How Manchester City's renewed love of short corners helped unlock Chelsea's defence

It’s not long ago that arguably the most widely despised football tactic was the short corner. In situations where supporters called for the ball to be launched into the box, teams regularly played it short, the move came to nothing, and the supporters groaned at another ‘wasted’ corner.But this season, of course, has seen the traditional crossed corner dominate like never before. Some Premier League matches feel like little more than a competition to win corners, and then a game decided by set pieces. So, in that context, Manchester City’s tendency to play short corners against Chelsea in their 3-0 victory felt oddly refreshing. It eventually led to their second goal, too.Advertisement