The importance of set pieces

http://www.eplindex.com/19280/importance-set-pieces-stats-analysis.html?

This is a great article and shows up, statistically what we have know for some time... our set pieces are just not good enough.
I think we have the players... it just aint happening on the training ground.
Time to look at recruiting a specialist for this area?

 

That might be an idea, certainly we need some new ideas and better execution of the ones we have.

 

Didn't we bring someone in this summer to improve set pieces? I sort of remember reading something about that. Maybe it's just going to take some time to get sorted.

 

I hope so because set pieces can turn games and I reckon that we could be 6-9 points better off if we get that side of thinks sorted.
With HBA we have a player who will draw a lot of fouls around the box.

 

We should drop this bullshit where we knock it to the edge of the box for a CB to flick down. It doesn't work.

What we should do is just try and make space for Saylor and Ba, and let them do their own thing from set plays.

Try and aim for one of them.

 

Saylor and Ba? Or Cisse and Ba?

 

From set pieces, Saylor and Ba, the best players in the air in our team.

 

There should be no such thing as a short-corner, EVER. It's such a waste and I loathe it with every mitochondrial driven cell contained by my layers of ectodermal tissue... Thankfully, we've seen less of these recently, but the current idea of floating the ball in to the edge of the box is just as useless. I prefer accurate pelting to be honest. That way a little nick off a defender is just as likely to result in a goal as any attacking intention... Floated crosses only work when there is a clear height advantage for the attacking team and fewer defenders in the box than you would find at set-pieces.

Ben Arfa is fairly **** at set-peices, Cabaye is often more miss than hit, and Marvo hasn't showed the sort of outfield form that would give him a starting birth in the team, though his set-pieces are the best certainly. Marvo can do it all, and I think it was obvious against Man Utd what we had a specific game plan because he did the same set-piece every time, instead of making use of his variety.

 

This.
Look, we are one of the few teams that have setpieces that are even further away(near halfway line) than where you normally have them from, and yet the stats aren't showing. We create even less chances than those who don't have this awful setpiece.

For the last time, do away with the bloody setpiece that never works.

 

The last set piece we scored from was a Ba header. He just made a simple run through the box, managed to lose his marker.

The other few were Saylor doing his own thing and scoring.

 

Bottom line is our set pieces are turd. Cabaye needs taken off them completely. His free kicks and corners are way too inconsistent. Benni hasn't really produced but I remember watching him in France take a few and he put in some wicked balls. He also struck a lovely dead ball. I'd maybe persevere with him. Raylor is obviously the guy who does best for us and this season looked capable of nailing a first team spot. His dead balls are excellent. We certainly have a massive lack of options but the way Benni strikes the ball would make me favour for the time being. At least he gets pace and whip on them and that is what the person attacking it craves.

 

I disagree tbh.

When you see players putting corners in low and deep, you think "wtf was that". I think it happens to often to just say that the corner kick taker made a **** delivery, It's some sort of plan that fails.

Cabaye, Marv, Ben Arfa, Bigi should all get chances.

You can't really blame the freekick takers for us not scoring from set plays, its just **** plans and predictable routines.

 

If the plan is failing, it's time to do something else? How many corners do we have when it's taken, it hits the first man? I bet it's more than half!

 

I'd agree the plans are also crap but Cabaye, sorry its nothing to do with a plan when 90% hit the first man they come to. He's had enough chances now and has shown himself to be incapable. Bigismalls looks decent but you have to discount him because barring injuries he'll rarely start. Marveaux looks half decent but I'm losing faith with him. He's a complete pussy and looks to have lost all his pace. Again not worth considering when you consider the number of games he'll play. Fair enough in the EL for both of those two but its the PL we need to sort out where effective dead balls are important.

Again Benni has not delivered but I'm more willing to give him a chance.

Its not all down to plans, that is just a weak way of excusing poor execution. Anyone who has kciked a ball in anger knows it mainly comes down to the man delivering. Our plans are rubbish though. Williamson should just stay back when he is on the pitch because he is tosh in the oppo box. Invariably fouls or just tamely heads wide. This big cross field lump to get an on-running big lad to meet is just infuriating. It has yet to work but we persevere anyway. Pardew should just get Benni to drop off into space and try to work the ball to him.

 

Very much this.
For corner takers(I'm one for my team as well), any time your corners don't clear the first man its a poor corner, there's no excuses for it.
I'm tired of speaking out about the Willo setpiece already so I'll not.

 

Dont take short corners, get them over the first man and get the big lads on the end of them. Simples.

 

I seem to remember watching a few reserve team highlighrs last season, and seeing Fergie put in some absolute pearls of free-kicks and corners.

 

Raylor is the only player capable of delivering a decent cross or set piece delivery – perhaps with the exception of Shane Ferguson to be fair to him.

Personally I find this inexcusable and probably the most frustrating thing about us as a team, along with our frequent spells of sloppy ball retention (which sounds VERY wrong btw)

I maintain with genuine conviction that I could cross a ball better than what I consistently see out there. Misplaced crosses under defensive pressure, at speed from a moving ball is one thing but from an unchallenged free kick or corner is just poor.

If this isn't a skill we place much emphasis on in training, then there is NO excuse for a wide player showing some initiative and professional pride to grasp the nettle themselves. Practice, practice, practice and improve!

 

After the last two games maybe Fergie could find a niche in the team in this regard.

 

I think Fergie should be ahead of Obertan as he could play either flank.