Match: Set pieces and special events

Set Pieces

Some of your basic attacks will result in a set-piece opportunity, either as a free kick, a corner or a penalty kick. As in real football, mastering set pieces can be very valuable in Hattrick.

Direct free kicks

If your team gets a free kick in a good spot, it will be entrusted to your designated Set Pieces taker (see below).

This player will test his skill against the goalkeeper directly, using his set pieces skill and experience. The goalkeeper will defend using his set pieces skill, goalkeeping skill, and experience.

Indirect set pieces

About one-third of your set pieces' chances will be indirect free kicks, and the outcome of these depends on team effort. To attack you use (in order of importance):
The average scoring skill of the outfielders
The average set pieces skill of the outfielders
The set pieces skill of your set pieces taker
The experience of players also matters. To defend, you use (in order of importance):
The average defending skill of the outfielders
The average set pieces skill of the outfielders
The goalkeeping skill and set pieces skill of your keeper
And again, the experience of all players mentioned.

These ratings are known as your offensive and defensive indirect Set Pieces ratings.

Penalty kicks and Penalty Shoot-Outs

There are two types of penalty kick situations in Hattrick, and they work differently.

Regular penalty kick

If the referee calls for a penalty for a foul during the match, your designated Set pieces taker (see below) will step up. The following skills and specialities matter:
For the penalty kick taker: Set Pieces and Experience
For the goalkeeper: Set Pieces, Goalkeeping, and experience. Quick specialty.

Penalty shoot-outs

Some matches, such as Cup matches or qualifiers, cannot end in a draw. If such a match has not been decided after full-time and extra time, it will go to a penalty shoot-out. Each team gets five penalties in the initial round. If the match still needs to be decided after this, the teams will get one penalty each until one has outscored the other.

In a shoot-out, momentum matters. A player who scored a penalty earlier in the match will have a 10 % bonus during the shoot-out. Keepers who saved a penalty earlier in the game, including in the shoot-out, will get a 10 % bonus to save the subsequent penalty. This momentum is lost when the streak is broken.

The following skills and specialities matter during a Shoot-Out:
For the penalty kick taker: Set Pieces, Scoring, and Experience. Momentum bonus, as described above, matters, as does Technical speciality.
For the goalkeeper: Goalkeeping, momentum bonus. Quick speciality.

Picking your set piece takers

Your nominated Set pieces taker will, in most cases, be in charge of penalties, direct free kicks and corner special events during the match.

If you do not select a player for this role in the match order form, the coach will pick the player with the highest set pieces skill to do the job instead.

]If your chosen player is injured, sent off or substituted, another player will assume his role. In this situation, the first player of your penalty kick order (see below) will be used. If you have not set a penalty kick order, the coach will pick a player for the role.

For penalty shoot-outs, the list on the Penalty Kick Takers tab in the match order form becomes important. It is used to decide in advance by who and in which order any penalty shoot-out kicks will be taken. If this list has not been set, the coach will pick the players based on their set pieces and scoring skills.

Corner special event

Corners are handled as a team special event. Your designated set pieces taker will take the corner.

To score from a corner kick, you can improve your chances by having a high set pieces skill on the player that takes the corner and by having a high offensive indirect set pieces rating against the opponent's defensive indirect set pieces rating.

There are two types of corner kicks. In one, the higher the number of outfield head specialists in your team (your set pieces taker does not count), and the lower the number of head specialists among your opponent's, the better your chances to score. Having no head specialists at all will make you very weak at defending against corners and very weak at scoring from your own corners.

In the other, the chance to score will depend on the scoring skill of the player that receives the ball. Note that corners might lead to a yellow card for the offensive team, but if your player is already carded, he will be extra careful, so the risk of a second yellow is lower than it would otherwise have been.

Special Events

Apart from basic attacks, "Special events" may occur. Special events are match events that occur depending on players' attributes, their specialties (in particular), which makes it a strategy IN itself to compose a squad that has a good balance of player specialties.

There are two types of special events: team events and individual events. The chance to experience a team special event is decided by your ball possession (if you have 55% ball possession you also have a 55% chance to get a team special event).

The individual special events is driven by what specialties the players on the field have. Having many players with specialties can be an advantage, but it is not enough. You must also have players with the right attribute in the right position for a particular event for it to be triggered. It is important to find the right balance of specialties on your team.

For each special event happening in a match, the chance for another special event decreases.

