Defending at set pieces
Jan 8, 2018 20:55:57 GMT
Post by Rijs on Jan 8, 2018 20:55:57 GMT
Just an observation others will have noticed as well: City, unlike most teams they play against, have taken to withdrawing all eleven back to the box area when defending free kicks and corners. Maybe Jonah thinks we need as many bodies as possible in there, but it does have drawbacks. Not only does it mean we have no-one to pass to upfield when we break, and clearances therefore tend to come straight back, but also it can result in our players getting in the way of those clearances.
I thought that partly explained the first goal at Notts County, when Jack had the double problem of dealing with a deflection off the inside leg of a County player, but also had one of his own team standing just in front of him. The video playback seems to show that he got a hand on the deflected shot, but it bounced back in off the City man.
It was more obvious on Saturday when Freddie's clearance hit the same City man and ricocheted conveniently to an opponent, resulting in their goal.
As it happens, the man concerned in both cases was Matt Paterson, but that is irrelevant as it could have been any one of a number in those tight situations, and you could say we were just unlucky both times. Presumably Matt is called back to mark his opposite number and maybe win the ball in the air. But I wonder whether anyone else thinks we'd be better off leaving at least one man further forward, occupying two opponents and giving us a possible clearance target?
I thought that partly explained the first goal at Notts County, when Jack had the double problem of dealing with a deflection off the inside leg of a County player, but also had one of his own team standing just in front of him. The video playback seems to show that he got a hand on the deflected shot, but it bounced back in off the City man.
It was more obvious on Saturday when Freddie's clearance hit the same City man and ricocheted conveniently to an opponent, resulting in their goal.
As it happens, the man concerned in both cases was Matt Paterson, but that is irrelevant as it could have been any one of a number in those tight situations, and you could say we were just unlucky both times. Presumably Matt is called back to mark his opposite number and maybe win the ball in the air. But I wonder whether anyone else thinks we'd be better off leaving at least one man further forward, occupying two opponents and giving us a possible clearance target?