Man marking v zonal

[BrianF80]

Nonsense, we have had some of the best set piece defence in the league and we concede well below average for goals conceded from set pieces. Nearly half of premier league goals are from set pieces on average (though this was much lower last season at 37%), under a quarter of our goals were and last season, and we were poorer than usual last season (22%).

Have you got the %s for the last couple of seasons? I might keep track this season if you have.

[Mattshark]

Have you got the %s for the last couple of seasons? I might keep track this season if you have.

Just last seasons mate, sorry, if you search around you should be able to find them. It was 8 goals from set pieces, 5 from corners, 3 from FK's.

One thing I saw which is something irritatingly annoying, we hit the post 20 time last season, more than anyone else, and 28 times the season before!

[Shaggy]

Small details!

[BobTheCharmer]

I think both systems have their merits. I personally like a couple of people on the posts just because with the keeper in the middle you have most of the goal covered. I also like to see at least 2 players upfield to keep the opposition honest. Hell I think shaggys idea of 5 up is worth a try against your stoke and everton's of this world to stop them flooding the area.

Viva la giraffe.

[MrMichael]

Put everyone with any pace about 25 yards out, in a line all crouched like it was a sprint race, and as the corner comes in have them charge up the pitch? I bet the first opponents you did that against would **** themselves.... unless they scored the first time you did it of course.

If you did it consistently though opposition managers would plan for it and there would be carnage. As a one off it would be ace.

Just last seasons mate, sorry, if you search around you should be able to find them. It was 8 goals from set pieces, 5 from corners, 3 from FK's.

One thing I saw which is something irritatingly annoying, we hit the post 20 time last season, more than anyone else, and 28 times the season before!

That was annoying, I remember thinking last year we seemed to be hitting the woodwork and inordinate amount of times. Kuyt and Gerrard especially.

[Craig_H]

Put everyone with any pace about 25 yards out, in a line all crouched like it was a sprint race, and as the corner comes in have them charge up the pitch? I bet the first opponents you did that against would **** themselves.... unless they scored the first time you did it of course.

If you did it consistently though opposition managers would plan for it and there would be carnage. As a one off it would be ace.

[destinydude]

Inter Milan used man to man marking yesterday against Roma. Make of it what you want.

[Shaggy]

Probably cos they have people like Walter Samuel, who is an absolute ****ing rash. Why change it?

[Fernandinho]

yeah they have some quality players who can head back there. samuel and lucio. and compare johnson and aurelio to maicon and zanetti. they are gonna win it all in the air!

[BrianF80]

Inter Milan used man to man marking yesterday against Roma. Make of it what you want.

Nope, it was a pretty vanilla zonal. Four men across the six yard box etc.

[DannyMan2006]

I don't see the fuss. In either system if a defender does his job the opposition do not score.

That said, a perfectly executed ball in and a well timed run makes it very difficult to defend with either system. Our main problem for any system has always been a lack of height in the team. You can create all sorts of pretty patterns in our box, but if a 6'07 Crouch or Shawcross get the run on us there is sod all we can do about it other than bang in to them and hope for the best.

Then there are players like Cahill who are ridiculously good at finiding space in the box, alluded to a great leap and world class ability in the air. I've seen Cahill do us over like a kipper on more than one occasion, but he also did it to teams who man mark. Likewise, tall players in the opposition are a threat to every team, no matter what the system is.

Personally i think the best system is whatever your players are most comfortable with, and then to stick with that and just keep working at it. Zonal only ever became a problem for us because at times in the past we were almost unbreakable in defence and the only time a team seemed to score against us in the big games was from a corner.

It only ever seemed to be a major problem because we were so good at open play defending.

[Fernandinho]

I don't see the fuss. In either system if a defender does his job the opposition do not score.

That said, a perfectly executed ball in and a well timed run makes it very difficult to defend with either system. Our main problem for any system has always been a lack of height in the team. You can create all sorts of pretty patterns in our box, but if a 6'07 Crouch or Shawcross get the run on us there is sod all we can do about it other than bang in to them and hope for the best.

Then there are players like Cahill who are ridiculously good at finiding space in the box, alluded to a great leap and world class ability in the air. I've seen Cahill do us over like a kipper on more than one occasion, but he also did it to teams who man mark. Likewise, tall players in the opposition are a threat to every team, no matter what the system is.

Personally i think the best system is whatever your players are most comfortable with, and then to stick with that and just keep working at it. Zonal only ever became a problem for us because at times in the past we were almost unbreakable in defence and the only time a team seemed to score against us in the big games was from a corner.

It only ever seemed to be a major problem because we were so good at open play defending.

[BrianF80]

Didn't realize, although it makes sense now, just how reliant man marking was on wrestling moves.

[banditos]

Didn't realize, although it makes sense now, just how reliant man marking was on wrestling moves.

As demonstrated by the alarming techniques of Skrtel. He would've conceded a peno if that was an away match.

Skittles + man-to-man marking = defenisive liability.

[BrianF80]

As demonstrated by the alarming techniques of Skrtel. He would've conceded a peno if that was an away match.

Skittles + man-to-man marking = defenisive liability.

I'm not so sure, most defenders get an early read of how lenient a referee is going to be and the take full advantage of it. I'm sure there was some of that in his shenanigans yesterday.