Where the goals come from: 1 year in La Liga

[Erith22]

After various debates about corner goals vs. open field vs. whatever, decided to track every goal scored for and against my team during the 2025-2026 season in La Liga. Of course, I shouldn't have to do this. These stats are in the game, SI just doesn't make them available in any easy way. It would be really nice if they focused on this for the next release rather than adding yet more press conferences.

I manage Tenerife and we finished 3rd, with 72 for and 43 against.

I charted the goals in the following categories:

Corner1 - Corners scored off of one touch

Corner2 - Corners scored off of two touches

Corner3+ - Corners scored off of three or more touches

OGC - Own goal corners

DFK - Direct Free Kick

IFK - Indirect Free Kick

IFK2+ - Goals scored after more than 1 touch from an IFK

CFK - Goals scored from an IFK that is using the corner setup because its near the line

Open - Goals resulting from open play that don't fall into other categories

Throw In - Goals resulting from throw ins near the opponent area (and thus using the throw in setup)

Outside - Goals in open play from outside the box

Defender Mstk: Goals from blatant defender goofs like centering the ball in front of own goal, horrific back passes, etc

OG Bad - Own goals resulting from bizarro evens like the GK letting the ball roll past him'

Pen - Penalties

Pen Inc - Incorrect penalties. Penalties that in the post-match report are identified as incorrect calls

Tenerife goals:

Corner1: 10, %14.1

Corner2: 4 %5.6

Corner3+: 3 %4.2

OGC: 1 %1.4

DFK: 2 %2.8

IFK: 0

IFK2+: 1 %1.4

CFK: 2 %2.8

Open: 38 %53.5

Throw In: 2 %2.8

Outside: 4 %5.6

OG Bad: 1 %1.4

Pen: 2 %2.8

Pen inc: 1 %1.4

Total from open play: 43/71 %60.5

Total from corners + corner free kicks: 20 %27.16

Opposition:

Corner1: 3 %6.9

Corner2: 4 %9.3

Corner3+: 1 %2.3

DFK: 4 %9.3

IFK: 1 %2.3

Open: 22 %51.2

Defender Mstk: 2 %4.6

Pen: 2 %4.65

Pen Inc: 4 %9.3

Total from open play: 24 / 43: %55.8

Total from corners + corner free kicks: 8/43: %18.6

Analysis: FM's tally of corners is pretty close to my tally. I counted 18 goals from corners for my side, while FM counted 16. What is more, the breakdown between set piece goals by percentage isn't significantly different between myself and my opposition.

Overall, corner goals are too high. This really isn't up for debate at this point. Using the official FM totals 203/1080 goals resulted from corners, which is %18.8, which would be an extraordinary rate for a team, late alone a whole league. Since this doesn't count free-kick like corners and some other corner results like Own Goals, its if anything a bit low. In all corner goals seem to be scored at about double real world rates. 1080 goals is very close to the number of Goals scored in La Liga in the 2012-2013 season. This means that there are about 100 goals not coming in from other sources and 100 more coming in from corners. This is likely a result of course of the way too many corners happening overall, but regardless of HOW, its a problem.

A couple other notes. Goals from outside of the box is tiny. Of the 114 goals scored in my matches, 4 (all from my team) came from outside of the box, for about %3. And from memory I would say 3 of 4 were right on the line. Historically about %10 of all goals are scored from outside of the box. This jibes with the eye test from playing 10+ seasons of FM 2014, there just aren't enough goals scored from outside of the box. From watching the matches I believe this is because when the ball is centered after a set piece or other attempt on goal, the attacking players do not clear out of the goalmouth area fast enough. This results in usually 10-15 bodies clumped in front of the goalmouth, providing no shooting lanes for outside shots.

Of the 9 penalties scored in my matches, a whopping 5 of them were deemed 'incorrect' (4 went against me, of course, and not counted here, another 2 went against me in cup competition). This also jibes with the eye test. I believe that SI has gone overboard with having bad penalty calls.

