Liverpool FC Forum

[whylongball?]

Got to give the credit where its due. Man sadly played better and we didnt show enuf confidence as well as aggression.  Cisse complained more than he fight and chase after the ball. Also got himself into offside position far 2 often. Risse was too soft on Ronaldo-the best way to defend is to tackle and hack the guy down but he gave ronaldo 2 much space/respect??. Kewell put up yet another substandard performance. And the set-piece........ 
Hopefully the manager would rectify the probs shortly

[Sabre]

I was looking for a post Ciggy wrote a while back about our set pieces, but I couldn't find it. Instead, I've found this old one started by good old A.B.

We all have noticed even the happy clappers that our corners are not good enough. I think it's strange that if we talk about a situation that is supposed to be thoroughly worked, we see Riera soon enough taking the corners in the left. He was shíte in his first corner, he lost confidence and the rest were as short as un productive.

I think too many of our players take corners, I'm not a corner rotationist, even if Fabio Aurelio, Alonso, Riera and Gerrard might have the required touch of the ball to execute corners, I'd have fixed players for each side.

What do you think about the set pieces?

[tubby]

I cant remember the last time we were deadly from corners. Gerrard is terrible at them. Only maybe 1 in 4 of his corners are of any threat. The rest just end up not even passing the first man by the near post. No wonder they try those stupid short corners all the time.

[Bad Bob]

The stats tell the story.  Nineteen corners taken yesterday and the Alonso volley was the only chance of note to come from any of them.  If we're not hitting the first man with the corner we're playing those predictable short ball give-and-gos that always come to naught.  I think one of the big problems is that we don't have a main danger man on corners.  With Hyypia on the bench and Crouch sold (not the best with his head, of course, but he gave defenders concerns) who are opposition defenders worried about?  Carragher doesn't carry much of a goal threat and neither, it would seem, does Skrtel so the traditional CB target seems to be out.  Our best option would be Torres and so it's not surprising to see him blanketed during the build up to every corner.  Surely we can become more inventive with these set pieces and more consistent with the delivery as well?  I agree Sabre that we need consistent corner takers as a starting point.

[tubby]

I think if the crosses were of better quality then that itself should be able to pose more of a threat. Fair enough we dont have any quality headers of the ball but at least get the delivery right and it becomes harder to defend. Our corners are pathetic so they are easy to deal with.

[andy_g]

regardless of the fact that we have no decent aerial threat from corners, except maybe torres like you say bob, we should still be making a point of getting the ball into the danger zone. its shocking that we can so rarely do that and some one needs to have a strong word with gerrard and persuade him that lurking around near the D is a lot better than hitting the first defender in the bo'llocks.

i'm actually liking riera's inswingers from the right. seeing as we rarely have a good attacker of the aerial ball then dropping the ball in the danger zone between keeper and the penalty spot and hoping for a good rebound seems a good a bet as any.

[woof woof !]

some one needs to have a strong word with gerrard and persuade him that lurking around near the D is a lot better than hitting the first defender in the bo'llocks.

Had this very conversation with someone not to long ago Andy. Why Gerrard takes so many corners baffles me, like yourself would rather see him lurking around the D. If we can't win the first ball from the corner we could at least set up to win the second. So many times clearances from our corners drop just outside the area and we rarely have anyone picking them up.

[heimdall]

OK this is obvious to all of us, why is no one in the Liverpool coaching staff seeing it as a problem, I think that the whole time under Rafa we have been shocking at set pieces, itis clearly something he is not interested in, maybe not enough options or something although I would have thought it gave plenty of options for variations etc. In general set pieces are very predictable and boring in football compared to other sports and I've never understood why this is.

[Owzat]

some one needs to have a strong word with gerrard and persuade him that lurking around near the D is a lot better than hitting the first defender in the bo'llocks.

Had this very conversation with someone not to long ago Andy. Why Gerrard takes so many corners baffles me, like yourself would rather see him lurking around the D. If we can't win the first ball from the corner we could at least set up to win the second. So many times clearances from our corners drop just outside the area and we rarely have anyone picking them up.

Corners in general are poorly taken these days, not just by us. Not sure who I'd have take them, not Gerrard and probably not Alonso either. If at first you don't succeed, let someone else take them after a while as you're simply wasting them

[Espionage]

We still have not scored from one have we? Doesnt make sense that lower teams then us get them on a consistent basis but we cant get one. We had god knows how many corners against Stoke but couldnt put any away. Lower teams see it as their bread and butter and hence go in with more ferocity. Whatever it is, we are not doing in right and the coaching staff really need to look into because its been like that for the entirety of Rafa's reign.

Wait a minute.... that might be the first bad thing I have ever said about Rafa 

[Scottbot]

Been thinking and saying this for a few years now, remember a young Steven Gerrard scoring his share of headers from corners in his early years? He's too good in the air (very underated) to not be in the box when the ball comes in.

John Aldridge: Reds need to use skipper’s aerial threat

Apr 4 2009 Liverpool Echo

WATCHING England score their late winner against Ukraine on Wednesday night got me thinking.

Steven Gerrard played a key role in the goal as he headed down David Beckham’s free-kick for John Terry to score.

The fact is Liverpool need to start getting their skipper in the box for corners and free-kicks.

I know he provides great deliveries into the box but he can cause more damage by getting on the end of them.

Let Fabio Aurelio or whoever take the set-pieces and push Steven forward.

With his height and heading ability he causes defenders problems.

Steven’s hat-trick against Villa means he is now just two goals behind Nicolas Anelka in the race for the Golden Boot.

I would love to see him win that trophy and with the form he’s in at the moment it’s a realistic target.

In fact he might not ever have a better chance.

[tubby]

Yeah he scored a few headers that year we done the treble. And of course Istanbul ect....

[Sir Roger]

Been thinking and saying this for a few years now, remember a young Steven Gerrard scoring his share of headers from corners in his early years? He's too good in the air (very underated) to not be in the box when the ball comes in.

John Aldridge: Reds need to use skipper’s aerial threat

Apr 4 2009 Liverpool Echo

WATCHING England score their late winner against Ukraine on Wednesday night got me thinking.

Steven Gerrard played a key role in the goal as he headed down David Beckham’s free-kick for John Terry to score.

The fact is Liverpool need to start getting their skipper in the box for corners and free-kicks.

I know he provides great deliveries into the box but he can cause more damage by getting on the end of them.

Let Fabio Aurelio or whoever take the set-pieces and push Steven forward.

With his height and heading ability he causes defenders problems.

Steven’s hat-trick against Villa means he is now just two goals behind Nicolas Anelka in the race for the Golden Boot.

I would love to see him win that trophy and with the form he’s in at the moment it’s a realistic target.

In fact he might not ever have a better chance.

I agree
He is far more dangerous waiting for the corners rather than taking them
Alonso and Aurellio are better at them as well