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MARK LAWRENSON: Liverpool must ditch defensive zonal system and get physical
May 27 2008 Liverpool Daily Post


RAFAEL BENITEZ can search the globe for solutions to his defensive problems this summer all he wants. But if he wants to cut down on the number of goals his team conceded from set-pieces last season then it’s not individuals he should be concerned with – it’s tactics.

Liverpool employ a zonal system, which has generally worked just fine during Benitez’s reign.

But once teams know you are going to set up like that, they work out ways of getting an extra man off to capitalise if the ball goes loose in the area.

From Benitez’s own analysis, Liverpool conceded 10 goals more from set plays than they did in the previous campaign and that is a worrying statistic.

One which suggests that something somewhere clearly isn’t working.

And while it’s plain to see that Benitez needs to fork out for some full-backs in the transfer window, it’s not as if wholesale changes to personnel throughout his defence are required.

In fact, centre-back is the one area in which you would you say there’s definitely no need to bring in reinforcements.

Certainly not as a matter of urgency anyway.

Martin Skrtel came in in January and did alright, Daniel Agger will be coming back next year, while Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia provide the experience to mix with the youth.

It looks like a strong unit, yet this is the area most responsible for avoiding the sort of goals Liverpool let in so frequently last season.

The players are more than capable of sorting that out themselves but Benitez might have to consider a change of tactics to make it happen.

And bringing in man-marking would be the ideal way to do that in my view. When the opposition has a free-kick, you’re responsible for one man and you need to stop him getting away.

I believe that’s still the most effective method of defending in the modern era, perhaps even more so considering what defenders can get away with in their own penalty area these days – you’re allowed to virtually grab hold of people.

Being more ruthless and bloody-minded in this way could be key to preventing those set-pieces resulting in goals and be worth an extra 10 or 12 points throughout the campaign.

There’s nothing wrong with the zonal system in open play, where you can pass players on to each other when the opposition has got the ball.

Having someone like Javier Mascherano and another player in a deeper midfield role in front of the defence works very well. It’s why so few teams get beyond Liverpool in open play, particularly down the middle.

But the central defenders are more than good enough and disciplined enough to pinpoint their man at a dead-ball situation and deal with it.

That didn’t happen enough last season but that’s no reason for Benitez to use any of his transfer budget on a new set of centre-backs.

The ones he has are fine – they just need to get a bit more physical.
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I do believe that teams have started to "work the system" at set pieces against us, but whether reverting to a man marking system would solve the problem is at best debatable. We have a great record over the past few years and while the number of set piece goals we have conceeded this season has been unacceptable, I put it down to personel changes and individual errors rather than a system fault.

We have had to cope without Agger for virtually the whole season, and while Skrtel has done well since he came in has had to not only adapt to the pace and players but a new system of defending.

Rafa has twice expressed his concerns recently about our defensive lapses at set-pieces, but I think like me he puts it down more to individual error (which is just as likely in a man for man system) than system faults.

One further point - I don't like the way we pull everyone back for corners and freekicks, I think its always a good idea to have a few players available for quick breaks. It also allows the opposition to throw more players forward without risk defensively.

I do think a little more aggression wouldn't come amiss though!

[Kharhaz]

I agree with the physical part. At times the defenders just seemed to allow the attackers to get there first, however ditching the zonal system would be wrong. It works, its proven that it works and is only brought up when liverpool make a mistake from it which, aside from the season gone was rare and like you said saint the new lad skrtel and aggers injury have been a factor. More physical would be welcome however too physical would result in more injuries knowing our luck.

[Sabre]

I can't believe he still goes on about zonal marking. And then people talk about Tomkins!

If anything positive I've learned from watching a lot of segunda division football this season, is to reassure me why zonal marking is better than man to man marking unless you're in very lower league.

But once teams know you are going to set up like that, they work out ways of getting an extra man off to capitalise if the ball goes loose in the area.

I have seen not 5 or 7, but dozens of situations in which forwards took advantage of a man to man marking, so I don't think this is a strong point.

However

I do think a little more aggression wouldn't come amiss though!

This post ending of S@int is something I totally agree, and has nothing to do per se with the man to man or zonal marking debate. Aggression is something necessary in any kind of defence, man to man, zonal, or mixed.

[66-1112520797]

Neither can I, zonal marking is good.

[Number 9]

Bulls'hit from a bulls'hitter(not you saint):D

This is one of the reasons i fail to recognize or have any respect for Mark Lawrenson!
To me he seems to jump at every opportunity to chastise and ridicule LFC.Its not even a very good arguement.
I hate the fuc'ker on my TV,i dont know if its his hair,his accent or the fact he had accusations against him in the past....i just dont like the man!

For a start he is wrong in putting down zonal marking,we had the best defensive record last year but never scored enough goals!Reina has won the golden glove again.
Its more about continuity rather than tactics at the back!
AGGERS INJURY HAD HUUUUUUGE IMPACT ON OUR SEASON,given the fact that Hyypia cant play every game and Skrtel was brought in,in a way as a panic buy!Hes done good!


The team suffered overall because of lack of fitness due to age on Hyypias part and inexperience on Skrtels!It inbalanced the whole team from a centreback pairing that were renound for solidity!
We gave away goals we never would have, if a consistant centre back pairing were playing together every week!

In short Lawro talks sh'ite!

[Effes]

The fella has regurgitated an out dated topic - he doesn't warrant a topic.