Weather conditions

Certain specialties are better suited to certain weather conditions. Every player's performance is affected by the specific weather conditions from the very start of the game.

Technical players gain 5% on all their skills in the sun, but lose the same percentage in the rain.

Powerful players gain 5% in the rain, and lose 5% in the sun.

Quick players lose 5% in the rain and in the sun.

When a weather event happens you will get information about it in the match report, and the player's star rating will also reflect their performance accordingly.

Goal events

Specialties (and other player attributes) can gain you additional attacks. In addition to what is listed below, the player who pulls the chance away (often, but not always, the same player who creates the chance) also needs some scoring skill in order to score from these attacks.

Unpredictable players can use their passing skill to create unexpected long passes if they are keepers, wing-backs or central defenders. They can use their scoring skill to intercept the ball if they are inner midfielders, forwards or wingers. If they are field players, their unpredictability itself may also create unlikely scoring opportunities. The lower the defense skill of an unpredictable defender or inner midfielder, the higher is the probability they can also make a reckless error that will give the opponent a chance to score. An unpredictable winger or forward with low passing skill is also more likely to cause chaos in your defense, possibly resulting in an own goal.

Quick wingers, inner midfielders and forwards can create a chance by using a burst of speed. This can be countered by the opposing team using a defensive player (central defender or wing back) who is also quick. You will also have a boost on your counter attacks tactic level for every quick winger, inner midfielder, and forward on your team. The opponent can still diminish this effect with quick inner midfielders, wingbacks, defenders, or keeper (just the extra boost can be nullified, not the initial tactic level).

Technical wingers, inner midfielders and forwards can create chances if an opposing keeper, defender or inner midfielder is a head specialist (the head specialist doesn’t have to be in the exact opposite slot). Moreover, every technical defender and wing back will give you a small chance to create a non-tactical counter attack from a missed normal chance of your opponent. The higher the passing of the defender, the bigger the chance.

Wingers with sufficient winger skill can create chances that will have to be finished off by another winger, a midfielder, or a forward. If that other player has sufficient scoring skill, he is more likely to score; if he is a head specialist, it will be even easier for him to score.

Corner: To score from a corner kick, you can improve your chances by having a high set pieces skill on the player that takes the corner and by having a high offensive indirect set pieces rating against the opponent's defensive indirect set pieces rating. There are two types of corner kicks. In one, the higher the number of outfield head specialists in your team (your set pieces taker does not count), and the lower the number of head specialists among your opponent's, the better your chances to score. Having no head specialists at all will make you very weak at defending against corners and very weak at scoring from your own corners. In the other, the chance to score will depend on the scoring skill of the player that receives the ball. Note that corners might lead to a yellow card for the offensive team, but if your player is already carded, he will be extra careful, so the risk of a second yellow is lower than it would otherwise have been.

Experience: Experienced forwards can score using their experience. Inexperienced central defenders and wingbacks can give their opponents an extra chance.

Tiredness: Tired central defenders can make mistakes. Unless the opposing attacker is also too tired, this may create a chance for the opponent.

Other additional match events

There are also some additional events you can get in a match. The chance to get these events is not dependent on midfield strength, so the chance doesn't increase if you're dominating the midfield.

Counter-attacks: Even if you don't use the counter-attack tactic there is a small chance that your team gets to counter. These "tactic-independent" counter-attacks do not require your team to have an inferior midfield (which otherwise is necessary to counter). See the chapter about tactics for more info on counter-attacks.

Long shots: Even if you don't use the long shot tactic there is a slim chance that your team gets a long shot opportunity. Read the tactics chapter for more info about long shots.

Powerful inner midfielders, if playing defensive (also called sitting midfielders) can concentrate on breaking up attacks and winning the ball. If he succeeds in pressing, the opponent's attack breaks down. To do that, he will rely on his defending skill and stamina.

Powerful forwards, if playing normal (also called power forwards) can put their bodies in the right place, forcing a second chance to shoot and score after a normal chance for your team has been missed. They will need sufficient playmaking and scoring skills to do that. Note that their physical play can result in yellow cards; however, if your player has already been carded, he will tread more carefully in these situations.

You will suffer an overcrowding penalty if you field two or three players having the same combination of specialties and positions of the following types: technical defensive forwards, powerful normal forwards and powerful defensive inner midfielders. If you field two players of the same type, you will suffer a penalty on their contribution (4% each). If you field three of them, the penalty will be bigger (7.5% each).