Risk, Control, and Courage: Rethinking Defensive Corners With Tom Dent
- Gary Curneen
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Set pieces are evolving rapidly, and at the top level they are now treated as a game within the game rather than a series of fixed routines. In an upcoming Modern Soccer Coach podcast, we sit down with Tom Dent, First Team Assistant Coach at Vålerenga and a set-piece specialist, to explore how elite coaches are rethinking both attacking and defensive set plays. In this preview breakdown, we focus on a recent example involving Chelsea and Arsenal, where defensive corner organization became a tactical battle of timing, space, and decision-making. Rather than setting up early and allowing the attacking team time to adjust, Chelsea delayed their positioning until the final moments. That late movement forced Arsenal into split-second decisions, disrupting familiar routines and shifting control toward the defending team. Just a few seconds of uncertainty were enough to change the entire picture and make an elite attacking side far more predictable. Access the full MSC Set-Piece Coach Package by clicking here!
What makes this conversation especially valuable for coaches is how clearly it connects elite performance with long-term player development. Dent explains that while young players do not need advanced details such as goalkeeper cues or hidden signals, they do need to develop position-specific set-piece skill sets early, including timing, body shape, awareness, and decision-making under pressure. The real challenge for coaches lies in balancing innovation with clarity, exposing players to modern ideas without overwhelming them or reducing set pieces to memorized scripts. As top teams continue to innovate through subtle variations, disguises, and in-game adjustments, set pieces are no longer about one-off routines but about adaptable football intelligence. This episode invites coaches at every level to reflect on an uncomfortable but important question: would you be brave enough to coach this, and are your players prepared to think their way through it?
You can watch the video below. Please subscribe to make sure you don't miss the full interview coming soon!
Coaches, you can also access our MSC Set-Piece Package below:
