Cheer up we are not the worst at defending set pieces...Leeds are (we are second worst)

[432JuanMata]

Maguire is the only reason we don’t concede more, he is also the reason we don’t score more seems to win loads of headers from corners but can’t direct them. It’s great while defending but useless in attack

 

[Get In Scholesy]

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Not that I'm putting much emphasis on either GK, but I would be curious to see how much set piece goals we have conceded with DDG vs Henderson in net.

 

[DRJosh]

Anyone remember how good Thomas Vermaelen was at Arsenal in banging them in from corners? We need a similar type of player to partner Maguire who struggles to direct his headers into the net.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

How though? We have a pretty tall team. Pogba, McT, Rashford, Cavani, Maguire, Lindelof, AWB, Shaw are all 6 foot plus. It’s surely something we’re not doing in training because we should be good on set pieces when you look at the squad.

Anyone remember how good Thomas Vermaelen was at Arsenal in banging them in from corners? We need a similar type of player to partner Maguire who struggles to direct his headers into the net.

Maguire is one of the only players I’ve ever seen in football who takes pace off the ball when he heads it. It’s weird. His headers always seem to slowly drift over the bar, almost comically.

 

[Foxbatt]

Hip Hip Hurray.

 

[bosnian_red]

Not that I'm putting much emphasis on either GK, but I would be curious to see how much set piece goals we have conceded with DDG vs Henderson in net.

They're both pretty shit aerially tbh.

 

[dalriada]

I remember reading back in the day that we didn't really practice set pieces in training. This was under Fergie. Does anyone else remember this?

For whatever reason, we've been rubbish at defending set pieces going back a long way, including under SAF. I remember friends at work winding me up about it 10 years ago. Not sure why, with so much change in the squad. Ole said in his last presser that it's something they need to fix.

 

[dalriada]

We have Maguire 6ft4, Lindelof 6ft2 AWB 6ft and McTom 6ft4 Pogba 6ft3, they should be helping clear the problems.

What I've seen is our keepers are both targets, De Gea being crowded with not being commanding. Henderson tries to be but hasn't got the build for it and is quite small in the goal, a gaping goal is inviting with a short small frame keeper, he's poor when the ball is pinging around on the deck. Opposition just pack the box and force a goal, it's getting silly now.

While coaching and organization can go a long way I think the keepers are a possible big flaw in their own way and we need a more general commanding type like VDS Schmeichel if we want to be on top.

The sad thing is the frozen out keeper Romero could probably do better than both, very assured pair of hands. We have De Gea the highest paid in the world performing poorly during the season and a youngish scrawny cocky Pickford type offering a different style that I doubt will be good enough.

Regardless of whether Henderson turns out to be the real deal, I wouldn't characterise him as scrawny.

 

[romufc]

If 33% of our goals conceded have come via a set piece, it is an easier fix than something else?

We have 2/3 months of pre season to work on this, our defensive record otherwise has been decent. if we can conceded 15% less set piece goals, we could easily have 10 more points.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Wonder who Leeds have who manage to be even less competent than Fletcher Carrick and McKenna.

Some bloke called Marcelo Bielsa. Apparently quite highly rated as a coach.

Oh wait. You didn’t mention Ole. Do you think the manager doesn’t get involved in attacking or defensive set-pieces?

 

[hobbers]

Oh wait. You didn’t mention Ole. Do you think the manager doesn’t get involved in attacking or defensive set-pieces?

Our one likely doesn’t, no.

Obviously he’s still culpable if he leaves defensive coaching to inadequate coaches.

We’re the worst in the league at defending set pieces, there’s no excuse for it because it has nothing to do with the quality of the players and everything to do with basic tactical awareness, basic coaching drills and a little bit of concentration.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Our one likely doesn’t, no.

Obviously he’s still culpable if he leaves defensive coaching to inadequate coaches.

We’re the worst in the league at defending set pieces, there’s no excuse for it because it has nothing to do with the quality of the players and everything to do with basic tactical awareness, basic coaching drills and a little bit of concentration.

