Defending set pieces

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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We’re really quite bad at this aren’t we? Reckon we should switch to man marking? I don’t mind zonal usually but we aren’t very good at executing it.
 

Baxter

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Not much in that at all tonight, but set pieces a massive problem now.
 

charlenefan

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We give up far too many easy goals, nothing in that game until that goal
 

Chicharo

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It is unbelievable how bad we are. On the other hand, we can't even create a decent chance when we get a corner let alone execute it

We need a proper CB more than anything
 

arnie_ni

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Can someone count up how many set peice goals?

I'd imagine 50 percent
 

PoTMS

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We're abysmal at defending set pieces from our opposition and yet excellent at defending them when they are our own. Maguire in particular is a rock at heading the ball for a goal kick.
 

bosnian_red

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It's dreadful and has been for a while. Feels like half the goals we concede come from set pieces. Nobody on posts ever on corners, shit marking, shit at attacking the ball and heading it... Just a mess all around when it comes to anything regarding set pieces.
 

Zoo

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So disappointing to go behind like that.
 

LUC1f3R

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We are awful in defending set pieces.

It's alarming that only Maguire tries to attempt the ball and rest hopes he does (any good team will have both CBs as good in the air). That or our players seems to switch off at far post.
 

BlahRules

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Each player expects the other player to clear the ball and always surprised when the ball is next to them. I am fed up with Lindelof and Maguire, both are bottle jobs.

Shit defending in the last semi final and the same again.
 

Castia

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Dreadful free kick to give away absolutely pointless from McTominay
 

Roboc7

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We bring everyone back and stay so deep that even if we do clear the set piece we stay under pressure. It’s shocking management that we just keep repeating same thing over and over even when it’s not working.
 

Roboc7

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Dreadful free kick to give away absolutely pointless from McTominay
He also stood still and just ball watched as free kick came in, Maguire did nothing and Dias just ran between both.
 

RedStarUnited

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We bring everyone back and stay so deep that even if we do clear the set piece we stay under pressure. It’s shocking management that we just keep repeating same thing over and over even when it’s not working.
I honestly want to understand the reason in having everyone back in our box.
 

Godfather

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It's become quite funny at this point. Maybe we can put another 11 players in our box?
 

Roboc7

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I honestly want to understand the reason in having everyone back in our box.
No idea, it allows teams to put even more players in box and cause more trouble. Also takes away any chance we have of counter attacking which is something we are good at.
 

paulscholes18

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Frustrating, not even the first time we’ve conceded a goal because Maguire let the ball run past him, he done the same thing vs RB for their 3rd goal
 

Djemba-Djemba

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Been saying it for months.

It's an absolutely fecking huge problem.

In tight games especially, it's killing us.

This season alone just off the top of my head set pieces have cost us goals against PSG X2, City X2, West Ham, Sheff Utd, Southampton, Leeds

Not good enough.
 

Josep Dowling

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No matter who’s in goal why do our keepers stay on their line? This has to be instructed to them?

How many times has Maguire let the ball run past him on crosses only for the opposition to get on the ball? He gets to must flak on here but he does this too often.
 

Siorac

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It's been a problem for years now. Whatever people say about the general quality of the coaching at the club, in this one aspect it's undeniably awful. Personnel alone doesn't explain why we are seemingly incapable of not shitting ourselves when a ball is crossed into our box from a corner or a free-kick.
 

Berbasbullet

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We concede so many sloppy goals, it was always going to bite us in the bum.
 

VivaRonaldo85

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I’m at the point where every time we concede a corner or a dangerous free kick from wide areas, I say to myself here comes a goal for the opposition.

We looked much better in recent games with Bailly in all aspects of defending. We look passive, slow and lack aggression with that back 4 tonight. Worryingly Ole has this as our first choice back 4.

Dias for City looked head & shoulders the best defender on the pitch tonight. Maybe Bailly can do that role in the short term but in the long term, we need to go back to the market no doubt. Defending set pieces is only slightly worse than our attacking at set pieces. Both a total mess.
 

Dan_F

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Tell Maguire to attack the ball like he’s trying to score, I’m sure he’ll manage to clear it over the bar then.

