Liverpool FC Forum

by **Woollyback** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 9:52 am

I think we can all agree that this zonal marking malarkey just isn't working at the minute, but what should we do? I'm assuming Rafa employed this tactic at Valencia (anybody know if this is true?) and if so, it obviously worked pretty well over there. But my question is will it work at LFC and against premiership opposition? Should we have faith in Rafa and stick with it until the system starts to work or should we cut our losses and go back to the more tried-and-tested method of man-marking?

What do you reckon gents? :kungfu:

by **supersub** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 11:23 am

Zonal marking is ok in open play,but I think it best to man mark at set pieces/corners so every player knows their particular job.I know Rafa likes the zonal marking and I reckon he will persist until we get it right and thats fine by me.

by **the great one** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 11:32 am

well look at this way we let three goals in front set pieces but he's trying diffrent ideas than under houiller and tactics and it will take time for the player to get use to it but he should stick with it cus it worked in spain and spain is the best league in the world in spain there more techincal.

by **Scottbot** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 12:11 pm

supersub wrote:Zonal marking is ok in open play,but I think it best to man mark at set pieces/corners so every player knows their particular job.

I agree, all our problems have come from set-pieces where confusion has rained. Can anyone explain the merits of the zonal system at set plays? All i can see is the downside ie. Attaking teams getting a man over by moving just before the ball is kicked + defenders unable to check runs coz they are not sure who they will end up marking.

I don't think the system has been a major prob from open play. If you watch our 3 Trafford wins against the mancs our players marked space not players and they didn't didn't have a clue how to break us down.

by **zarababe** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 12:54 pm

supersub wrote:Zonal marking is ok in open play,but I think it best to man mark at set pieces/corners so every player knows their particular job.I know Rafa likes the zonal marking and I reckon he will persist until we get it right and thats fine by me.

Excellent point Supersub.. sums it up quite well...

Anything new takes it's time... I trust the Boss to do the best for the team..

I also trust he knows to strengthen in the area in question and I hope he is lining someone up to join us in Jan..

by **106-1093504160** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 12:12 pm

by january the thoughts of league glory will be gone

by **Redtribe** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:51 pm

judge wrote:by january the thoughts of league glory will be gone

Did you really expect us to be challenging for the league this year?

by **woof woof !** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:14 pm

Zonal Marking

?

?? Don't make me laugh

What was Kewell doing standing on our own goal line ? (glad he was 'cause he headed one away ) surely that wasn't part of rafa's plan ?

Defensively we are an absolute shambles . I have NEVER seen a Liverpool side looking so vulnerable. I say we should go right back to basic 4-4-2 and man to man marking , this current mix of players don't seem capable of playing any other system.

by **JBG** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:53 pm

I'm not sure whether it'll work in England given the aerial power most teams have in set pieces, but I think Benitez will persist with it, although I think he may need to sign at least one further defender who has experience of zonal marking if he's going to make it work.

I doubt it'll ever work, although I hope its not going to be a re-run of Roy Evan's failed wingback system which Evans' perserved with right to the end, even though everybody else could see that it simply wasn't working.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:13 pm

Though I don't beleive in it my self I can see the argument for zonal marking in open play, but at setpieces it just dosen't make sence at all. With people running in with momentum they will always have the edge over defenders.

In europe this system has worked, this probarly down to the fact when setpieces are sent into the box you dont have many men running in from outside, so fsimply filling the box with as many players as you can just creates a complete "block". But in England this system will never work from setpieces.

by **JBG** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:01 pm

I just don't see it working in the Premiership.

You simply don't have the same amount of powerful guys in the air in Spain as you do in the Premiership.

by **who the hell is diarra** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:21 pm

Zonal marking in my opinion works best in a back three system with wing backs. Your Wing backs and one centre half opperate the zone while the other two centre backs go man for man. The best example of this has always been the German national side. Their best midfield player would always line up as a sweeper Mathaus, Beckenbauer are examples.
Then they would have two big man markers to stick tight on the oppositon front men Claus Argenthaler and Guido Buchwald did this superbly in Italia 90. With these two in place Mathaus was able to surge forward out of defence and become on of the stars of the tournament.

In a straight forward 442 i always would prefer to see atleast my back 4 on a man for man assignment

by **anfieldadorer** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 4:45 am

At times GH was around; there are periods where our defense played clumsily Some basic mistakes were made by the back four and many points were thrown away -which has significantly drifted us from a possible higher last position.

This problem have never been completely resolved yet; you still can see it reccurring in some matches.
Aside from the system unfamiliarity for Liverpool, the zonal system won't work with the team having such syndrome. I'm afraid it will only take them to the past lack of confidence

No disrespect to Rafa, but the zonal system application is a bit too far for now.

by **XSD** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 12:12 pm

I think it worked well against Chelsea, we defended a countless amount of corners and free kicks, the only threatening one was the low and shorter one Cole scored off.

by **XSD** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 12:12 pm

double post

Liverpool FC Forum

Zonal marking - Persevere or back to basics?

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