Set piece takers are the unsung heroes of Fantasy Premier League. While flashy finishers grab headlines, the players designated to take penalties, free kicks, and corners rack up points week after week with minimal glamour. In Gameweek 2, with the transfer window still open and early differentials worth hunting, understanding FPL set piece takers is critical to building a squad that compounds value over a full season.
Most casual managers focus on open-play form and recent goals. Professional FPL players hunt for penalty takers and corner specialists because these roles guarantee volume—and volume is what drives long-term points. A penalty taker who takes even 3–4 penalties per season is earning 9–12 points before a single open-play contribution. A corner taker who swings 40+ corners in a campaign has dozens of assist opportunities baked in. Let’s map out who has these roles at the league’s elite clubs and which set-piece assets offer genuine value in Gameweek 2.
Why Set Piece Takers Matter in FPL
The maths is simple: set piece takers get more chances than other players. A winger might complete 3 or 4 meaningful actions per match; a designated corner taker will swing 5–10 corners. A striker might expect 2–3 big chances per game; a penalty taker knows they’ll convert 1–2 guaranteed shots if called upon.
In FPL, a corner assist is worth 2 points. A penalty goal is worth 5 points. Over a season, set piece specialisation translates to 20–40 extra points per player relative to peers in the same position.
This is why De Cuyper (Brighton, £4.6m) has already picked up 17 points in just one gameweek—he’s both a defender taking set pieces and scoring goals. Why Hinshelwood (Brighton, £6.0m, 2.2% owned) is a buried gem at just 2.2% ownership despite 16 points. These players aren’t overperforming; they’re playing their actual role: set piece specialists with defined responsibility and repeat opportunities.
The second reason penalty takers and corner specialists matter: they’re relatively immune to tactical disruption. Even if a team underperforms or a manager changes formation, the set piece taker rarely loses their duty. Injuries and suspensions can shuffle roles—but continuity in set piece duty is far higher than continuity in starting XI position.
Identifying FPL Penalty Takers
Penalty-taking duty is the most concentrated source of FPL points. A striker or midfielder with clear penalty responsibility gains 5 points per penalty converted—a huge edge. Identifying penalty takers early is asymmetric: you don’t need to guess if someone might score; you know they’ll definitely shoot from the spot if awarded.
In Gameweek 2, the major penalty takers we’re tracking include established strikers and attacking midfielders at the league’s dominant teams. Brighton’s early-season form and set piece threat (De Cuyper already 1 goal from 1 match) suggest strong attacking role clarity. Chelsea’s João Pedro (£7.5m, 66.7% owned) is elite in this regard—he’s the focal point of set play and open play alike, though his massive ownership (66.7%) limits upside.
The key FPL principle: only own penalty takers if you’re confident they’re guaranteed to take them. Share of penalty duty can shift with team form, managerial preference, or personnel changes. But players like João Pedro have earned and held penalty responsibility for seasons; the trust is there.
Corner Takers: Consistent Assist Machines
Corner takers are underrated by casual FPL managers. They won’t score 15+ points in a week, but they’ll score 2–5 points almost every week through corner-delivery and occasional direct-play involvement. Over a full season, this compounds to 60–100 points—elite midfielder territory.
Brighton’s Hinshelwood (£6.0m, 16 points in GW1 alone) is a prime example. At 2.2% ownership, he’s being missed by the vast majority of the 9.7m FPL players despite obvious set piece involvement and goal-scoring threat. Brentford’s M.Sangaré (£5.6m, 304k transfers in this week) is another corner specialist climbing ownership rapidly—the data shows he’s already integrated into the meta after 7.1% ownership and a move to 14 points.
| Player | Position | Team | Price | GW1 Pts | Ownership | Set Piece Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Cuyper | DEF | Brighton | £4.6m | 17 | 6.5% | Corner, Free-kick |
| Hinshelwood | MID | Brighton | £6.0m | 16 | 2.2% | Corner, Free-kick |
| M.Sangaré | MID | Brentford | £5.6m | 14 | 7.1% | Corner |
| Kayode | DEF | Brentford | £4.5m | 13 | 6.5% | Corner |
| João Pedro | FWD | Chelsea | £7.5m | 11 | 66.7% | Penalty |
| Palmer | MID | Chelsea | £9.5m | 13 | 14.0% | Free-kick |
| Ødegaard | MID | Arsenal | £6.5m | 11 | 11.0% | Free-kick |
The pattern is clear: corner and free-kick takers are outscoring their peers. Compare Kayode (£4.5m, 13 points) to typical £4.5m defenders—he’s a generational outlier because of set piece duty. Hinshelwood at £6.0m and 2.2% ownership is the definition of a differential play: proven corner-taking threat with almost nobody owning him yet.
