By Luca Bertolini
Question - The explosion of set piece goals is extraordinary! On corner kicks I am completely baffled. Why have so many groups gone to zonal marking which only works marginally at best? Although the theory of it works, the reality of it, is that zonal marking fails and I have no idea why the zonal efforts continue to receive backing ? Regardless of the size of the defending team and goalie why do clubs, teams and countries continue to sell out to something that doesn't work?
The explosion of set piece goals was extraordinary!
I agree; set pieces are increasing their effects on the final results. In my opinion we should analyze them as a development from attacking point of view rather than a regression from a defense point of view.
The possible ways and the solutions to attack from a set piece are always more and more than the potential defense ways; they are:
• Strategic phase (how to make the defense unbalanced and confused)
• Tactical phase (how to free from the markers before kicking)
• Technical phase (how to finish to score)
• In general: who kicks, when, where and how to kick and how to organize the attacking players?
Against all these possibilities, the defenders can only try to respond and take decisions as consequence of the attacking team moves. These are the ways, I think:
• Man on man
• Zonal marking
• Resulting goalkeepers decisions
Why have so many groups gone to zonal marking which only works marginally at best?
Although the theory of it works, the reality of it, is that zonal marking fails and I have no idea why the zonal efforts continue to receive backing?
Man on man marking, especially inside the box is not less dangerous; 1 v 1 duels expose the defender to the potential physical, quality and positional advantage for the forwards and make the blocks easier. Zonal marking allows the creation of numerical advantage in a specific zone of the box or around the most dangerous opponents
Regardless of the size of the defending team and goalie why do clubs, teams and countries continue to sell out to something that doesn't work?
I don't think clubs sell out something while they are playing matches; the only thing a team does is to find the best way to attack and the best way to defend, set pieces or not, if it wasn't working for them they wouldn't do it.
By Luca Bertolini
