Setpieces

[the_khl]

Last Season was woeful in most aspects and when it came to our delivery on setpieces it was no different.

I can remember only one or two goals from corners last Season (maybe my memory is letting me down here but surely it wasn't many). Often our corners were simply kept out by their first defender or instead completely overhit. Did we even score after freekick-situations?

Watching 18-year-old Christian Eriksen's first 90 minutes for Denmark last night against Germany made me think about our apparant lack of converting setpieces in to goals. He hit around 8 corners and every single one of them was hit hard, precise and dipping and was generally very difficult for ze' Germans to handle. He also spun a few freekicks narrowly over and you always felt setpieces could be gamedeciding.

Watching Gerrard find his feet last night could imply that he'll also start to deliver some dangerous dipping corners and freekicks again but is there actually anyone else in the squad who's capable of a more regular well-delivered setpiece?

Can't remember whether Joe Cole has been taking setpieces before - would make sense due to his lack of height and good skills - and as we really need to start scoring again from corners and freekicks he'd probably be worth a punt.

Anyone else spring to mind? Pacheco perhaps?

 

[Whitey85]

Gerrard's delivery was decent throughout the campaign. It doesn't help that Skrtel and Agger have 50 pence heads and others don't attack the ball.

 

[monsieurdantes]

jovanovic took a few decent corners in preseason

 

[ILD]

Pacheco has scored free kicks for the reserves. Jova looks like he can whip a ball in at pace.

I liked how Kelly tries to attack the ball from corners in his limited playing time.

 

[the_khl]

[quote author=Whitey85 link=topic=41400.msg1152783#msg1152783 date=1281606653]
Gerrard's delivery was decent throughout the campaign. It doesn't help that Skrtel and Agger have 50 pence heads and others don't attack the ball.
[/quote]
You really think so?

The ammount of times I was screaming at the telly whenever Gerrard kicked the ball straight into the first defenders head was mindboggling.

He was very poor and so was everyone else who tried to help out. Whether some of it was down to poor tactics on setpieces I don't know but I doubt it.

And of course Agger, Skrtel and everyone else surely needs to convert more of their chances but it's quite obvious when you're watching a team with a player capable of hitting one good corner after the other how many more chances you'll actually get.

 

[Avmenon]

Gerrard's corners have improved, and he was decent in the World Cup at it.

(Considering even my wife mentioned that his corners were better, I think his past problems with corners were very obvious! ;D )

Much rather see him in the box to receive a corner though.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

I don't think Gerrards corners are particularly great fpr us, certainly not from a ratio of number taken to good ones. I always feel he would be more use lurking just outside the box to rifle in any half clearances.
He can crack a free kick, but didn't look great last year, still his confidence might come back now.

What I am looking forward to though is conventional defending from us and perhaps even leaving one or two players up front and not bringing everyone back into the box...........if you leave two people up the pitch the opposition have to have at least three men covering them......simples


regards

 

[Avmenon]

Yes, that would be a welcome change.

How was your trip?

Thanks again for the ticket, a great time was had with Spion and Andy. 8)

(wonders if he should rephrase)

 

[keniget]

Gerrards free kicks are brilliant. And his corners are nowhere near as bad as people make out.

Whitey has nailed it.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=41400.msg1152811#msg1152811 date=1281608456]
Yes, that would be a welcome change.

How was your trip?

Thanks again for the ticket, a great time was had with Spion and Andy. 8)

(wonders if he should rephrase)
[/quote]

Hi Avvy, the holiday was great, and I am only just getting back into the swing. Glad to have helped out with the ticket, I am just happy someone was able to use it.

I read your tale on my phone wnen I was away and was really warmed by it Avvy, just imagine what it had been like it was a BIG European night......you still have that to look forward too. Pleased you had the opportunity to meet Portly, Oncey and Spion are great lads .

regards

 

[Stulikesdrums]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=41400.msg1152801#msg1152801 date=1281608171]
Much rather see him in the box to receive a corner though.
[/quote]

I completely agree.

 

[Modo]

Pacheco is a great free kick taker from close range. So is Aurelio. I haven't seen Gerrard score from a set piece in a while. Aquilani is a also great at set pieces especially crosses towards the goal. He can take corners as well.
Jovanovic should take the corners from the right side and Gerrard from the left.

 

[RolandG]

Gerrard should not take corners. The amount of times that he has hit the first defender is ridiculous. He should be in and around the box creating. Aurelio or Cole should be pretty decent. His freekicks have improved and he has a lot more variety. This is a key are for the team to improve in. We need more goals from set-pieces.

Our defending from set-pieces improved as the season progressed but there was a dodgy patch where almost everything that went against us was almost a goal. I do believe that we'll improve our defending of set-pieces. Roy's teams are generally compact and defend well.

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=Modokay link=topic=41400.msg1152937#msg1152937 date=1281615823]
Pacheco is a great free kick taker from close range. So is Aurelio. I haven't seen Gerrard score from a set piece in a while. Aquilani is a also great at set pieces especially crosses towards the goal. He can take corners as well.
Jovanovic should take the corners from the right side and Gerrard from the left.
[/quote]

Jovanovic is a big, strong lad and (as with Stevie) I'd sooner see him in the box going for the ball.

Incidentally I prefer right-footers taking them from the right and left-footers doing so from the left. I do not understand the current preference for inswinging corners (or their equivalent freekicks), which IMO make it harder for attackers than for defenders to really attack the ball, and would much rather see more outswingers used.

 

[Squiggles]

Gerrard's corners and set-pieces improved dramatically last year.

Having the Greek in the opposition box also made a big difference.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=41400.msg1152990#msg1152990 date=1281620478]
Gerrard's corners and set-pieces improved dramatically last year.

Having the Greek in the opposition box also made a big difference.
[/quote]

Some of his setpieces for England have been really good of late, but I tend to agree with Vlad, I'd rather see him attacking the ball from the edge of the box.

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=41400.msg1152813#msg1152813 date=1281608611]
Gerrards free kicks are brilliant. And his corners are nowhere near as bad as people make out.

Whitey has nailed it.
[/quote]

People must have short memories then. Avy is spot on. He was abysmal early on last season and his corner kicks only improved late in the campaign. And how many free-kicks did he score from ? Anywhere on the left to left of centre and SG is our man, however the way JC can move a ball he should be on the short-list for anywhere in line with the centre of the goal. Aurelio is as good as we've got from the right. Where the kick is from (position as well as distance) should define the taker .. shouldn't just be SG stepping up each time (and he didn't last season). As far as corner kicks are concerned, well I've said it a million times, why is our 2nd top goal scorer taking them when he should be scoring them ?