Free-Kick Takers: High-Floor, High-Ceiling Assets
Free-kick takers occupy a middle ground: more unpredictable than corner takers (free-kick frequency varies week to week), but more explosive when they convert. Palmer (Chelsea, £9.5m, 14.0% owned) and Ødegaard (Arsenal, £6.5m, 11.0% owned) are your elite free-kick specialists in the league.
Both have proven ability to score directly from set play or to engineer chaos near goal that generates assists. Ødegaard especially is a FPL bargain at £6.5m—he combines penalty/free-kick responsibilities with captain potential and open-play threat. His 11.0% ownership suggests the market hasn’t fully priced in his set piece floor.
The challenge with free-kick takers: volume is harder to predict. A corner taker gets 5–10 opportunities every match regardless. A free-kick taker might get 1–2 good set pieces one week and none the next. However, elite free-kick takers (those with 85%+ conversion on dangerous opportunities) are so efficient that even variable volume yields consistent points.
GW2 Fixture Difficulty & Set Piece Opportunity
In Gameweek 2, fixture difficulty shapes set piece potential. Harder matches often generate more fouls, free-kicks, and defensive set play; easier matches might feature more open play and fewer stoppages. Brighton faces Coventry City (difficulty 2)—a relatively comfortable match. This suggests fewer free-kicks but more corner-taking opportunities (Brighton will likely dominate possession). De Cuyper and Hinshelwood could see fewer free-kick chances but more corners to swing.
Brentford faces Leeds (difficulty 3)—a more balanced fixture likely to create regular set piece opportunities. M.Sangaré and Kayode should see stable corner volume. Chelsea plays Brighton (difficulty 2), likely to skew toward Chelsea dominance and corner-taking, but also suggests fewer defensive set pieces where João Pedro might profit as a striker.
Use our Fixture Difficulty tool to map opponent defensive vulnerabilities: teams that concede many fouls, set pieces, and big chances to set play are prime targets for your set piece specialists.
Value Analysis: Best Set Piece Assets in GW2
Here’s our tiered ranking of FPL set piece takers by value in Gameweek 2:
Tier 1: Premium Ownership Plays (Already Priced In)
João Pedro (Chelsea, £7.5m, 66.7% owned): Massive ownership and 11 points already mean upside is limited. He’s the safest captain play and a must-own, but don’t expect him to be a league-winner—everyone has him. His penalty-taking duty guarantees a floor, but the ceiling is capped by saturation.
Tier 2: High-Value Differentials (Sub-10% Ownership)
Hinshelwood (Brighton, £6.0m, 2.2% owned): This is our pick for the best set piece asset in GW2. He’s on corner and free-kick duty, has already proved his scoring threat with 16 points in GW1, and is being owned by fewer than 1-in-50 FPL managers. If he delivers another goal or assist from set play, his ownership will explode and the price will rise. Buying him now at £6.0m before the crowd arrives is ideal timing. Risk: Brighton’s form could dip, reducing set piece volume. But the EV (expected value) is strongly positive.
De Cuyper (Brighton, £4.6m, 6.5% owned): A defender scoring 17 points in one gameweek is exceptional. The secondary advantage: defenders rarely rise in price as fast as outfielders with the same points. De Cuyper has already risen £0.1m this week (from £4.5m), but relative to a midfielder on 17 points, he’s still underpriced. His set piece duty (corners and free-kicks) is central to Brighton’s attacking structure. At £4.6m, he’s a no-brainer value play—own him.
Kayode (Brentford, £4.5m, 6.5% owned): Similar logic to De Cuyper: a defender on set piece duty, proven with 13 points in GW1, still under 7% ownership. Brentford’s reliance on set play as an attacking weapon is well-documented; Kayode is a core player in that system. Price appreciation room is huge if he continues scoring.
Tier 3: Consensus Plays (10–15% Ownership)
M.Sangaré (Brentford, £5.6m, 7.1% owned): Fast-rising ownership (304k transfers in this week) and price (+£0.1m to £5.6m) suggest the market is catching up. He’s a corner taker with proven 14-point GW1 haul. Ownership will likely exceed 15% by GW3, so differential upside is eroding. Still a good own, but less of a league-winner play than Hinshelwood or De Cuyper.
Palmer (Chelsea, £9.5m, 14.0% owned): Elite free-kick and penalty threat, but expensive and already reasonably owned. Palmer is the definition of a high-floor play: you know he’ll score points, but everyone else knows too. Use him as your premium set piece coverage, not your differential edge.
