Hi, What does everyone think, would we do better if we opted for man marking or zonal marking ? .. and why do you favour one over the other ? Personally, I'm not 100% sure but I'm finding myself opting for man marking. Over the years, I've never been a big fan of zonal marking tbh as I would rather have a player glued onto an opponent, then risking gaps or hoping there's no misunderstanding as to exactly where each defenders zone starts and finishes etc. That said, I can't simply ignore how some of the top managers & teams across Europe seem to favour zonal marking.
I think that the amount of goals that we seem concede from set pieces/wide areas would seem to suggest that whichever system that is employed at present is not working. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what the instructions are from management and whether or not they are being followed given the standard of defending at times. To answer your question, I'd go for man marking every time.
Personally think zonal marking done correctly is harder to penetrate than man to man but overall I think defending properly and everybody doing their job is what it comes down to and not which system you use.
My biggest issue with zonal marking is that you tend to give the other team the chance to attack the ball, usually fairly unchallenged which we have seen costs LFC time & time again.
I favour a combination You have got to have someone around the corner of the near side of the 6 yard box. Covers a multitude of shitness at defending corners behind him at source almost. I like the idea of what Drogba did at Chelsea where you just stick a big bloke in the middle of the penalty area to attack the ball and forget about following runners. I also read about what Liverpool used to do with Ronnie Whelan. Apparently he just stood on the 6 yard line and cleared 2nd balls that dropped around the area. Think this would be great, especially at Sunday league level. If something has to give then I think it's the man on the post, how often do you see them actually stop a goal. Like Dier's last night just went straight past him as unless it's straight at him they have no chance without using their hands. After that then I think you try and mark their best headers of the ball with your centre halves whoever is left and hope for the best that there isn't a pinpoint cross onto an unmarked head
I think I remember this getting done to death during the great era of Benitez and if I remember correctly he was constantly attacked by pundits for his zonal defence system and they'd spend hours delving through tapes to show how and why the British man marking system was the only way to defend corners. I think the numbers eventually proved Benitez to be right but he was in fairness a very astute man at setting up a defensive system so perhaps no matter what system he went for he'd have gotten the best from it. A mix seems like the only way, you can't give up soft zones in and around your 6 yard box so this area needs defenders regardless of where the men are and contrary to what someone has said earlier about you're giving the other team the chance to attack the ball I would argue the opposite way. If you're only marking a player you can only react to what they do, that means they always have the front foot. It also makes it very hard for you to watch where the ball is if you need to constantly watch where your player is. I'd go with 3/4 players markings zones, 2/3 marking players directly (ideally just blocking them from making runs but you need to be able to react to some teams different strengths) and the others in around the box looking to clear up any second balls. You will have the numbers 99% of the time when defending a corner in your own box so you really should be able to set up an effective system to defend your goal.
Our side is very small and we don't have a commanding goalkeeper so that reason I'd prefer man to man. I would be up for the idea of trying a few mad things, how about leave Mane, Salah and Couthino on the half way line with Lalanna in between? How many players would the opposition committ in that scenario?
I've seen this alright. I think it would give the players attacking the ball more space to run into and this is why it's not done that often. Allowing for the fact that they'd have to leave 4 back themselves. And less space for Mane to run into with a quick counter attack
Our problems seem to stem from players bumping into each other, less bodies should stop that. It would also allow our keeper space to go claim almost everything.
Zonal all day long. As Ed said, man marking means keeping one eye on the ball and one on the player who is always one step ahead of you. Zonal means focusing completely on the ball and being able to attack it if it comes your way. How many goals have been conceded with man marking and I've never heard anyone say "man marking doesn't work ". It's a different story when zonal concedes a goal. Played as a CB for years in the lowest of the lowest Saturday morning league, constantly losing games 6,7 or 8 nil. I'm positive if we used zonal we could've improved our goal difference by at least 2 goals per game. And that last sentence, if taken out of context, is one hell of an endorsement.
I seem to remember Rodgers leaving two forwards on the halfway line for a game or two when we defended corners and it worked well. I would go with leaving our super quick front 3 on the halfway line this season along with predominantly zonal across the 6 yard line and a player always on the penalty spot. Players on the post only work if your dominant foot is towards the centre of the goal so may sacrifice them. I would consider the main threat and man mark him. With our 3 upfront I think you look at 6 Max and possibly 5 to defend against and more space for Mignolet to come and claim. Other players then really only need to block players from getting to him. Player on the spot is likely to be extra man who covers any runs from deep or short attempts before ball is played into box where he is then to be alive to second balls and releasing our trio if possible. The 3 are also well spread across the halfway line so even a speculative hump forward could worry the other teams defence.
@Dubfan if I remember correctly, wasnt that a tactic introduced as we were so poor at defending set pieces and corners? I cant remember but did we start conceding less when we started leaving men further up the pitch?
No matter what system you use, you need players on their toes who are willing to put their head on anything. When I see Firmino as one of the main players in the zonal system, it's cause for concern. Can also seems to be a central figure or at least the one who is on his heals when someone scores in 6 yard box. I could be wrong however I can't recall Can or Firmino heading too many away at corners over the last year. I am no expert however I think a combination of both is a no brainer is common sense. If you are playing Palace, man marker on Benteke, or against West Brom some of them lugs of Centre Backs. Everyone else can work zonally. The fact the keeper vary rarely comes out to claim corners is also a weakness. He should be coming for anything within 6 yard box as that should be his zone.
Dont really have a massive preference, each has pros and cons. Dont really go for the theory about zonal allowing forwards to "get a run" on the defenders, as in man to man you can only react to your marker so in essence he's still "getting a run on you" One problem with the zonal system we use I DO have is Firmino being the man in the centre of the 6yard box most of the time. While decent in the air, he's certainly not our most dominant header of a ball. Would have thought one of the CB's would be in that slot, with the other at the near post - the 2 areas most corners seem to target. Agree too with the option of leaving Mane/Salah or both forward. If nothing else its going to depopulate the box by 4 players and give the keeper at least a better chance of punching or catching the ball and a clearance suddenly becomes a counter attack. Granted Salah scored from a breakaway from a corner, running out from his own box but its not something I can see happening that often. If he's standing in the centre circle and someone pulls a Carra and hoofs it.....
From my own recollection it worked well and we didn't concede when it was used and it gave us the option of a quick counter attack.