Liverpool found severely wanting from set-pieces From The Times September 25, 2009 Tony Barrett A Spain goalkeeper who plays for one of Europe’s top clubs was recently so disappointed with his team’s defending from set-pieces that he told the press: “If you look at the goals we have conceded, it’s true you could say we are a disaster at dead-ball situations.” With Real Madrid having shipped four such goals in their opening La Liga fixtures, it was easy to understand why Iker Casillas was so displeased. What Pepe Reina, his compatriot and fellow goalkeeper at Liverpool, made of the comments is anyone’s guess, but the chances are that his opinion is not too dissimilar after conceding nine times from set-pieces this season. The easiest explanation for Liverpool’s frailties from dead-ball situations is to lay the blame at the door of the zonal marking system deployed by Rafael BenÃtez, their manager. To do so, though, is simplistic in the extreme. Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona also tend to mark zones rather than players and this did not stop them winning the Champions League last season. There is also anecdotal evidence from Alan Hansen, the former Liverpool defender, which suggests that the club’s era of continental pre-eminence was never undermined by the use of a similar system. Related Links Execution of zonal marking is clearly a problem for the modern-day Liverpool team, however. How else can one explain that all the goals they have let in this season began with their opponents commencing a dead-ball routine? Of course, the two penalties could have happened to anyone, and it should also be pointed out that Benoît Assou-Ekotto’s goal against them for Tottenham Hotspur on the opening weekend of the season came from a free kick that rebounded to him off the Liverpool wall and, as such, is a slightly different matter. But the other six — two each for Bolton Wanderers and Aston Villa and one apiece for West Ham United and Spurs — were the result of a failure to deal with aerial set-pieces. The latest available Opta stats reveal that Liverpool are in good — or, more appropriately, bad — company, with 42 per cent of the goals scored in the Barclays Premier League this season having had their root in a set-piece. Liverpool’s record will surely be a significant concern for their manager, though, because BenÃtez is not the type to take consolation from the failings of others, especially given that last season only 30 per cent of the goals conceded by his team came in such a manner. Zonal marking falls into the Marmite category: loved by its champions, hated by its critics. It should not be forgotten that in three of the past four seasons, Reina has kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League and Liverpool’s defensive record under BenÃtez has stood comparison to that of anyone else in the division. “We always used zonal marking when I won championships with Liverpool,” Hansen once said. “It was all about winning the first ball and if not, you’ve got to clean up the second.” Perfect it may not be, but good enough for the most successful period in the club’s history it most certainly was. However, the Liverpool of today are not winning the first ball often enough to make zonal marking as effective as it can be. Unless they find a way of combating the aerial threat posed by others at set-pieces, hopes of mounting a second successive title challenge will wilt.
Good article i must say - makes a change from the normal lazy stuff people write about zonal marking !
Great point that was pointed out was that 3 of the last 4 seasons under this zonal marking Pepe had the most clean sheets critics tlk rubbish that's why there critics!
I don't think zonal marking is to blame. Poor defending from set pieces is the problem, and it's a big problem. I'm not sure if we switched to man to man marking we'd find the solution. They need to do better
Good read that thanks. I dont think that zonal marking is to blame for us conceding goals. I think the stats speak for themselves, Reina has kept most clean sheets 3 out of 4 seasons I dont think its the system, I think the players need to adapt and do what the manager requests of them for set pieces more efficiently. We are bound to concede from set pieces, but goes to show how good we can defend if we have not yet conceded goal from open play after 6 games
And that's the problem with everyone who's not a Liverpool fan...they concentrate on the negative and leave out such a massively impressive fact....critics pi$$ me off so much so times but then I remember, I'm happy with my life and choice of football club
There are two teams in every match and opposition managers in my opinion are trying to expolit our lack of height throughout the side. Look at stats on the offical site Reina 6ft 2 Johnson 6ft Carragher 5ft 10 Skrtel 6ft 4 Insua 5ft 8 Kuyt 6ft Masherano 5ft 7 Lucas 5ft 8 Benayoun 5ft 8 Gerrard 6ft Torres 6ft 1 For Cole's goal last week we had four players in the Cole 'Zone', however he beat the players without even a jump, so that not zonal marking. The ball in was very good and they had their tallest player bury it with a good header.
I just think we dont have any players in the team that are commanding in the air, we have a very small team masch, insua, yossi, lucas, kuyt, even carra are all under 6 foot
we havent looked defensively sound from set pieces (or even attacking them) since Hyypia lost his place as a first team regular
Critics sell paper's and get television time with their rubbish talk about zonal marking etc. Its an easy kop out (pun intended). Teams concede goals. We concede from set pieces so we have to boost our confidance in players so they command their 'zone' We cant get by the height issue so we need to use our other strengths as we do in other areas of the pitch
Good article....Theres not much said about it when teams are winning games and keeping clean sheets.Yes we have conceeded a few goals this season,But our defence is starting to settle so i think we will improve.We've Had Johnson,Carra,Ayala,Skrtel,Insua,The Greek chap all play this season and over the past few games its started to settle into a familar back line so i think we cut this little problem out.