THE MATCHDAY ANSWER
Set pieces
Build a routine around the players taking the field. Check the taker, main target, alternative target and recovery cover before kickoff and after substitutions. Watch where the first and second balls land before changing the delivery or committing another player forward.
What is confirmed, and what is advice?
SI’s detailed creator explanation is explicitly for FM24, dated 29 September 2023. We label it as background, not proof of identical FM27 menus. The missing-player forum report is unresolved. Our matchday checklist is original advice, not a confirmed bug fix or exploit routine.
Reviewed 4 November 2026. Match examples are hypothetical. The checks and suggested adjustments are Touchline FM editorial advice, not guaranteed results or engine formulas.
Start with these three decisions
- Check the actual lineup against the taker and assignment priorities.
- Give the routine a clear first-ball plan and a second-ball plan.
- Recheck attacking and defensive assignments after substitutions or a red card.
Start with the players, then the diagram
The official FM24 introduction describes an attribute-based creator rather than assignments determined only by tactical position. That is useful historical context for why a routine needs a personnel check. For FM27, inspect the current assignment screen instead of assuming a downloaded routine sends your best header to the area you intended.
Compare delivery quality, aerial ability, anticipation and movement for the job you want performed. Those are screening considerations, not a published FM27 weighting formula. The tallest player is not automatically your only target, and the best centre-back may be more valuable protecting a dangerous opponent’s outlet. Choose with the whole routine in view.
Source notes: SI: Set Pieces Refresh and Coaches Debut
Make the delivery and target agree
Choose the intended destination and ask how your target gets there. A near-area delivery and a far-area run do not become a coherent plan just because both players are strong. Check the taker’s available delivery options and preferred foot in the game, then watch several actual deliveries to see whether the intended combination occurs.
Prepare alternatives for the other side and for a rotated lineup. If the main taker is also your preferred second-ball receiver, someone else must perform one of those jobs. Treat a short routine as a separate passing pattern: identify the receiver, the next option and the protection if the first pass is intercepted. More possession after a short corner is not by itself a successful outcome.
Plan the clearance and the counter
Follow the ball after the first aerial challenge. Where does the clearance land, and can your team contest it without abandoning cover? Sending another player into the box trades something away. Check whether the opponent leaves a quick attacker high and whether your remaining players can delay that outlet while teammates recover.
On defensive set pieces, inspect the first contact, the loose ball and the route out. A team that wins the header but lets the opponent collect every clearance remains under pressure. If you retain an outlet, choose a player who can actually receive or chase the next ball. Evaluate both the immediate duel and the next phase instead of counting bodies in the area alone.
Run the two-minute lineup check
This is an editorial matchday routine, not an engine timing requirement. Run it when selecting the team, then repeat the affected checks after a substitution, injury or dismissal. A convincing diagram saved last month does not guarantee that today’s replacement players fill the same jobs.
| Check | Question | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Taker | Is the intended taker on the pitch for this side? | Choose the available alternative |
| Primary target | Does the selected player occupy the intended attacking job? | Review the assignment and priority order |
| Second ball | Who contests a clearance outside the main duel? | Assign a viable receiver without removing all cover |
| Recovery | Who handles the opponent’s fastest outlet? | Rebalance the routine before adding attackers |
| Defensive routine | Have rotation and substitutions left a mismatch? | Inspect actual assignments again |
When a player seems to be missing
The linked forum question describes a striker ending up in an unexpected hierarchy group. It does not contain a verified solution, so we do not label this an FM27 bug or claim a particular button fixes it. First check the selected team, routine side, availability and all priority groups. Distinguish a player being absent from being present under a different assignment.
If the screen offers editable priorities, inspect them and test a simple duplicate of the routine without overwriting your original. Note what changes when you switch between the intended starting lineup and a rotated team. If the mismatch persists, report the game build, the routine and exact reproduction steps through the appropriate SI help or bug channel. Avoid attaching a private career publicly without considering its contents.
Source notes: SI forum: player missing from set-piece hierarchy
Review the routine, not a lucky goal
Track whether deliveries reach the intended area, who wins the first contact, who collects the next ball and whether you concede a transition. Keep attacking and defensive observations separate. A goal can come from a fortunate rebound after a poor routine; a good delivery can produce no goal because the target misses.
After several relevant situations, change one part of the routine and keep the rest stable. Use the training plan and staff responsibilities to decide who prepares and reviews the work, checking the current game’s options. There is no universal set-piece goal quota or training schedule in this guide. Keep the version that produces clearer opportunities and acceptable recovery protection with the players you actually select.
EVIDENCE BEHIND THE ADVICE
Sources & edition notes
Official FM27 announcements establish current changes. Earlier-edition sources provide background. Community discussions identify questions and experiences; being hosted on SI’s forum does not make them official confirmation. Our recommendations are labelled as advice.
- FM24 official feature · 29 September 2023SI: Set Pieces Refresh and Coaches Debut
The article explicitly introduces the FM24 creator and attribute-based priority system. The current website masthead does not turn it into an FM27 specification.
- Unresolved community report · edition unspecifiedSI forum: player missing from set-piece hierarchy
The question describes a striker appearing in an unexpected priority group. No verified fix is established in the discussion; our checklist is a troubleshooting workflow.