Set Pieces

[dww]

Just watching the highlights that Livvy posted and saw that again we failed to defend a set piece well. Last season we were excellent at it but we seem to have regressed (I'm willing to accept that I'm wrong about this if someone has any statistics). So has anything changed in the way defend them, have other teams spotted a weakness to exploit or what?

Could it be another small thing that the coaching changes we have had with Pako leaving has affected?

[El Jefecito]

Just watching the highlights that Livvy posted and saw that again we failed to defend a set piece well. Last season we were excellent at it but we seem to have regressed (I'm willing to accept that I'm wrong about this if someone has any statistics). So has anything changed in the way defend them, have other teams spotted a weakness to exploit or what?

Could it be another small thing that the coaching changes we have had with Pako leaving has affected?

Pako was the fitness coach. Rafa does all the tactical training.

[Shaggy]

Just watching the highlights that Livvy posted and saw that again we failed to defend a set piece well. Last season we were excellent at it but we seem to have regressed (I'm willing to accept that I'm wrong about this if someone has any statistics). So has anything changed in the way defend them, have other teams spotted a weakness to exploit or what?

Could it be another small thing that the coaching changes we have had with Pako leaving has affected?

I've never seen anything more obvious than us finally conceding from a set-piece today. One was bound to count in the end. Every single one of theirs caused us no end of grief. We've been all at sea defending set-pieces of late and something has gone badly wrong in that respect.

No idea what it is though. If I knew I'd be a football coach.

[dww]

I've never seen anything more obvious than us finally conceding from a set-piece today. One was bound to count in the end. Every single one of theirs caused us no end of grief. We've been all at sea defending set-pieces of late and something has gone badly wrong in that respect.

No idea what it is though. If I knew I'd be a football coach.

Well only if you could solve it

What surprises me is that not one single media outlet has mentioned the change. I know many wouldn't as they (mistakenly) felt zonal marking was crap from the off but you would think someone would bring it up.

Both offensively and defensively our performance at set pieces has cost us this season and it is not that much of a stretch to say we would have been in third at least with a moderate improvement in both areas.

[wiw]

Could it be true that, in the full knowleadge of how we successfully 'control' games (most of the time), teams are putting more emphasis on set-pieces against us?

[le2red]

Bolton's set pieces are better than ours (and ultimately led to them scoring) cos they practise theirs?

[johnp]

We got one from a set piece too

Unusual for us, it doesn't happen often. Also, I don't think that Xabi takes many corners, it's usually Gerrard, isn't it?

But, yeah, it seemed to be coming from them. But, I'll admit that Cohen did very well to score the goal.

[El Jefecito]

Bolton's set pieces are better than ours (and ultimately led to them scoring) cos they practise theirs?

We can't even beat the first man 60% of the time. A decent Toni type striker and we'd have 10-15 more goals / season (and someone other than SG to take them).

[Joe King]

Iain Dowie just said a stat on MOTD that we have conceded 13/29 from set pieces? WTF?!
The worst in the Premiership?

I usually don't care about stats but when consolidating our current predicament Rafa needs to sort the zonal stuff out.

[El Jefecito]

We got one from a set piece too

Unusual for us, it doesn't happen often. Also, I don't think that Xabi takes many corners, it's usually Gerrard, isn't it?

But, yeah, it seemed to be coming from them. But, I'll admit that Cohen did very well to score the goal.

When a corner is as well taken as that one was, it's difficult to defend against.

[johnp]

When a corner is as well taken as that one was, it's difficult to defend against.

Aye, not just the ball in, but the run he made

[Joe King]

When a corner is as well taken as that one was, it's difficult to defend against.

Something we have lacked for a very long time

Aye, not just the ball in, but the run he made

Poor defending, two players marking the near post area. The gap between Skrtle and Gerrard was huge. It was begging Cohen to run in and score

[Parm]

apparently 13 of the 20 goals we've conceded this season are from set pieces, the most in the league. Maybe it is a lack of understanding with zonal marking for som players?

[Joe King]

apparently 13 of the 20 goals we've conceded this season are from set pieces, the most in the league. Maybe it is a lack of understanding with zonal marking for som players?

I have made this point

Rafa needs to sort the zones out. Today was a good example of Gerrard drifting to that near post area and Skrtel left with two people in one zone. Its woeful and Gerrard looked behind him and blamed someone else.

[Parm]

sorry fella, didnt see your post, my bad.