It's been a major problem of ours for way too long now. Final ball is 9 times out of 10,a joke. The 2nd half today was a prime example,we saw plenty of the ball down the flanks but there wasn't one decent cross. So frustrating.
Need Chrissy Onions back from STVV sharpish, he could take a mean corner....
Seriously though I'd rather we had a philosophy and stuck to it. Too often we are in a dangerous crossing position and we either can't beat the first man or we play a quick free kick. If we are going down the quick option we need it drilled into the players that passing it back 10 yards and thumping it nowhere/rolling it back to the keeper is not an option. Fox may be erratic with his overall crossing but I'd stick him on them at the moment, at least he can hit them beyond the near post
Agree it's diabolical for professionals to be this poor at corners, free kicks and crosses.
But, as for, corners we have been poor for a long time...years and years.
It used to be we'd score once a season from a corner. If that. To be honest, even in the premier league years I can't recall too many. The odd Svensson header or Johanssen volley.
With free kicks, over the seasons we've been gifted with the occassional wizard who could create a magical moment, but few and far between.
Watch WBA. 7 goals from corners this season. Pulis knows how to do it.
Which is an incredible statistic, as on average, most teams will only score 4-6 goals a season directly from a corner.
Of course there are certain teams who have these type of set pieces as their strength so score a lot more, and other who have it as their weakness, as we did a couple seasons ago, conceding from a corner almost every 3 games.
The fact is, these type of statistics are out there for managers and coaches to look and use to their advantage. I find it astonishing that they don't think of clever ways of taking set pieces. I remember Bournemouth having loads of success from different, inventive routines rather than just hoping to get it past the first man.
As a undergraduate sports scientist who is also a football coach, I know that there's plenty of data available to be used to gain an advantage on such things. Unfortunately, I just don't think in this country we have enough people in the game who know how to use it to benefit their team.
You can add throw-ins to the list. For years Charlton seem to have lost possession from their own throws. Magennis seems to have a decent long throw, though most would prefer to see him as the target man rather than the thrower.
Watch WBA. 7 goals from corners this season. Pulis knows how to do it.
Which is an incredible statistic, as on average, most teams will only score 4-6 goals a season directly from a corner.
Of course there are certain teams who have these type of set pieces as their strength so score a lot more, and other who have it as their weakness, as we did a couple seasons ago, conceding from a corner almost every 3 games.
The fact is, these type of statistics are out there for managers and coaches to look and use to their advantage. I find it astonishing that they don't think of clever ways of taking set pieces. I remember Bournemouth having loads of success from different, inventive routines rather than just hoping to get it past the first man.
As a undergraduate sports scientist who is also a football coach, I know that there's plenty of data available to be used to gain an advantage on such things. Unfortunately, I just don't think in this country we have enough people in the game who know how to use it to benefit their team.
Most teams score 4-6 goals from a corner. That statistic must have increased in The Championship last season when Charlton seemed to concede from a corner in most matches!
Whatever happens, stop Lookman taking corners and free kicks (unless the free kicks are on the edge of the box and direct). He would be far better employed hovering around the box for some scraps he can put away.
You can add throw-ins to the list. For years Charlton seem to have lost possession from their own throws. Magennis seems to have a decent long throw, though most would prefer to see him as the target man rather than the thrower.
Magennis needs to throw the ball so high that it give him time to run into the box and win the first header!
Could be worse, was 1-0 down on Saturday - came bursting out of goal for a corner in injury-time and my moment of glory. Dickhead only played it short and ref blew full-time, didn't he.
Never know why we don't try the tactic at corners that worked so well back in the 70 and 80s. Corner would be hit towards bloke at the near post (usually Jimmy Giles or Les Berry) who would flick it on for someone to run onto and head home. If the ball was delivered properly and a good flick on was achieved it was pretty much undefendable.
Or is football so much more "sophisticated" these days that it wouldn't work?
Comments
Jackson's corners aren't bad, Chicksen put in a decent free kick last week for the equaliser
Seriously though I'd rather we had a philosophy and stuck to it. Too often we are in a dangerous crossing position and we either can't beat the first man or we play a quick free kick. If we are going down the quick option we need it drilled into the players that passing it back 10 yards and thumping it nowhere/rolling it back to the keeper is not an option. Fox may be erratic with his overall crossing but I'd stick him on them at the moment, at least he can hit them beyond the near post
Are we just copying England, when Kane was taking them, that didn't work either!
But, as for, corners we have been poor for a long time...years and years.
It used to be we'd score once a season from a corner. If that. To be honest, even in the premier league years I can't recall too many. The odd Svensson header or Johanssen volley.
With free kicks, over the seasons we've been gifted with the occassional wizard who could create a magical moment, but few and far between.
Of course there are certain teams who have these type of set pieces as their strength so score a lot more, and other who have it as their weakness, as we did a couple seasons ago, conceding from a corner almost every 3 games.
The fact is, these type of statistics are out there for managers and coaches to look and use to their advantage. I find it astonishing that they don't think of clever ways of taking set pieces. I remember Bournemouth having loads of success from different, inventive routines rather than just hoping to get it past the first man.
As a undergraduate sports scientist who is also a football coach, I know that there's plenty of data available to be used to gain an advantage on such things. Unfortunately, I just don't think in this country we have enough people in the game who know how to use it to benefit their team.
Or is football so much more "sophisticated" these days that it wouldn't work?
At the start of this video:
http://eachgoal.com/2016/12/ajax-vs-fc-groningen-2-0-highlights/
Let's hope Mr Robinson has already seen for himself how generally poor our set pieces are.
If not, could somebody mention it when they next meet him at a petrol station?