Do you think Bielsa lacks “basic tactical awareness” and a knowledge of “basic coaching drills”?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

If you ask me, our issue is the players. Liverpool’s achilles heel during Klopp’s first couple of seasons was conceding from set-pieces. They signed Allisson and VVD and that problem went away. Not very likely this was down to Klopp suddenly learning how to coach.

 

[George the Cat]

This tells you that a central defender is a very high priority.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Whatever the root of the problem is, we bloody well should get it sorted.

It was identified as an issue way back in Ole's days as a caretaker, ffs. And we haven't improved at all - still one of the absolutely worst teams in the league in that regard.

It's actually costing us too - it's hardly a trivial matter for a team aiming to challenge for the league.

 

[SAFMUTD]

This tells you that a central defender is a very high priority.

Is clearly not only about a CB, its a coaching thing. Our do you think every single team in the league has better CBs than us?

 

[hobbers]

Do you think Bielsa lacks “basic tactical awareness” an a knowledge of “basic coaching drills”?

I don't know how much delegating he does with that stuff, like all hands-on coaches I'm sure he's passionate about some elements and a bit disinterested in others. But he's not a world class coach so I don't see the relevance. Leeds play great football at times but are also a bit of a travesty at the back. We're supposed to be winning the title next season. But like Leeds we can't do the basics at set pieces.

We sub Rashford on right before a set play and somehow he ends up marking Leicester's biggest aerial threat. Amateurish stuff.

 

[Teja]

If 33% of our goals conceded have come via a set piece, it is an easier fix than something else?

We have 2/3 months of pre season to work on this, our defensive record otherwise has been decent. if we can conceded 15% less set piece goals, we could easily have 10 more points.

Agree with this. Also this arbitrary season by season boundary doesn't really make sense to me .. we've used the same tactics for the entire time Ole has been in charge and we haven't really conceded as many set piece goals as we did this season. I think we'll have a bit of a mean reversion and stop conceding set piece goals for 6 months straight.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

This tells you that a central defender is a very high priority.

Is clearly not only about a CB, its a coaching thing. Our do you think every single team in the league has better CBs than us?

Not only a CB. Also a goalkeeper. Liverpool’s set-piece defending improved massively when they signed VVD and Allison. No change to coaching but almost overnight their set piece defensive record improved massively.

We’ve never been great at defending set-pieces with De Gea in goal. It just wasn’t one of his strengths. We now seem to be replacing him with someone that has the same flaw. Which is not ideal, to put it mildly.

 

[SAFMUTD]

Not only a CB. Also a goalkeeper. Liverpool’s set-piece defending improved massively when they signed VVD and Allison. No change to coaching but almost overnight their set piece defensive record improved massively.

We’ve never been great at defending set-pieces with De Gea in goal. It just wasn’t one of his strengths. We now seem to be replacing him with someone that has the same flaw. Which is not ideal, to put it mildly.

Liverpool are not really great at set pieces either, look at the OP.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Which is not ideal, to put it mildly.

Henderson is very young (for a GK) and so forth...but yeah.

I don't fully understand our keeper situation - let's say it like so.

We gave DDG a contract boost, made him the best paid keeper in the world * - and then offered Henderson an immense contract (for a 2nd choice keeper).

Anyone might be forgiven for thinking that these moves were made because DDG is the best keeper in the world - and Henderson is a shoe-in for becoming the next in that category.

In reality, though, I think many question these decisions.

De Gea clearly isn't the best keeper in the world at the moment - and the likelihood of him becoming that is slim to nil given his age and his evident lack of development.

Henderson is - I don't know, what is he? Clearly decent - yes, obviously. An obvious candidate for "best keeper in the world" over the next decade? Clearly not - he's just...pretty good, which applies to dozens of other keepers in his age bracket.

* He may have been the best paid keeper in the world even before the new contract - not sure about that. Anyway - the point is clear enough: we pay him top, top dollar.

 

[Get In Scholesy]

They're both pretty shit aerially tbh.

Of that I have no doubt. I was just curious if there was a statistic between the two of them.

 

[Foxbatt]

Is Hendo better than Sam Johnstone?

 

[SAFMUTD]

Costed us once again, there's seriously something rotten in our coaching that they are either stupid to not notice the problem or simply incapable of solving it. Either way someone must be fired because of this.