Liverpool FC Forum

by **sgs** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:51 pm

Everton's FA cup match plan in many ways was always predictable. A little like Chelsea in the CL @ Anfield, the whole object of football appears increasingly to revolve around the set-piece or the delivery of the high ball into the penalty area to the 'battering ram' of a striker, what some British Manager calls, 'the zone of influence'.

The delivery of set-pieces or the high ball from open play and the positioning of your 'aerial warheads' in a position to score, appears increasingly to be the object of the game. By going directly to the penalty area, this concept of the game is seen by its proponents to nulify or reduce any technical advantages an opponent may have in midfield, hence the set-piece is seen more and more as the 'great equalizer'.

As a tactic there are varying levels of sophistication in application of this, from the brilliant execution of ManU in the 3-0 defeat of Chelsea, to the crude throw-ins of Rory Delap at Stoke, complete with hand towels placed strategically around the pitch to ensure a firm grip of the ball! But the overall objective appears to be the same.

In furtherance of this tactic, key players then seemingly are made to work wherever possible to win freekicks especially in the third zone of the field, by all means necessary.

The result is that football is increasingly playing itself out like American gridiron, with frequent starts and stops, as players move up and down, in whatever penalty box a set-piece is about to be delivered.

Take the case of a top manager like Mourinho, who repeatedly played Robert Huth as last ditch striker when chasing a game. In analysing Inter's loss to Man United in the CL, it emerged that central to his strategy was how to counter what he considered the aerial advantage of his opponents, having analyzed the heights of their key players! In fact this led to his decision to start Patrick Viera! He would complain after the match at Old Trafford that he could not make his players taller!!!

I do not mean this as a criticism, but even this early, the outlines of Chelsea's approach to the crunch CL game with Barcelona are clear, and it IMO will revolve around set-pieces, and the aerial and physical dominance of Barca in both central midfield and especially the penalty area. Indeed, I would go as far as to suggest that Barca's relative lack of 'aerial warheads' in attack, 'ground-to-air defence systems', and non-reliance on the delivery of set-pieces, will greatly influence the nature of the contest in central midfield and the willingness of Chelsea to give up the foul as well as employ tough physical measures as a strategic approach to disrupt the high tempo passing game of Barcelona.

Let there be no misunderstanding. I do not raise this as a club supporter, but as a student of the game. Indeed, as Guus Hiddink said after the 3-1 triumph at Anfield, he saw a weakness in Liverpool's defence of set-pieces and it would be negligent of any manager not to seek to take advantage of this, even to the ridiculous extent of playing Christopher Samba as a central striker. In his case though, I suspect that apart from his geight, his last name may have been part of Sam Alardyce's strategic analysis!

Which leaves me asking: is this a sign of the future? Is this the future of the game?

by **Sir Roger** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:27 pm

Set pieces have always been a part of football. Certainly since Ive been watching. Players have always tried to get corners and particularly free kicks in areas that they can do most damage. The game has had these free kick winners and aerial threats as long as I can remember. We ourselves used Toshack and more recently Crouch for set pieces to great effect.
Graeme Sharp was a footballer who got more than his fair share of free kicks. He was a good player but that was one of his strengths: conning the referee. These days Drogba does it most effectively. Cheating, I think its called.
But sign of the future? Its been here for years.

by **sgs** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:50 pm

Its always been here, that much is clear. But its about magnitude....

by **Sabre** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:31 pm

One of the best thread starters I've read this year.

What you describe is Spanish football, which follows exactly the pattern of constant starts and stops of the game. Football can get so tactical, that you can do a foul not only to avoid a blatant counter attack, but also because you saw Alonso going upwards, and you simply want to recover your playing schema using a foul for that. You reallign your lines, and players like Torres suffer from it, because their pace is less useful.

This kind of foul can get to ridiculous levels. When a RB protects the ball and the attacking LW presses, we tend to shout here from the stands "Do not make a foul there!! just press and let the defender have a problem (while another team approaches to help your pressing)". Why do we say that? because here at the slightest contact the RB will fall to the ground and a foul will be conceded.

So I've told you this because as an introduction to the direct answer you make:

No, I don't think in England it's going to be like that in the future because quite simply you've got a genuine way to understand and play football. You'll be less orthodox, perhaps, new methods will come of course, but you'll always have that essence of your football. Refs are an important way in this. Crucial I'd say. It's up to the F.A. to keep Reffereeing criteria that defends your kind of football.