Sure, a cheap joke, but it’s painful watching him get his head on everything incorrectly when attacking.
 

arthurka

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Maguire should clear that Shaw should have tracked the runner. Every single game we give away cheap unnecessary goals. The game was very balanced until then.
 

spiriticon

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We can neither defend nor attack set pieces well enough. It's horrendous and you would think it's one of the basic things to coach. Even Tony Pulis can do it.

Thus why we struggle against defensive teams. We get loads of set pieces from fouls/corners and do feck all with them, and then we concede the very first set piece they get.
 

croadyman

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WE ARE DISASTROUS AT IT and can see it costing us crucial league points too if we aren't careful
 

DRJosh

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Imagine a defence like this under Fergie. Can't see how he would stand for the horrendous defensive marking at set-pieces. Ole seems to have an easier time letting players leave (clearing the deadwood) then dealing with existing players in the squad who need the hairdryer treatment.
 

brzez

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I’m at the point where every time we concede a corner or a dangerous free kick from wide areas, I say to myself here comes a goal for the opposition.

We looked much better in recent games with Bailly in all aspects of defending. We look passive, slow and lack aggression with that back 4 tonight. Worryingly Ole has this as our first choice back 4.

Dias for City looked head & shoulders the best defender on the pitch tonight. Maybe Bailly can do that role in the short term but in the long term, we need to go back to the market no doubt. Defending set pieces is only slightly worse than our attacking at set pieces. Both a total mess.
I’m at that point that whenever we get to defend a set piece, instead of watching the inevitable on my slow stream, I login on to my betting account and watch if we’ve conceded or not. If I don’t do that, and I see us concede that first goal in that manner, I’m absolutely smashing my screen. Atrocious goal, one of the worst I’ve seen. Lindelöf, Maguire, Shaw and AWB should not be playing in a first XI that wants to compete for trophies.
 

croadyman

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Surely there is a decent set piece coach we could bring in because this is happening way too often
 

Ludens the Red

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Biggest issue is the centre halves. It’s incredible but we have two centre halves who are afraid to defend aggressively. We have centre backs who are afraid of crosses. One of our centre backs is afraid to head the ball, the other has poor technique when he heads the ball.
 

croadyman

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Biggest issue is the centre halves. It’s incredible but we have two centre halves who are afraid to defend aggressively. We have centre backs who are afraid of crosses. One of our centre backs is afraid to head the ball, the other has poor technique when he heads the ball.
Do you think Bailly/Tuanzebe make a difference with that or need to make a signing in the summer
 

Ludens the Red

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Do you think Bailly/Tuanzebe make a difference with that or need to make a signing in the summer
As pure defenders Bailly and Tuanzebe are better than Maguire and Lindelof. However both have injury problems and probably can’t be relied on for a whole season and Ole loves Lindelof and Maguire as a pair. So yeah basically we need two new centre halves or at the very least one but don’t see that happening so it’s a case of developing Lindelof and Maguire and getting rid of their bad habits......... at the ages of 26 and 27 :lol:
 

croadyman

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As pure defenders Bailly and Tuanzebe are better than Maguire and Lindelof. However both have injury problems and probably can’t be relied on for a whole season and Ole loves Lindelof and Maguire as a pair. So yeah basically we need two new centre halves or at the very least one but don’t see that happening so it’s a case of developing Lindelof and Maguire and getting rid of their bad habits......... at the ages of 26 and 27 :lol:
Yeah we certainly need one and like you say it's hard to rely on either Eric & Axel for the rest of the season due to their history of injury problems, unfortunately the two CB's who can stay fit are slow as feck and look so vulnerable without pace to bail them out of situations.
 

LUC1f3R

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Just ask Maguire to play the ball as if he is attacking from a Man Utd cross. I am sure he will sky it over the bar. :P
 

PlayerOne

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Pogba mentioned it too. It's definitely a concern
 

Hughes35

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The second one is not bad defending in my option, just a good strike from distance.

The first one is a stupid free kick to give away but I think the line is too high. There is a massive corridor of space to whip the ball in to.