Liverpool FC zonal marking - hopefully the last ever blog post

It is not so much the criticism I dislike - no team should be above that, despite what Fergie says - it is more the way the perceived wisdom has become accepted fact, regardless of reality.

Because zonal marking took some time to bed in at Anfield, it was identified as a 'problem' and has never shaken off that tag, despite being the system Rafa has used throughout his managerial career, and which has been good enough to help his teams to a raft of silverware.

The reason it is still an issue? Because the media pundits always say it is, relentlessly and religiously, every single time - like in the picture I mocked up. (The same pundits who said the club was in crisis after a below par start to the season - don't get me started on that one)

Never mind the fact that in Rafa's time as manager, Liverpool's record of conceding goals from set pieces is one of the best in the league after a regular hiccup when new players (Glen Johnson, Insua and Kygriakos this time) are bedding in each season.

And never mind there isn't a similar inquest whenever a team that doesn't use zonal marking concedes a goal at a corner or free kick, despite man for man marking's free pass in the media.

Take the West Ham game. Carlton Cole scored a header from a corner with a fantastic leap, despite being surrounded by three defenders. As Rafa said, sometimes you have to say well done, but according to the pundits, it undermined massive weaknesses in the team.

I'll say it again - three defenders were in position to challenge for the ball but were beaten by an attacker who did incredibly well and has developed his game massively this season.

Match of the Day also highlighted Johnson being isolated by drifting back towards his goal at a corner when everyone else went out, leaving three West Ham attackers onside. That's our new signing, who helped to set up the winning goal and is understandably still getting used to Rafa's methods.

They also didn't highlight the end of the clip, where Pepe Reina was clearly reminding him to follow the rest out. And did West ham get anything from the corner? That would be no.

I fully expect Johnson and the other new lads to fit into the system and our wobbles to ease as the season goes on, because they always have.

But I still expect the tiresome zonal marking debate to be wheeled out whenever Liverpool concede a goal, no matter how wrong-headed it is.

Just don't believe the hype - Rafa knows what he is doing.