Coaching Staff

I see Mike Phelan and Eric Steele have departed Man U as Moyes reshuffles his pack. Man U were among the best at corners last season...............just saying

 

that's too logical for Pards!

 

I don't think coaching has much to do with our failings from set pieces last season. More to do with there is nobody at all who specializes with heading the ball. Which is very strange considering we are the number 1 long ball team in the Prem according to statistics. I think if we want to improve set pieces we need to sign the likes of Evans/Vermaelan/Douglas/ and also Charlie Austin.

 

I don't know, our set piece routines are pretty rank. Particularly corners. I do agree we have no one who puts a decent dead ball in bar Raylor and on occasion Marveaux when fit (only ones who put pace on - Cabaye and Benni just float them) and no one who really attacks it like they mean it. Saylor used to.

Regardless I'm sure Phelan could bring something to the table.

 

I really, really don't get the set piece issue. Guys over the park on a Sunday can cross a ball in to the penalty box and have someone head it in. Even the kids do it. So why the hell can't full-time professional players do it? They are paid thousands each week for being so good at a sport that millions love and play?

If they have a poor game, they should do what the likes of Beckham and Jonny Wilkinson do, practice, practice, practice. It's a joke.

To the OP, I think any genuine set piece coaching would be progress at the moment. Phelan and Steele certainly know their stuff and have worked with some of the best, so worth considering.

 

Just saying, Steele is a GK coach...

 

I'd have a synchronised swimming coach if it meant they could get the set pieces more coordinated than we had this season.

 

Obi knew that, he was just testing you.

 

The problem, in my humblest of opinions, with our set plays is they rely almost exclusively on science and not remotely on human nature. Corners cannot be perfected on spreadsheets. It's down to the management AND PLAYERS to sort it out.

 

I think it is 100% a coaching issue.
Taylor is good in the air yet doesn't get a sniff.
We are predictable and other teams know how to defend us.

 

If the grim ripper has to stAy then maybe looking at the back room staff ie coaches might be a gd move
its obvious pardew is inept and tactics set players etc

 

They also had the best all round dead ball/freekick deliverer in the league though.

Van Persie's freekicks are deadly.

Raylor's set piece deliveries and Seb Larssons are the closest you'll get to RVP's.

I remember in the 2-2 vs Tottenham, we could have won it in the 90th minute after a superb delivery from Raylor, but Colo decided not to goal for goal, but try and cut it back for Shola....

 

I couldn't see any role for Steele with Woodman, it was Phelan who interested me. His knowledge of how a top class football club operates and how they went about their set pieces is worth having about. I do think it is largely down to delivery though. Pace on the ball is the key. As Tash says, its one of RVP's main attributes.

 

Doesn't matter how good your tactics and/or headers of the ball are if you can't consistently deliver a quality ball into the box.

How many times last season did the ball fail to even beat the 1st defender?

Cabaye, considering how good he is with freekicks, is pretty useless at corners - this more than anything is something we need to address over the summer.

Coaching, practice and yes, better tactics all need to be looked at, but primarily we need a better crosser of the ball.

 

If Andy Woodman loses his job as GK coach, surely Steve Harper should get first refusal to that role. Steve Stone is currently our first team coach, he would be dealing with coaching the midfield players, forwards and the defense, we need to add to that staff and hire a defense coach. We leaked far too many goals and somebody has to help address that like Gary Neville does for England or Steve Bould does for Arsenal... but who could do that role for us? maybe someone who has some affinity with the club.

 

I think Phelan will go somewhere as manager, based on the success Clarke has had this year at West Brom

 

Good point. Maybe he should take the Brighton job assuming Poyet leaves.