World Cup 2018: England dubbed ‘Kings of the corner kick’ by Fifa after netting NINE set-piece goals in Russia
Former Scotland coach Andy Roxburgh praised Gareth Southgate's side for the dead ball mastery
ENGLAND will be going home as the “Kings of the corner kick”, according to Fifa.
Former Scotland coach Andy Roxburgh, part of Fifa’s Technical Study Group alongside Dutch legend Marco van Basten and former Brazil boss Carlos Alberto Parreira, hailed Gareth Southgate’s side for their dead ball mastery.
Kieran Trippier’s sumptuous free-kick against Croatia was not enough for England to reach a second World Cup final although it was the ninth goal the Three Lions had scored from set-pieces.
Roxburgh said: “At this World Cup, the attention to detail in set plays has stood out.
“In the last Euros and even this season’s Champions League, a goal was scored every 45 corner kicks.
“Here in Russia, it has been one goal for every 30 corners.
“That shows efficiency but the detail has been impressive and so has the speed of action and thought.
“Gareth Southgate has been very much at the front of this.
“Nine of their goals have come this way.
"England have been the kings of the corner kick which showed the influence of them.
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“I do have to mention VAR in this context. The VAR is not only there to help minimise mistakes but it also had a deterrent effect.
“After the first few games, VAR has virtually eliminated tugging and pushing, which means players have more freedom to move
“Then it’s about the delivery of the ball. As Sir Alex Ferguson once told me, 'Delivery is everything'. We have seen high quality delivery, movement and finishing ability.”
Roxburgh also suggested the real father of this World Cup was a man who was recovering from his season of exertions in Manchester.
He added: “We have seen the Pep Guardiola effect.
“That is teams pressing, attacking with and without the ball and taking care of the ball.
“A lot of the best players here in Russia play in the Champions League.
“In that competition you see the effect of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now at Manchester City.
“It has had impact on a lot of players and coaches.
“You see teams seeking to play out from the back but through the middle as well.
“If you look at the semi-final against England, Luka Modric defines Croatia, as he does Real Madrid.
“He epitomises this ability to play from the back, through the middle and a high level possession game, with a penetrating style.
“Linked with that is this ability to attack with Pep’s clear possession game, with the determination, once you lose the ball, to get it back immediately and then keep it again.
“This philosophy and approach has had influence on a number of players and coaches.”
Southgate copied Lincoln's "love train" and NBA plays to turn his side into set-piece masters.
