Set pieces..

[mlyons]

You don't think the players could fit an extra hour or so a week in practising defending them?

I'm guessing they probably can't, actually. Players' lives are pretty heavily scheduled nowadays; I doubt the coaching staff are looking at their schedules and going, "What the hell? Turns out we haven't been doing anything on Tuesdays at 2:00! Let's start doing some set piece work!" If they're going to spend an extra hour working on something, that's an hour they've got to take away from somewhere else.

 

[Klinker]

Don't you think it is just a lot of personnel ability? Stones and Galloway are not naturally gifted at it. While Coleman an Baines are proficient, they aren't great nor have the size. Mori is the only one in our backline who I would describe as good at heading. Browning possibly is but he doesn't get the game time to show.

 

[AJC5]

I'm guessing they probably can't, actually. Players' lives are pretty heavily scheduled nowadays; I doubt the coaching staff are looking at their schedules and going, "What the hell? Turns out we haven't been doing anything on Tuesdays at 2:00! Let's start doing some set piece work!" If they're going to spend an extra hour working on something, that's an hour they've got to take away from somewhere else.

An hour a week working on set pieces would win us more points than an hour spent practicing something else. Other teams do it.

 

[davek]

An hour a week working on set pieces would win us more points than an hour spent practicing something else. Other teams do it.

According to Baines they have been practising it. As Klinker suggests above, perhaps we have to accept the personnel right now are just not suited to that side of the game at the back.

 

[mightymoyes]

I'm guessing they probably can't, actually. Players' lives are pretty heavily scheduled nowadays; I doubt the coaching staff are looking at their schedules and going, "What the hell? Turns out we haven't been doing anything on Tuesdays at 2:00! Let's start doing some set piece work!" If they're going to spend an extra hour working on something, that's an hour they've got to take away from somewhere else.

probably at home playing their ps4's at that time

 

[mightymoyes]

According to Baines they have been practising it. As Klinker suggests above, perhaps we have to accept the personnel right now are just not suited to that side of the game at the back.

so ossie was lying in his book or martinez has listened to the concerns?

 

[davek]

so ossie was lying in his book or martinez has listened to the concerns?

Either way, they're rubbish at it.

We're better sticking to Martinez's plan of playing the best footy in the PL and topping the open play goals scored table.

It's not as good as topping the up and under goals scored by set piece route one table like.

 

[degsy]

rule 1 for set pieces ( defending ) ATTACK THE BALL
rule 2 for set pieces ( attacking ) ATTACK THE BALL
rule 3 for set pieces ( Goalies ) ATTACK THE BALL
rule 4 for set pieces ( delivery ) Put the ball where they can attack it CLEAR THE FIRST MAN
rule 5 for set pieces ( not conceding them ) If you can, put it out for a thrown not a corner

 

[Little Ralphy]

Either way, they're rubbish at it.

We're better sticking to Martinez's plan of playing the best footy in the PL and topping the open play goals scored table.

It's not as good as topping the up and under goals scored by set piece route one table like.

They're not mutually exclusive though. You can be good at both. If what Baines has said is correct then hopefully we see some improvement in that area soon. I do agree we don't have many (if any) players who are good in the air though, so we need to come up with some sort of plan to combat that.

And at people thinking they can't find an hour in a week to practice. You realise not all weeks are the same yeah? We don't always play Saturday to Saturday. Things are different all the time depending on what's on and what's needed. The manager could easily call them in and tell them they had additional training on set-pieces until we stopped conceding silly goals from them. It's not like in other jobs when people clock off the moment the clock hits their finish time.

 

[deipnosophist]

Concentrating on set piece deficiencies is counter productive imo. It implies that it is a weakness of ours and our players will pick up on this and feel pressure. We MUST protect our players from feeling any pressure...they tend to wilt under it.

 

[BlueToff]

I stand by that our dreadful ability from set-pieces is more down to Howard than anyone else. Obviously poor marking doesn't help, but the defence cannot be confident knowing that Howard simply does not leave his line or attack the ball. He gets pre-occupied with tussling on the line and doesn't move at all.

 

[summerisle]

Be interesting to see if Bobby's words are put into action today

 

[davek]

Be interesting to see if Bobby's words are put into action today

Yes, but he's indicating this is a process that doesn't come overnight.

Also, I'd add in the next sentence of that quote you cited:

“We have got great potential but we are not there yet. Results show that. The key is to see what we can improve but, at the same time, we should not compromise and lose anything.”

...which is spot on really. We are fantastic to watch as an open play team - meddle too much and emphasise defence over attack and you risk losing the style of football we have...the one that makes us distinctive as a pleasing to watch footballing outfit.

 

[GwladysBlue]

Surely we can't concede from another set piece?!

 

[davids]

Surely we can't concede from another set piece?!

This is begging for a pantomime response.Can't work out which is best,Oh yes we can,or look behind you.