[brawla123]

I play in La Liga too and I remember playing against Barca who are known for superior open play football. They won 4-1 with all goals coming from corners. I wasn't surprised at all, which is kinda the sad part about it. Also considering I clearly had the taller players.

It's just something we have to get used to unless it's fixed in the 14.3 patch. I'm sure most people get more goals scored from corners than conceded too but it obviously makes the game boring in the sense that you predict what's going to happen when the highlight starts with a corner.

[Dagenham_Dave]

My team have scored 45 league goals in the current season. Four have been from corners.

My team have conceded 39 league goals in the current season. Five have been from corners.

None have been scored or conceded after 3+ touches.

This is in the 2nd season in-game. The first season had similar figures

For every example like the one the OP provided, there's one like this. I know SI have acknowledged it, and fixes are being worked on, so I'm not for one minute saying there's no issue, but I do wonder why it isn't universal. Why are some people's saves showing 'normal' numbers for corners, whilst others are wildly out?

[Erith22]

Yes my main point of doing this analysis is to point out that the matches are more boring, because with twice as many corner goals it means %10 less open play goals, meaning far less interesting goal conversion results.

[Erith22]

My team have scored 45 league goals in the current season. Four have been from corners.

My team have conceded 39 league goals in the current season. Five have been from corners.

None have been scored or conceded after 3+ touches.

This is in the 2nd season in-game. The first season had similar figures

For every example like the one the OP provided, there's one like this. I know SI have acknowledged it, and fixes are being worked on, so I'm not for one minute saying there's no issue, but I do wonder why it isn't universal. Why are some people's saves showing 'normal' numbers for corners, whilst others are wildly out?

What about your league numbers?

[Dagenham_Dave]

Yes, looking at it, my numbers are among the lowest in the league, and the overall league numbers are a bit higher than in real life. Around 16% in total. (102 corner goals out of 634 so far in the season).

These numbers are a bit skewed by Gronigen and PSV's numbers, who are both a good bit higher than the rest of the league. 13 of the 18 teams have scored fewer than 9 goals from corners through 22 games.

[brawla123]

How do you find these stats?

[Erith22]

How do you find these stats?

That's the problem. FM doesn't really do it for you.

I recorded every single goal in every one of my matches for the whole season.

To get the league goals I just added up all the goals on the table, then added the goals scored by each team via corners from the league stats pages.

[brawla123]

It shows goals from corners but their stat for it seems to be a header directly from the corner and that's not the kind of corners I concede. I usually score own goals from corners or the opp scores after 2-3 touches from the corner. Hard to estimate how many times a season but definitely too often.

[Erith22]

It shows goals from corners but their stat for it seems to be a header directly from the corner and that's not the kind of corners I concede. I usually score own goals from corners or the opp scores after 2-3 touches from the corner. Hard to estimate how many times a season but definitely too often.

That's why I tracked them all. I just made a spreadsheet and tracked it.

I actually only had 1 own goal from a corner in my matches this season. There were 12 corners that involved at least one extra touch.

[brawla123]

That's why I tracked them all. I just made a spreadsheet and tracked it.

I actually only had 1 own goal from a corner in my matches this season. There were 12 corners that involved at least one extra touch.

Yeah, the one extra touch one seems to be popular but in my current season a defender of mine usually scores an own goal. The good side of the over-powered corners is that you can tell your board that set-pieces are one of your philosophies and reap the benefits.

[Dagenham_Dave]

The corner goals where a defender or attacker heads it first before the shot at goal is definitely counted in the corner stats.

As is short corner goals.

[Erith22]

The corner goals where a defender or attacker heads it first before the shot at goal is definitely counted in the corner stats.

As is short corner goals.

Yeah as I said in my post, I didn't find a lot of undercounting by FM despite what some other threads reported. Own goal was not counted, and I think one other one that had a number of touches wasn't counted. I also scored two goals where there was a free kick taken near the corner spot.

[eple]

Nice work. I was thinking of doing something similar, as what I see in game seems to differ alot from what people go on about on here.

One question out of curiosity, have you done anything with the corner instructions or left them on default?

