. A - 2-3%. Regular throw-ins rarely lead directly to shots.

Scoring Guide

Key Concepts Summary

1. Set pieces account for 25-35% of goals - a significant portion of scoring
2. Throw-ins are most frequent but corners/free kicks have higher individual value
3. Penalty conversion is ~76% - highly reliable opportunity
4. Shot placement is key for penalties - top corners most effective
5. Mixed strategies are optimal in game-theoretic penalty analysis
6. 10-second window links set pieces to subsequent shots
7. Separate xG models improve set piece evaluation accuracy
8. Long throws function like corners - increasingly valued tactically
9. First contact analysis reveals corner effectiveness patterns
10. Clustering identifies patterns in set piece routines