That is, Chelsea couldn't have done what they did against us in the last CL game with an English refferee. But they could do it with a Spaniard and they did.

by **yolz** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:24 am

Good post Sabre
I agree with you that fouls blatant fouls and intentional stops to the game has reached a ridiculous level presently
Yet again, the Premiership has been the most competitive in years
I think the English game has evolved somewhat
It's not just the strong burly striker that is the target of all passes and brawn wins the game
The skill, the technicality and the pace of the game has made the Premiership one of the most exciting leagues int he world today
Hence, teams like Everton, who obviously do not have the depth and skill of teams like Manucs, have no choice but to resort to such tactics, especially in a cup game
The toffees do play a decent game in the league, but in cup games, they've been playing like this for a while, especially against stronger opposition
And I fear this may the tactic that most weaker teams will employ against stronger teams for some time yet

by **bigmick** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:00 am

It's a good thread starter, and a thought provoking insight. I don't think though FWIW that we are about to see a radical change either gradual or sudden into a situation where set-pieces dominate football. The majority of the problems whereby teams are over reliant on set pieces is caused by poor refereeing, usually by European referees. In the Premiership, the vast majority of Drogba's histrionics would be laughed off, the only outcome of his throwing himself to the ground would be more work for the kit lady. Unfortunately however, referees in Champions League games seem more susceptable to being conned, and the game inevitably breaks up.

It cuts both ways of course, at Stamford Bridge our first goal was from a free-kick given against Lampard which wasn't one, whilst if our penaty for the second was actually a penalty then there'd be ten per match. Of course after that you had the spectacle of Drogba hurling himself to the turf with ever increasing regualrity and imagination. The referee was unable, unwilling or both of getting to grips with it, and the thing became a farce. He had the perfect opportunity to send out a message in the first half by at the very least booking Drogba for rolling back onto the pitch in order to stop the match, but unfortunately as is often the case he bottled it.

As for the free kicks and corners themselves, usually there are surprisingly few goals scored as a direct result of one. Instances such as Hiddink masterminding the unpicking of our zonal system to such devastating effect are rare. Good teams normally defend the high ball pretty effectively, because like Ivanovoc did they simply physically stop you from getting to the ball.

I understand the concern, but with good refereeing football ought to remain a good spectacle. I actually worry more about diving, time wastin and the like. As I've said a few times, I'd have a panel sit every weekend to review fouls awarded in the Premiership. Anybody found to be diving should automatically recieve a three game ban. Anybody staying on the turf and causing the trainer to be brought on should have to go and see the doctor at the side of the pitch and be thoroughly examined before being allowed to resume. He should not be allowed onto the pitch until a period of five minutes have expired. If on the other hand he can hobble off the pitch himself without stopping the game, there should be no such penalty. Any substitution made by a team which is in the lead after 80 minutes of the game have elapsed, should automatically result in 5 minutes being added onto the stoppages. This would apply regardless of whether it takes the fella 2 minutes to stroll off, shake the referees hand, wave to his Mum etc. Anybody taking the ball into the corenr flag to waste time should instantly concede a free kick for obstruction. If a team is awrded a free kick, throw in, corner, goal kick etc and they choose to take too long over taking it, the award should be reversed and given to the other team.

The last ten minutes of a professional football match should be a "lockdown" period. The game will not stop. If a team is leading and they decide to start dropping like flies, that is entirely their privilage but the game should not stop. If their trainer comes on, the game should carry on around them as it does in Rugby. If they are waiting to take a free kick and one of their own players goes down, there shouldn't be a delay, the game should not stop for anything. If they want to pontificate and prevaricate over their throw ins, a ball should simply be given to the other team and let them get on with it.

You could sort out footballs problems in about 10 minutes if you had the will.

by **JoeTerp** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:45 am

I agree with a lot of the things BigMick talks about ESPECIALLY the idea of not letting fake injured players right back on the pitch, that is ridiculous IMO.

I think players should be carded for overselling as well, even if they are nicked, that shouldn't mean that you have to do a swan dive. I don't understand why it is a rule that its only a foul if you knock someone on the ground.

I think the idea behind penalty kicks should be reviewed as well. I think only the most obvious of goal scoring chances that are illegally impeded should be punished with a penalty kick. I think for less obvious offenses inside the penalty area there should be a one man wall free kick from the spot of the foul, with all the other players on the outside of the area. I think if the consequences were not so game changing, we would see the game being officiated in the penalty area look more like how it is on the rest of the pitch.

I also would not be against a 3 card system, that allowed the referees to issue green (or white or pink) cards instead of these warnings. I think refs could really get rid of dissent if they flashed these cards every time an opposing player was pressuring them or flashing up the invisible card. Also, every 2 or 3 fouls of any kind should warrant a green card (with 2 cards equaling a yellow, and maybe a yellow and a half equaling a 5 minute sin bin)

Obviously I don't want the referee to be booking players the whole game, but eventually the players would have to clean up their game, and it would probably take a month of every ref being very harsh and strict about every rule, but eventually the players would be the ones that would have to adapt and not the referees. There might be some games at the start that finish 5 a side, and people would call it shambolic and a farse, but I think eventually it would clean up the game, and the flow would return.

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Is this a sign of the future? - A discourse on set-pieces in football

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