Don't want to seem too negative after a win, and a decent performance at that, but do we actually practice corners? I reckon we had 15 corners today, split pretty evenly left and right, and I can't remember one of our players having a chance from one. It's not just today it's happened either, Leeds was another one where we just stopped celebrating corners. Every one seems to be a little floater to the near post that doesn't beat the first man, and this is clearly something that is instructed to happen. I know we don't have many big players so this could be a reason, but for me they need to be whipped into the back post (like Bradys goal today), and hope someone gets a touch, rather than the crap we're serving up at the moment.
We had 14 to be precise and you're right, we screwed up pretty much all of them. I don't know if there was some weird game plan, but we played every corner to the near post(barely reaching it), the far post seemed far more practical.
its terrible, thats one thing we did good in the prem and promotion season, turner scored a fair few from them. we only really have hobbs as a big guy, maybe thats the near post idea? either way its not working and we need to plan something different, id rather we just keep possession like barca do than waste it.
It's frustrating that we're not creating chances, but when we get corners we just waste them anyway, makes you wonder what they do in training. For me it's where we miss Anthony Gerrard the most too.
Agreed. Similarly, there seems to be some bizarre instruction to shoot free kicks straight at the bottom of the wall. They block it and we look silly every time. Devitt, Fryatt and Koren are 3 culprits that come to mind. Cairney is the only one I've seen even try ot get it over the wall, and he seems to score or nearly score every time. I'm not expecting them all to have the same ability as Cairney, but they could at least try to get it over the wall...
Fryatt should be nowhere near free kicks, he should be just onside trying to get on any rebounds off the keeper. Devitts is more down to technique than anything, the way he tries to get over the ball and keep it low.
I d say we seem to practice the near post corner routine in training. but not enough it would seem!!!
Then why does nobody ever seem to go to the near post for the ball then? The first time for a lot of years set pieces have become a weakness for us, the days of Turner, Ashbee, Gerrard, Cort, Delaney, Elliott etc seem a long time ago!
I`m pretty sure that in all of our games this season we have hada large corner count, and I don`t think we`ve created a thing from any of them, Hobbs, Chester, Maclean are all good in the air, as has been said, the near post routine in monotonous, and so easy to predict for opposing teams. The delivery is shocking at times when you consider the likes of Koren, Cairney and Brady have all been taking them. If we the fans can see this then surely the management team must, much practice and differing game plans required required me thinks, at least then your keeping the opposition guessing a bit.
This was my main gripe from yesterday, the amount of set pieces we wasted was unbelievable. It's something they really need to work on in training.
It's all the quality of the delivery which is costing us, sure where short of big men in the middle but it never gets to the middle anyway! Really pisses me off, you'd think a pro footballer would be able to hit a target area with a corner pretty consistently. Unless of course, we are trying to hit the near post everytime!? In which case we are brilliant at it! It's just a **** plan!
There was a noticeable change in tactics at corners in the second half with some quick and some short and players running off the ball to draw out defenders.
I must admit we are not ceasing our oportunities from corners but I feel we dont really have any players in the squad, Barmby aside who are decent in the air and we are a very small team except for Hobbs, but we need cormer practice as most of them did not even beat the man on the near post !!!
The worst thing for me is not beating the first man, why do we do it. A professional football paid all that he is should be able to beat the first man, i can remember at least 4 of them going straight tothe first man then the other 11 where no better.
Don't you mean seizing, ie grabbing, your above means 'we are not stopping our opportunities. Sorry for being so pedantic on a Sunday morning. Great win.
I am a fan of tom but his corners are just embarrising! We had so many corners yesterday and everyone he took didnt beat first man. Surely they must be practicing them in training so i just dont understand why he cant take them.
Not beating the first man is the worse crime of all!! If kids in parks can do it the a pro footballer should be able to. On the corners front, seems that not that many goals are scored from corners these days by most teams, maybe Bradey/Koren should go short, and run the ball into the box
To be fair, he may be a professional but so are the people he's now playing against... I think he's more than capable of beating a man, he's just not got the confidence to take anyone on.
I think you better check that last remark Eric, the comment was about beating the first man from a corner, not taking him on!
