How are you training?
How many coaches have run finishing practices including shots from a distance? With that in mind, do we as coaches practice realistically in areas where most goals are likely to occur. To understand where most goals come from, we studied the English Premier League.
Season 2019/2020
Let's rewind to the Premier League season 2019/2020. In that season, 1,034 goals were scored in the Premier League. Only 118 of those goals came from outside the penalty area. The total number of goals from outside of the box was 11.4%. Keep in mind that 301 goals that season came from corner kicks, free kicks, or penalty kicks. That season, 29.1% of Premier League goals came from set pieces. The most individual goals from outside the penalty box that season were scored by Mohamed Salah, who scored seven. With 22 goals from outside the penalty area, Manchester City scored the most team goals.
Let's go back to Season 2018/2019
Total number of goals scored: 1,072
Total number of goals scored from outside the box: 107
Total number of goals scored from free kicks outside the box: 10
Total number of set-piece goals (including goals from corners, free kicks, and penalties): 312
Player who scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) and James Maddison (Leicester City), both with 3 goals
Team that scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Manchester City, with a total of 20 goals
Let's go back to Season 2017/2018
Total number of goals scored: 1,018
Total number of goals scored from outside the box: 111
Total number of goals scored from free kicks outside the box: 12
Total number of set-piece goals (including goals from corners, free kicks, and penalties): 291
Player who scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), with 5 goals
Team that scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Tottenham Hotspur, with a total of 18 goals
Let's go back to Season 2016/2017
Total number of goals scored: 1,064
Total number of goals scored from outside the box: 96
Total number of goals scored from free kicks outside the box: 13
Total number of set-piece goals (including goals from corners, free kicks, and penalties): 292
Player who scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), with 5 goals
Team that scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Tottenham Hotspur, with a total of 17 goals
Let's go back to Season 2015/2016
Total number of goals scored: 1,026
Total number of goals scored from outside the box: 87
Total number of goals scored from free kicks outside the box: 9
Total number of set-piece goals (including goals from corners, free kicks, and penalties): 279
Player who scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Dimitri Payet (West Ham United), with 4 goals
Team that scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Liverpool, with a total of 15 goals
Let's go back to Season 2014/2015
Total number of goals scored: 975
Total number of goals scored from outside the box: 93
Total number of goals scored from free kicks outside the box: 8
Total number of set-piece goals (including goals from corners, free kicks, and penalties): 248
Player who scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur), with 4 goals
Team that scored the most goals from outside the penalty box: Swansea City, with a total of 15 goals
Premier League Data Summary
The Premier League website reports that 7,223 goals were scored between 2014 and 2021. Six hundred and eighty of those goals came from outside the box. In the seven years between 2014 and 2021, 9.41% of Premier League goals were scored outside the penalty box. In those seven years, 2,048 goals were scored from set pieces, which is 28.3% of the total.