I hated the way he behaved on BBC, during our justice protest, when we played Arsenal at
home in the cup 2 seasons ago - Grade A C#nt.

[Number 9]

Saint i would hide if i was you!

Once Judge sees the thread title he will be having visions of the YMCA!
I'd be very afraid if i was you,best sleep with a biscuit tin lid down your boxers(at the rear)to avoid backdoor boogie!!

[LFC2007]

I disagree with the main point of the article - old ground, but agree that we conceded too many from set pieces last season. It's a problem which isn't system-based, but it's a legitimate question anyway. How do we restore our strength at set pieces? The fundamentals for defending are focus and aggression, and we simply need to apply ourselves better. More specifically, we need to anticipate the delivery better, and a major part of that means getting shaped for the header, being on your toes and being aware of the opposition. Dynamic anticipation would sum that part up. Aggression is just as important, the desire to get it away, to get ahead of whoever decides to cut into your zone. We don't lack fundamental ability in order to achieve our defensive optimum at set pieces, just application. It's difficult to say why we haven't been as focussed, as aggressive, or as purposeful in going for the ball. I guess you could point to Skrtel and some of his lapses in concentration and awareness, but to me that's probably more down to the fact that he only signed with us in January. I think we've been a bit too static, and have been prone to lapses which have suggested a mentality in the team that 'someone else will surely deal with it'. You can't rest on your laurels, and that needs to be known when defending set pieces. Everyone has to be focussed, everyone has to approach it as if it's they who'll be making the important header. Even if it's not that player who'll be faced with the responsibility of making the clearance, they may be able to get in a block or a sly nudge to put the opponent off.

In summary, whilst I think it's quite easy to identify the problem, I think it's harder to say why the problem has arisen and subsequently hard to say how we can resolve it. At least we can say with Agger returning and a good pre-season to get back into the routine, we have the opportunity to put it right in time for the new season.

[Kharhaz]

The fella has regurgitated an out dated topic - he doesn't warrant a topic.

True but it is a topic raised by the media everytime we (heaven help us) concede a goal. How many times have these "experts" diagnosed our problems as zonal marking being the problem.

I hate end of season. The BS is rife this time of year.

[Number 9]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmQiaSDr3nk

Judge in the physical song,hes the one with the first class mullet and head band!

[Rush Job]

Sad basturd that Lawrenson and he`s queer.

[Scottbot]

The press really do my nut in with this subject. More often than not it's lazy journalism. I must admit my preference is man-for-man but our defensive record at set-pieces prior to this season was one of the best in the league (correct me if i'm wrong) I believe. It's very easy for the journo's and twa.ts like Andy Gray and Mark (can you think of another former lfc great who is less liked?) Lawrensen to point the finger solely at it. If any other team leaks a goal playing man-to-man it's the player's fault and the system gets off scott-free everytime, it gets swept under the carpet. It does my brain in.

[ConnO'var]

Absolute bollox..... The man was immense for us when he was playing, but doesn't half talk sh!te.....
The system needs some minor fine tuning but that's about all really..

Zonal marking doesn't work?... my @rse.

[account deleted by request]

Seeing as no-one wants to attack zonal defence at set pieces - I will play devils advocate.

1/If the zonal defence works so well why do the top three sides in the country not use it?

2/ If Zonal defence works so well, why have we conceeded more goals from set-pieces this season than any other prem team.

3/ In the good ol' days we used a zonal defence BUT not from set pieces, we always man marked at set-pieces. We won titles that way so why not now?

4/ Have the rest of the prem caught on to how we defend set -pieces and found ways to beat it? The number of free headers against us this season has been incredible!

[ConnO'var]

Seeing as no-one wants to attack zonal defence at set pieces - I will play devils advocate.

1/If the zonal defence works so well why do the top three sides in the country not use it?

I'll give it a burl mate...... not fully baked ideas yet though as it's still early in the morning here and I'm barely awake! ....

1. They don't need to. Man Utd and Arsenal play an attacking game more times than not. This involves the whole team and they tend to rely on the pace of their back four to recover when under attack. Chelsea play a very physical defensive end game. Their 2 centrebacks are hard men and they tend to prefer to focus on their assigned man rather than swap defensive targets. (Plus I don't think that Terry and Carvalho are smart enough to adapt to a zonal defence.... (jk)). These teams (barring Chelsea)have traditionally used man marking largely due to historical reasons as both managers have had a long time at the helm and they saw no need to re-build their defensive systems when they 1st came into power... as such they probably didn't want to spend too much time drilling their entire defence in a new system. No real answer for Chelsea though. I guess it was just Mourinho's preference and Grant didn't want to rock a system that worked.

2/ If Zonal defence works so well, why have we conceeded more goals from set-pieces this season than any other prem team.

2. Our boys are not aggressive enough in the air. And outside of Sammi, we have no real aerial presence.

3/ In the good ol' days we used a zonal defence BUT not from set pieces, we always man marked at set-pieces. We won titles that way so why not now?

3. Completely agree. I prefer the hybrid system too.... this is something we can potentially re-adopt and should take a long hard look to see if the potential bedding in and acclimitisation period required for this "tweak" is worth the inevitable defensive stumble early in the season.

4/ Have the rest of the prem caught on to how we defend set -pieces and found ways to beat it? The number of free headers against us this season has been incredible!

4. I think the answer to this is the same as the answer given for question 2.




ps: Finally learnt to to the multiple quotes thingy! took long enuff didn't it?