Positioning on corner kicks

[Chandoraa]

We know positioning on corner kicks is all about control (unless you're going for some kind of fakeout): whether you're just crossing the ball for a header or you have expert finishers with cannon shot or rainbow feint, you're gonna want to place your attackers at two specific squares: the one directly in front of the goal and the one adjacent to that on the near post (the latter being the best one). That minimizes the chance of a defender getting in the way and intercepting the pass or heading the cross away (assuming you manage to hold the position in the first place). But maybe I'm missing part of the picture: Is there ever a reason to place your best header at the far post, or to place your rainbow fainter outside the box? Since you only get to reposition two players, I guess it makes sense to put players in the two aforementioned spots in order to trick the defenders into pressing them, even if you're going for a different play (which would usually rely on players that were already there). Thoughts?

[cx_]

I don't like to go for the control checks in the first column. I like to put a MF in the second column to pass to first, and a heading CF/FW in the second or third column. So you can setup a clean, uncontested header with no opposing headers inbetween. You get the column penalty but you don't have to go for the control checks and thus don't have to train control on your forwards. I think FWs work a lot better if trained in Accuracy only, for CF it's okay though.

Or you go for a break-in, that works great too and the RF/LF should be trained in control only. Rarely a high accuracy AM in column 2 is a good choice too.

Even if you go for the contest directly in front of the goal (row 4) for example, it works better to pass to a player (e.g. MF or wing midfielder) at row 2, column 2 first (if possible but most opposing setups allow that) to not have the cross interrupted at row 2 or 3. As a bonus you can change your plan after the pass if you fail the control checks.

I think it's really about abusing that you can put 2 players in column 2 freely.

[LemanDV]

On most of my corners I'm going for a cross, so I position my Head Play player (say, a CF with lvl4) outside the box, next to the near post, and another player, usually a high control Cannon Shot on the far post, just to force the defenders to clear the near post and to make sure that, even if he loses a fight for the position, he won't go to the near post square and block the CF.
This way, the CF will not need to fight for a spot and risk being behind a defender and lose priority in the cross rolls.

[Hoplite39]

I do exactly what @LemanDV does

[Seeker22]

Yep, I agree @LemanDV's solution is the best idea for scoring headers.
When going against a GK that has high Ctr or Playing Out, I use Cannon Shot or Rainbow Feint. That's why I mainly train Ctr on footballers that have these two skills.
Olympic Kicks come in handy when GK has high Ctr but no Playing Out, in which case contest the squares on the bottom row with high Ctr footballers.

[Chandoraa]

Wow, looks like I was looking at corner kicks in a very simplistic way, thanks for all the tips. Anyway, there's still no reason to place a player in the far post when you actually want him to finnish the play rather than drag defenders away, am I right? By placing him there, you're only asking to have some defenders attempor to intercept your pass/cross, I'd say. Unless you're trying to play mind games with the AI, that is.

[Seeker22]

Right, because your corner footballer can only pass to the original position of the receiver, and if that footballer lose a Ctr fight, the ball will surely end up with an opponent.

The reason to put a footballer on the far post before attempting to cross is actually to make sure that if he loses, he won't come back in front of your header. If there are two of your footballers in the same column, only the one closer to the goal will attempt to head, even if his heading ability is lower.

[Hoplite39]

You may want to consider a lofted pass to the far post if the opponent has a wing-back on the near post who could nerf a skill. In this case, you place the player with high control at the back post and try to win the middle square. If the second player has good control, place him in the middle. If he has poor control, you could place him near post, with the expectation he could end up in the middle if he loses the control battle. With this sort of tactic, a player with Slide-tactic is very useful.

[Le Mulet]

Originally posted by LemanDV:

On most of my corners I'm going for a cross, so I position my Head Play player (say, a CF with lvl4) outside the box, next to the near post, and another player, usually a high control Cannon Shot on the far post, just to force the defenders to clear the near post and to make sure that, even if he loses a fight for the position, he won't go to the near post square and block the CF.
This way, the CF will not need to fight for a spot and risk being behind a defender and lose priority in the cross rolls.

Wow it works so well. My head player can goal without problem now !

[Hoplite39]

I love it when my main Headplay man misses the ball at the near post and it's my non-Headplay diversion who ends up scoring the header. Doesn't happen often, but it amuses me when it does.

[Swuul]

If goal-keeper has Playing Out at higher level than you have Heading on any of your players, then you want somebody with Slide-Tackle and High Accuracy (or a universal Forward with both Slide-Tackle and Cannon Shot). Place the target player in center, another of your players at far post. This way the Slide-Tackler either gets the pass or is in position to Slide Tackle and then shoot.