When building a Fantasy Premier League squad, knowing the set-piece takers for each club can give managers the edge over mini-league rivals.
Ahead of 2019/20, The Scout analyses which players to target.
Watford
Few defenders in FPL can match the set-piece potential of Jose Holebas (£5.0m).
The Watford left-back created 27 chances from free-kicks and corners last season.
Only Lucas Digne (£6.0m) of Everton, with 32, was more productive among players at the back.
Indeed, Holebas’s five assists from set-pieces placed joint-third overall in FPL, matching the total of Ryan Fraser (£7.5m) for AFC Bournemouth.
Watford sat third from bottom in the Premier League for shots from set-pieces, with 114.
Yet, thanks partly to the quality of Holebas's deliveries, only seven teams bettered their 12 goals from set-pieces.
Watford's set-piece takers
| Choice | Penalty | Corner | Free-kick |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Deeney | Holebas | Deulofeu |
| Second | Cleverley | Pereyra | Pereyra |
| Third | Gray | Masina | Capoue |
Holebas took 115 of the Hornets' 177 corners but Craig Cathcart (£4.5m) and Troy Deeney (£6.5m) were the main threats at set-pieces.
They had 13 shots each, with centre-back Cathcart netting all three of his goals last season this way.
Overall, however, Watford struggled in the air and Deeney’s eight headed shots from set-pieces was a team-leading figure.
Missed opportunities
Holebas was also among a handful of players who shared direct free-kicks duties.
He had four attempts, while Gerard Deulofeu (£6.5m) and Roberto Pereyra (£6.0) had six apiece and Etienne Capoue (£5.0m) had five.
None of them scored, though, with Watford missing all 22 of their direct free-kicks in 2018/19.
Penalties were also a rarity for Javi Gracia’s men last term, with Watford only being awarded one spot-kick.
As their first-choice taker, it was Deeney who stepped up to convert.
