25 Oct 2016 00:41:26
Just a quick question here. How much do you think our conceding from set pieces is poor defending and how much is just teams targeting that area and training on it all week? My feeling is a bit of both but more leaning towards teams targeting it or am I clutching?

1.) 25 Oct 2016
25 Oct 2016 06:45:07
The opposition targets because they feel we are weak in that department and hasn't shown no real sign of any improvement from how many years. I don't know whose at blame here. Poor CB pairing or poor Goal keeper.

2.) 25 Oct 2016
25 Oct 2016 07:16:49
Listen to Schwarzer on MoD from Saturday. Yes we do probably have more of a vulnerability than most, but our zonal marking also doesn't help.

3.) 25 Oct 2016
25 Oct 2016 07:18:43
It's not a 'poor keeper' or 'poor centre backs' the OP is correct that it is multifactorial.
It is one of the easiest attacking options to train for so weaker teams specifically train harder on attacking set pieces because they get very few decent opportunities in open play. Our defence/ keeper will get better with more experience at playing in the premier league.

4.) 25 Oct 2016
25 Oct 2016 12:46:59
If you watch again the goal WBA scored should not have stood as it was offside. Not sure the player but he's standing right in front of the keeper and if that's not interfering I don't know what is.

5.) 25 Oct 2016
25 Oct 2016 13:09:02
If you watch the way we defend set pieces as broken down by Alan Shearer on MOTD, we do not play a full zonal marking. We do a mix of zone and man to man marking. Matip stands at the center of the six yard box, the other four or five players stand in a mix of zone and man to man, which I have no problem with. The problem is that we have no one on the posts (which to me, is criminal) and then we don`t win second balls as the goals we`ve conceded vs Swansea (won neither of the first or second ball), Hull and West Brom have shown. Therefore, it is not a case of the GK or the defence or positioning. We simply DO NOT win the second ball after winning the first one and Klopp has mentioned this even last season. A GK has to know when to come out fully for a cross and if he hesitates, then there`s chaos. We should do a lot better with winning the second ball and that takes determination and grit, something we are still missing IMO.