I ask because by tweaking the settings and specifying duties for all players I'm scoring a decent amount but conceding very few from corners or free kick like corners, so I would expect my numbers to be skewed because of that. I'm wildly guessing but I would think that people who cry about this are not doing enough to correct it and are suffering because the default settings are far from ideal.

[brawla123]

Nice work. I was thinking of doing something similar, as what I see in game seems to differ alot from what people go on about on here.

One question out of curiosity, have you done anything with the corner instructions or left them on default?

I ask because by tweaking the settings and specifying duties for all players I'm scoring a decent amount but conceding very few from corners or free kick like corners, so I would expect my numbers to be skewed because of that. I'm wildly guessing but I would think that people who cry about this are not doing enough to correct it and are suffering because the default settings are far from ideal.

I think doing this would help defend basic corners but you can never control whether your defender scores an own goal or if someone doesn't clear it properly.

[eple]

Well my set up is the way it is simply to stop those goals, and it's working.

[brawla123]

Well my set up is the way it is simply to stop those goals, and it's working.

What's the set up then?

[eple]

Should I go into detail? I wouldn't mind doing but I mean just going onto the forums you'll find very different set ups that seems to work for a lot of people. My way is in not the only solution and that suggest to me that a bit of trial and error would see improvement for most.

Jimbokav posted a thread on this page where he describes a way that seems very successful. I'd say my set up is the complete opposite of his. It involves crowding the box and assigning duties based on jumping reach. I do see the odd bad clearance, but it rarely ever results in anything other than a blocked shot.

[brawla123]

Should I go into detail? I wouldn't mind doing but I mean just going onto the forums you'll find very different set ups that seems to work for a lot of people. My way is in not the only solution and that suggest to me that a bit of trial and error would see improvement for most.

Jimbokav posted a thread on this page where he describes a way that seems very successful. I'd say my set up is the complete opposite of his. It involves crowding the box and assigning duties based on jumping reach. I do see the odd bad clearance, but it rarely ever results in anything other than a blocked shot.

Just the basics will do, like who you tell to mark tallest player and so on.

[eple]

I make sure I have 3-4 players in my first team who are tall and have good jumping reach (on highest level that's minimum of 15 but preferably more). That's usually my two CBs, the DMC and the CF. Those 3(or 4) are set to mark tall. I have two on the posts, I have two set to mark small and two set to man mark. Only one player left upfront, sometimes I change it to two.

Sorry if this deviates the discussion. My point was only that I think default settings are bad and the low numbers the OP and myself are seeing (low compared to the outcry, not real football) is because we have made changes to them.

[brawla123]

I make sure I have 3-4 players in my first team who are tall and have good jumping reach (on highest level that's minimum of 15 but preferably more). That's usually my two CBs, the DMC and the CF. Those 3(or 4) are set to mark tall. I have two on the posts, I have two set to mark small and two set to man mark. Only one player left upfront, sometimes I change it to two.

Sorry if this deviates the discussion. My point was only that I think default settings are bad and the low numbers the OP and myself are seeing (low compared to the outcry, not real football) is because we have made changes to them.

I'll try this out, thanks.

[Erith22]

It doesn't matter if there is a way to stop corners.

Problem is that for the game on a whole it is out of whack. The AI needs to be fixed or it will just be a way of giving yourself an advantage over the AI, much as if you were taking advantage of an exploit.

[eple]

Each to their own. I have no objection in looking at the matches and doing my best to find a way to beat the other teams. I'm not scoring an immerse breaking amount of goals. 28 league games in and the stats are 13-4 in my favor.

However I strongly agree with what you say.

[brawla123]

You'll never be able to completely stop them but there's no harm in trying to decrease the amount conceded.

[Dagenham_Dave]

If it's logical, and makes sense, then tactically tweaking your defence at set pieces to avoid conceding goals from corners shouldn't be derided as being ME-exploiting. Sounds like common sense to me.

