Every time we get a set piece, a free kick around the opposition penalty area and especially a corner, my heart sinks. There are a few basic rules of common sense we seem unable to comply with. It's not rocket science. 1 Do not overload the target area with men to aim at, particularly those who always go up and yet never score. 2 The 'strikers' time their runs so that they don't all go in at the same time and we do not have the situation where they get in each other's way. This has the added advantage that the path to goal will become a lot clearer 3 Our slower defenders should not go up at all. I groan whenever I hear commentators trotting out the line that our 'big guns have gone up for the corner' while focusing on Anton Ferdinand. He and others who lack pace should wait for the breakdown so that they can: i mop up ii get the ball back in to the danger zone as quickly as possible iii prevent the quick break away. 4 Vary the kicks - let's keep the opposition guessing. The only consistent thing should the pace of the ball in. 5 Having said that our players need to know and anticipate what's coming - a bit of communication. 6 Players need to run onto the ball in order to get the lift off which will enable them to outjump the defenders. Too often it's played into the centre of the penalty box when our players are already there and waiting. 7 At least one player should be ready for the ball that is played short, by accident or design. 8 At least one player should not run in at all until the ball has been kicked and should aim to be at the end of the the overhit set piece. We know that Joey Barton particularly seems to overhit his corners. 9 Vary the person taking the set piece. 10 Players need to be alert and ready to pounce on a rebound or save on the line. Mackie used to do that all the time last season. 11 Practice 12 Show some invention. It's all a bit too obvious at the moment. 13 Why take the risk of ruining your moment of glory by fouling the opposition? If it's six of one half a dozen of the other a penalty will not be given. If it is a clear foul by the defender only, it might. That's all. Then we can sit back and enjoy
Stating the bleedin' obvious methinks. The main problem is the delivery of many set pieces has been so piss-poor it's hard to fathom what the original strategy was. Item 4 for instance, 'vary the kicks' may be construed as doesn't clear the first defender or beyond the last man. Taiwo showed how it's done last week, blunt instrument...
Sunderland - set piece goal - Taiwo Liverpool - goal from corner - Derry Wigan - set piece goal - Buz One's I can remember with zero thinking. Is there a quota for set piece goals per game? Not sure how we are doing really. Keeping a clean sheet higher priority for me at the moment.
Spurs - goal from corner - Bothroyd Man City - Goal from Free-kick - Bothroyd Never thought I'd say this but we need Bothroyd back!
I'd settle for the ball in the 6 yard box with a bit of pace every single time. I always have to laugh at short corners because they always end up with the opposition breaking. Only exception to that is Barca but that team is filled with uber-skilled munchkins.
Guys. of course we are going to score from time to time. The point however is that we should be scoring a lot more when we get these opportunities.
