Set-Piece Strategy: How Mohun Bagan SG Dominates ISL 11

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Kolkata: Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the top team in the Indian Super League (ISL), has netted 19 out of their 36 goals from set pieces. They've matched FC Goa's record for the most goals from restarts in the entire 2019-20 season, with five rounds still to play.

Out of those, 11 goals have come from corner kicks, making them the highest-scoring team from set pieces in a single season, according to ISL stats. This is why their left-back and captain, Subhasish Bose, is among the top scorers alongside forwards Jamie Maclaren and Manvir Singh, with each of them netting six goals after 19 matches.

Bose's six goals are the highest for a defender in any ISL season. His defensive teammates, Alberto Rodriguez (4), Tom Aldred (2), and Dippendu Biswas (1), have also contributed to the scoreline. Many teams have found it tough to handle the physicality of Mohun Bagan’s tall players in the box.

In their recent 4-0 victory over Mohammedan Sporting, three of the goals came from set pieces. Bose kicked things off by scoring the first goal after a well-executed corner from Liston Colaco. Former Bengaluru FC midfielder Eric Paartalu noted, “They can conjure goals out of nothing.” Manvir Singh added the second with a header from Jason Cummings’s corner, and Bose struck again, finishing off a flick from Maclaren after a free kick taken by Cummings.

Earlier in October, Mohun Bagan had a 3-0 win against the same team, where they also scored their first goal from a corner (Maclaren) and the second from a free kick (Bose).

Mohun Bagan's impressive 43 points, which is nine ahead of second-placed Jamshedpur FC (who still have a game to play), can be attributed to their depth and relentless spirit. Only NorthEast United has scored more goals (37), but with 25 goals conceded, they sit fourth with 29 points, having dropped 17 points from winning positions.

In contrast, Mohun Bagan has only let in 14 goals, making them the only team to concede fewer than 20. Out of those, just five came from set-pieces. They share the best defensive record from restart situations with Odisha FC. Odisha has scored 15 goals from corners, free kicks, or penalties, making them the second most effective team in ISL11 in set-piece scenarios.

Most top teams have a dedicated set-piece coach. For instance, Nicolas Jover has transformed Arsenal into a set-piece powerhouse, often seen giving instructions during these plays rather than manager Mikel Arteta.

At Mohun Bagan, it’s a team effort, according to head coach Jose Molina. “Everyone contributes. I have a great staff,” he mentioned. “The player taking the corner or free kick is crucial. Plus, we have strong players who excel in aerial battles. If the delivery is spot on, they can find the net,” he added on Tuesday.

Goals from set-plays have been a big deal in the 2024-25 season, with 120 scored in just 119 matches, especially as Mohun Bagan gears up for their home game against Punjab FC on Wednesday. That’s already 12 more than what we saw from restart plays in the previous season.

Punjab FC knows that Mohun Bagan has been using set-plays effectively to find the back of the net. They were up 1-0 in Delhi but lost Pulga Vidal to a red card and ended up losing 1-3. Rodriguez equalized from a corner taken by Cummings and then scored again from an Anirudh Thapa cross that followed another corner. Maclaren also added a penalty goal in that match. To make things tougher for Punjab FC, they’ve let in nine goals from corner-kicks while only managing to score five themselves.

“We’ll make some changes,” said Punjab FC coach Panagiotis Dilmperis. “We need to keep in mind that Mohun Bagan often doesn’t score directly from set-pieces, but they really believe in capitalizing on second balls or rebounds.”

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