[Erith22]

So I finished the 26-27 season. Did a bit better this year, 79 for, 30 against, finished a distant 2nd to Real madrid

Tenerife goals:

Corner1: 3 % 3.8

Corner2: 6 %7.6

Corner3+: 6 %7.6

OGC: 2 %2.5

DFK: 1 %1.3

IFK: 1 %1.3

IFK2+: 4 %5

CFK: 1 %1.3

Open: 43 %54.43

Defender Mistake: 2 %2.5

Throw In: 1 %1/3

Outside: 2 %1.3

OG Ok: 1 %1/3

Pen: 4 %5

Pen inc: 1 %1.3

Fluke: 1 %1.3 (goals scored on corners swinging into goal, 50 yard free kicks, etc)

Total from open play: 48/79 %60.76

Total from corners + corner free kicks: 18 %22.8

Opposition:

Corner1: 3 %10

Corner2: 0

Corner3+: 2 %6.7

DFK: 1 %3.3

IFK: 2 %6.7

Open: 14 %46.67

Defender Mstk: 0

GK Mstk: 2 %6.67

Throw In: 1 %3.3

Outside: 2 %6.7

Pen: 1 %3.3

Pen Inc: 1 %3.3

Total from open play: 19/30 %63.3

Total from corners + corner free kicks: %16.6

So not dramatically different on percentages. Slightly lower corner numbers, mostly because I got better at defending them (bought a new center back) and I improved my finishing in open play.

Still way too many, especially off scrambles and rebounds. And still WAY too few goals from outside the box.

[samdiatmh]

I remember playing against Barca who are known for superior open play football. They won 4-1 with all goals coming from corners. I wasn't surprised at all, which is kinda the sad part about it. Also considering I clearly had the taller players.

I did this in the CL quarters

started raging when Messi (the giant himself ) scored with a header from a corner

[Jimbokav1971]

Total from open play: 48/79 %60.76

Total from corners + corner free kicks: 18 %22.8

Total from open play: 19/30 %63.3

Total from corners + corner free kicks: %16.6

So not dramatically different on percentages. Slightly lower corner numbers, mostly because I got better at defending them (bought a new center back) and I improved my finishing in open play.

Still way too many, especially off scrambles and rebounds. And still WAY too few goals from outside the box.

Do you mind if I ask why you are lumping corners and free-kicks from corner areas together, (other than to massage your figures)? Whi not include long-throws that are from a similar position? What about a cross from open play that comes from near the corner flag? You can't just add something on to corners just because it suits you. (Actually you can do, because you have done). It is just silly and doesn't make sense.

The thing I find most surprising about your figures isn't corners at all, (even after you massage the figures). It's the paucity of OG's and IFK's.

[Erith22]

Do you mind if I ask why you are lumping corners and free-kicks from corner areas together, (other than to massage your figures)? Whi not include long-throws that are from a similar position? What about a cross from open play that comes from near the corner flag? You can't just add something on to corners just because it suits you. (Actually you can do, because you have done). It is just silly and doesn't make sense.

The thing I find most surprising about your figures isn't corners at all, (even after you massage the figures). It's the paucity of OG's and IFK's.

You can scroll up and look at the exact numbers for each event. There was only one corner free kick goal the last season so include it or not, doesn't make a significant difference.

The reason I included it was because those use the same attack/defense instructions as corners, rather than the free kick instructions. Since what I am trying to do is determine/demonstrate that those scenarios result in too many goals, its a valid comparison. One thing I have not done is do a conversion rate on corners (add up the total number of corners taken). frankly, I don't really care if the corner goals are because of too many corners or too high a conversion rate, it's a problem either way.

Unfortunately I advanced seasons before tallying the official league totals for this last season. The previous season as you can see by my original post, over %18 of all La Liga goals were scored from corners, which is significantly above the historical rate.

I had a very lucky year as far as own goals go. I have had bad years but not recently. As for IFKs, again, if you look at the numbers (corner free kicks, IFK and IFK2 above, I scored 7 of my 79 goals from IFK situations).

In addition to the corner issue, my biggest problem is the goals from outside the box. 4 of the 109 goals in my matches resulted from shots outside the box, or less than %4, while the real life number is around %10.

[Jimbokav1971]

I don't really care if the corner goals are because of too many corners or too high a conversion rate, it's a problem either way.

