Defensive zonal system needs to be ditched by Liverpool
RAFAEL BENITEZ can search the globe for solutions to his defensive problems this summer all he wants. But if he wants to cut down on the number of goals his team conceded from set-pieces last season then it's not individuals he should be concerned with - it's tactics.
Liverpool employ a zonal system, which has generally worked just fine during Benitez's reign.
But once teams know you are going to set up like that, they work out ways of getting an extra man off to capitalise if the ball goes loose in the area.
From Benitez's own analysis, Liverpool conceded 10 goals more from set plays than they did in the previous campaign and that is a worrying statistic.
One which suggests that something somewhere clearly isn't working.
And while it's plain to see that Benitez needs to fork out for some full-backs in the transfer window, it's not as if wholesale changes to personnel throughout his defence are required.
In fact, centre-back is the one area in which you would you say there's definitely no need to bring in reinforcements.
Certainly not as a matter of urgency anyway.
Martin Skrtel came in in January and did alright, Daniel Agger will be coming back next year, while Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia provide the experience to mix with the youth.
It looks like a strong unit, yet this is the area most responsible for avoiding the sort of goals Liverpool let in so frequently last season.
The players are more than capable of sorting that out themselves but Benitez might have to consider a change of tactics to make it happen.
And bringing in man-marking would be the ideal way to do that in my view. When the opposition has a free-kick, you're responsible for one man and you need to stop him getting away.
I believe that's still the most effective method of defending in the modern era, perhaps even more so considering what defenders can get away with in their own penalty area these days - you're allowed to virtually grab hold of people.
Being more ruthless and bloody-minded in this way could be key to preventing those set- pieces resulting in goals and be worth an extra 10 or 12 points throughout the campaign.
There's nothing wrong with the zonal system in open play, where you can pass players on to each other when the opposition has got the ball.
Having someone like Javier Mascherano and another player in a deeper midfield role in front of the defence works very well. It's why so few teams get beyond Liverpool in open play, particularly down the middle.
But the central defenders are more than good enough and disciplined enough to pinpoint their man at a dead-ball situation and deal with it.
That didn't happen enough last season but that's no reason for Benitez to use any of his transfer budget on a new set of centre- backs.
The ones he has are fine - they just need to get a bit more physical.
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What a weak argument
lets see how we do without riise and with a fit agger back in the team
why cant ex players just leave it alone?
Pedro says!
Agree with b. Let Rafa get on with his job. As of Riise must go a.s.a.p.
If Lawros got anything to say, then try being positive.
Pedro says!
Agree with b. Let Rafa get on with his job. As of Riise must go a.s.a.p.
If Lawros got anything to say, then try being positive.
i'm not too sure lawro. if teams knew how to set up against a zonal system, it wouldnt have taken them 4 years to do so. the key to our increase in goals conceded from set pieces isnt the system, it is the fact that our defenders didnt defend properly for the set piece.
if a defender is used to marking man to man, it will take a few games for him to be consistently positive when the ball comes into his area zonally. see skrtel's numberous errors this season from set pieces.
our full backs have made errors and even sami on a couple of occasions. a settled defence will make the world of difference. if you analyse the individual goals conceded, the majority have come from defending errors. if a commanding CB is supposedly incapable of attacking and clearing a ball 2 yards in front of him what makes you think he'll be able to track a run and make an interception? its not as simple as zonal vs man-to-man, which is a typical lazy pundit generalisation.
seems like rafa is bringing in a mixed system whereby the zones are marked but selected players are man marked also. i dont know whether this is a permanent fixture, or perhaps he decided to do so while our new CB adjusted to the system.
zonal is fine.
Lame argument, Agger was a big loss. The season before with the zonal defence worked a treat, It is a good sign that Rafa is to address the situtation which was not so sucessfull this season. However a fit Agger, Carra and Skertel are 3 first class Center backs. We do need full backs, I would keep Finnan if possible he has done nothing wrong and is reliable. Risse, Arebola to go, there must be a young fella coming up thru the ranks. However Two full backs are a must for the new season.
Instead of regurgitating the tired old arguments of other TV-based has-beens, why not try managing a team?
Oh yes, I forgot - you tried that, failed spectacularly and decided instead to coin it in on the BBC.
Turncoat and hypocrite, trading off former glories.
This a rubbish piece that hasn't even thought through a lot of the complexities of defending, as a whole and the totallity of the Mnager's game plan. What Lawro hasn't addressed is zonal defending in the middle and final thord and how successful it has been in preventing good side attacming against us. I agree the increase in the number of goal conceded it set pieces is a worry but given there are only ten maybe they should be looked at individually and a more accurate cause be derived.
lawro, your comment really doesn't make sense and a lame one too! you just like to look at the defensive error and not giving credit to those guys.. you and steve mcmahon are just the same talk,talk,talk rubbish, suggesting that ZD is a failure! and for you to suggest liverpool to dicthed the ZD, don't you think rafa knows better than you of what to do with HIS team? it's better for you and some of those rubbish pundits to shut up and take notice at the liverpool team that's always improving from the goalie,back four, midfield and the attack...and by the way did you ever notice that pepe reina received his golden glove award for three consecutive season? lawro, just wake up!
I'm sick of Lawro running down Liverpool all the time. He never has anything good to say about us. I think the best way stop the goals going in is to have better players. Stevie Finnan should get played more. Agger will be back which is a big plus and hopefully the 2 new full backs make some kind of impact. Maybe acouple more decent wide players and we won't be far off.
by some means I missed the previous post. what's the url to your archives?
It was dark when I woke. This is a ray of snushine.