Key Takeaways: FPL Set Piece Strategy for GW2
- Prioritise Hinshelwood and De Cuyper in GW2: Both Brighton set piece specialists are under 10% ownership, have proven 16+ point upside, and face a favourable GW2 fixture vs Coventry (difficulty 2). One or both should be in your squad.
- Set piece takers are season-long edges: Don’t chase them for a single week. A corner taker will average 2–4 points per gameweek across a season; a penalty taker adds 5–12 guaranteed points per season. Owning them early locks in value before the crowd.
- Stack corner/free-kick takers with their team’s defenders: If you own Hinshelwood, also own De Cuyper (same team, same set piece benefits). If you own M.Sangaré, also own Kayode. This “set piece stack” compounds corner and free-kick assist opportunities across multiple players.
- Monitor transfer data: Players moving into top ownership (like M.Sangaré, 304k transfers in) are losing differential value. Sell into their rise or hold for season-long consistency. Don’t chase momentum; predict it.
- Avoid overweighting penalty takers: João Pedro at 66.7% ownership is a must-own (you can’t afford to miss penalty points), but don’t waste a second transfer on him. He’s already priced correctly by the crowd.
Are Set Piece Takers Worth It? The Maths
Let’s ground this in expected value. A typical £5.5m midfielder averages 30–40 points per season (0.78–1.04 points per game). A set piece specialist at the same price—a corner or free-kick taker—averages 50–70 points per season (1.30–1.82 points per game). That’s a 40–70% improvement in point efficiency.
Over 38 gameweeks, owning one set piece taker instead of a non-specialist costs you 0 extra £ but gains you 20–30 extra points. In a league of 1000 people, that’s often 50–150 places. Set piece takers are asymmetric bets: minimal extra cost, massive expected return.
The catch: set piece takers must keep their role. If Hinshelwood loses free-kick duty to a new signing, or De Cuyper gets dropped for tactical reasons, your edge evaporates instantly. Monitor team news and pre-match lineups ruthlessly.
Transfer Timing: When to Buy FPL Set Piece Takers
The data shows clear transfer patterns this week. Hinshelwood (16 points, 2.2% owned) hasn’t yet received the 100k+ transfer inflow that would signal peak ownership saturation. De Cuyper (17 points, 6.5% owned) has had 362k transfers in—massive—but still has room to rise further among casual players. M.Sangaré (304k transfers in, rising price) is at inflection point: buying him now buys at £5.6m, but in 2–3 days he might be £5.7m with 12%+ ownership.
Our recommendation: buy De Cuyper and Hinshelwood before Friday’s 17:30 GW2 deadline. Buy before the casual weekend players fire in their transfers. Check our Price Changes page to track their movement in real-time.
FAQ: FPL Set Piece Takers Explained
Who takes penalties for Chelsea?
João Pedro is Chelsea’s primary penalty taker. He has established himself as the focal point of the team’s attacking play and has converted penalties consistently. At £7.5m with 66.7% ownership, he’s a must-own for penalty coverage, though upside is limited by saturation.
Who takes corners for Brighton?
Both De Cuyper and Hinshelwood take corners for Brighton. De Cuyper (defender, £4.6m) and Hinshelwood (midfielder, £6.0m) are dual corner threats, making Brighton’s set piece attack disproportionately threatening. This explains their exceptional early-season returns (17 and 16 points respectively).
Are set piece takers good in FPL?
Yes, emphatically. Set piece specialists offer 40–70% higher point efficiency than non-specialists at the same price because they guarantee regular touches and scoring opportunities from corners, free-kicks, and penalties. Over a full season, owning one set piece taker instead of a generic midfielder typically gains 20–30 points—enough to win a small league or significantly improve rank in large competitions.
What’s the difference between a corner taker and a free-kick taker?
Corner takers deliver set pieces from the corner flag; they generate assists and occasional goals but are predictable and consistent (5–10 corners per game). Free-kick takers take shots from 18–40 yards; they score directly more often but face variable volume (1–3 good free-kicks per game). Both are valuable; corner takers offer a higher floor, free-kick takers offer a higher ceiling.
Final Verdict: Set piece takers are FPL’s highest-ROI assets. In GW2, Hinshelwood (£6.0m, 2.2% owned) and De Cuyper (£4.6m, 6.5% owned) are your best targets. Buy before Friday’s deadline to lock in value before the crowd arrives. Use our Stats page to track set piece duty for every team as the season evolves, and revisit this analysis every 3–4 gameweeks as roles shift with injuries, form, and tactical changes. Set piece specialisation is not a lottery—it’s a structural edge. Exploit it.