With respect, is it possible that the corner goals are too high because you are adding goals to them that were not scored from corners?

[Jimbokav1971]

Pen Inc - Incorrect penalties. Penalties that in the post-match report are identified as incorrect calls

You do realise that that's just a penalty in real life. Not an incorrect penalty? God, how many of them have I seen in the last month? There was a blatant one today at.... Southampton I think.

[Erith22]

With respect, is it possible that the corner goals are too high because you are adding goals to them that were not scored from corners?

You seem to be missing something and I'm not sure I can explain it any more clearly. Are you not actually reading my posts? I explain it all in detail. I break down corners into the following categories:

Corner1: 1 touch corner goals

Corner2: 2 touches

Corner3+: 3 or more touches

Corner OG: Own goals on corners

I have another category for 'corner free kicks'.

Last season there was only one goal scored from a 'corner free kick' in all my matches. If you want the percentage of goals scored from corners not including 'those that are not corners', you can simply add the first 4 categories together, which gets you 17 of 79 goals or %21.5 and %16.6 for the AI, since there was only one goal from this category. Essentially identical to the total not including them since there was only one.

The %18 figure is from the FM2014 stats which don't include corner free kicks, and don't register some corner goals as corners because of whatever logic the game uses. Even so over %18 of all goals in La Liga were scored by corners which is vastly higher than real life (I don't have the exact number, but in real life it's about %12 in prem league, and its known to be much lower in La Liga).

I also don't understand what your point is about penalties. I attempted to record them to see what sort of breakdown between correct and incorrect calls come up for penalties in the game. Many have observed there seem to be a lot more incorrect calls coded into the ME this season. The first season I recorded actually had more incorrect calls than correct ones which seems very high. You can do with that information what you want, if you think its fine, great, it was merely a potentially useful observation.

[Jimbokav1971]

I have another category for 'corner free kicks'.

Last season there was only one goal scored from a 'corner free kick' in all my matches.

Yes I am missing something. I am missing a few things actually.

1. Why, (especially as the number is so insignificant), are you adding goals that are not scored from corners, to goals which are scored from corners? It just serves to muddy whatever results you are trying to present.

I am guessing that you can then present your evidence as follows.

Total from open play: 48/79 %60.76

Total from corners + corner free kicks: 18 %22.8

My suggestion is that you should stop "bulking" stuff together so you can try to spin the figures and just let them tell their own story. Why not also stick long throws in there?

2. My question about the penalties is that it isn't done in real life so I am assuming you have absolutely nothing to compare it to.

3. Who decides what is and isn't an incorrect penalty? The commentary? How do we know how accurate that is? Commentators in real life are certainly not very accurate.

4. Would you mind telling me how you know what definition of "a goal scored as a result of a corner" is, because when I tries to find out I was told that in fact there wasn't one single definition and as a result, you don't even know what type of goals were counted in the figures you are trying to compare your own figures to.

You count everything at all that comes from a corner, (even if it actually doesn't come from a corner and instead just comes from an indirect free-kick in the area of the corner.

How do you know that the stats that others use don't discount anything that leaves the box, or anything with more than x number of touches, or something else for that matter? Do you see what I mean?

You have these stats, (great), but how successfully you interpret them is a matter of debate.

[Erith22]

I'm getting tired of explaining my methodology to you because most of your questions are already clearly answered in my above posts (like how I define an incorrect penalty) as well as how I break down and itemize corner goals where you could easily determine this percentage you want just by reading them.

My goal is to document what I see in the match engine and see how it corresponds to both the in game recorded statistics and real life, in an effort to help determine where there might be deficiencies in the match engine. I have no idea what your goal is by nitpicking insignificant details.

Finally as I have already clearly stated in the above posts, my corner goal totals are very close to what FM is recording in its own statistics (+/- 1 or 2 goals per season essentially), I'm just providing detail on the different sorts of corner goals scored.

If you want to actually make some interesting observations on the data, or provide your own data, I'll be happy to discuss it further but at this point you are just nitpicking small details that I already explained in previous posts, to no real end.