Liverpool FC Forum

[H_K_LFC]

After having all those clean sheets you're criticising the defence...Last season we were awful with zonal marking but we've improved this season and it must work with rafa's management record

[laza]

I thank the author of this thread who really should have named himself stress relief.
Posts like these after a game like that will always do wonders for those wanting to whack something

[Lando_Griffin]

*Loads shotgun and drags "The Gaffer" round the back*


"It's time for Gaffer to go the way of Old Yeller".

*Bang*

[red_guy]

Stick to zonal marking, the system works. Against Chelsea, our defenders didnt concentrate enough. There's other problems that we should look at. Creating lots of chances without scoring one..now that's a problem.

[Squigels]

Christ blame a defence that keeps 15 clean sheets out of 23 games thats like 65% of clean sheets a good record if not great. Maybe people should look to thier team scoring goals.

Zonal Marking is a strange one you don't notice it working you only notice it when it fails as its obvious when that happens. Against United Kromkamp was new to the system and Rio punished with a fine header. The Birmingham thing was just a comedy of an own goal no more.

The defence is sorted thats one thing Benitez ahas done right for you.

[LiverpoolMadman]

My understanding of Zonal Marking is where the defenders will "mark" the open space and the midfield is the one that "marking" the players.

The 1st goal from Ches*ht is the "Miscommunication" some of our defenders. We try to play "offside" trap but warnock and finnan still "mark" the two post. So Gallas in the "onside" position.

Zonal or Man marking is NOT the issue. The issue is that when you are defending, number one rule : Be alert !!!

[red_guy]

My understanding of Zonal Marking is where the defenders will "mark" the open space and the midfield is the one that "marking" the players.

The 1st goal from Ches*ht is the "Miscommunication" some of our defenders. We try to play "offside" trap but warnock and finnan still "mark" the two post. So Gallas in the "onside" position.

Zonal or Man marking is NOT the issue. The issue is that when you are defending, number one rule : Be alert !!!

Definitely.

[tel]

I think the best thing for members of the forum who don't uderstand the intricacies of zonal marking, man to man marking or a combo of the two is to simply look at the stats.
If you do you will notice that for a team in our position in the league, we don't score anywhere near enough goals. Therefore it would be reasonable to come on the forum and suggest different ways in which you think we could improve in this area.
If you check the defensive stats, you will notice that we have arguably the best defence in the league and if not, certainly the second best. You will notice that in 6 Champions league games we conceded 1 goal in total. You will also be aware that we recently set a new club record for the highest number of consecutive clean sheets. We defended a couple of corners and free-kicks in those games, just one or two. If you watch goals on Sunday you will notice that teams who employ a man-marking system occasionally concede goals aswell. If you watched the game today you will have noticed that Chelsea defend man-for-man. You will also have seen Carra miss a free-header five yards out. Just because Andy Gray can't think of anything else to say when we concede a goal from a dead-ball situation other than "It's because of zonal marking", it doesn't mean we should jump on the bandwagon.
We have a good defence and a brilliant coach, chill-out. Rafa didn't invent zonal marking, nor is football the only game in which it is employed. Once FIFA take the bull by the horns and stop defenders wrestling people to the ground in the name of "man-marking" by instructing referees to award a penalty kick, everybody will defend this way.

Mick surely you must know its all down to zonal marking we're rubbish at the back...

Good to see that it didnt escape you that the difference between us was Crespo.

Crouch can play 400,000 games for us, and you will never see him finish like Crespo did for the 2nd goal. He is not even capable of dreaming about finishing the way Crespo did for the 3rd ruled offside.

[LiverpoolMadman]

Crouch can play 400,000 games for us, and you will never see him finish like Crespo did for the 2nd goal

That's main different between world class player and a ave. player and he can be one if only he train harder, keep trying and NEVER GIVE OUT !

To be a world class player is NOT easy .
Know where you need to improve Put extra hours on the field just to train where you need to improved. Nevermind where everyone goes home but you still training on your own. Look at David Beckham , he put extra hours and "mile" , just for the free kick and look at him now . Out of 10, maybe 7 will be goal.   

These also can be on our daily life. NOT only in football .

[Alanay]

I think we did not concentrate on the big picture of a corner and set pieces. Those two who guarded the posts, during corner, will not leave the post until the ball is cleared to the safe area. But, the lack of concentration and communication between the team has caused us dearly. 5 players were attacking the ball but fail to reach it, that left 4 chelski players comfortably in the 6 yards area. I still believe that we have the best defense this season, but if our strikers do not put the ball into the net more regularly than we will be under a lot of pressure at the back!

[darwisigila]

villa got a point with chelshit.....and we got nothing this season and i hope we can take revenge in cl if we draw them again. 1 thing i notice..chelshite will playing on top gear when they meet us or scum and gooners. we can see from their faces how much they want to win or don want to lose....when chelshite play a lesser team, their attitude will change...they are more relax and thats why villa or neverton can steal a point from them...not because zonal marking..

[red_guy]

Right now with all the money in the world, they have the best squad in the premiership and somehow, i found out that most of em are a lot quicker...something to do with agility...they close down and they attack faster than we did.

[SouthCoastShankly]

How was Zonal Marking the problem for the first chelsea goal?

From where I was watching it looked more like half the team trying to play offside by clearing out the area whilst forgetting we had two players on the line. If anything Rafa should work on awareness with the players.

[redmikey]

We keep using a zonal marking system which clearly does not work. We were second best in our box. Birmingham, man u and bolton all goals scored from crosses and set pieces. Will rafa change it or will we alwatys look dodgy in the air on defence

The only thing we need to get rid of, is you from this forum.

We've kept 15 clean sheets out of 23 matches in the Premiership. We've conceded 15 goals in 23 matches, only Chelsea have conceded less than we have. And you want us to get rid of the Zonal Marking system?

Get rid of your stupidity.

A.b       bang on mate. 

Fans like you should be ashamed. you pipe up with this cr@p after hearing andy gray talk b@llocks about it.

we dominated the game and lost to a mistake and a good finish from a dodgy on/off side discision

we dominated the scum away and birminham played there best game of the season and held on for dear life.

you need to stop listening to pundits, stop reading the s#n and look at the facts bandwagon boy. were you saying this a month ago, no   

[FrankM]

Jamis Redknapp pointed out after the match that the first goal was the fault of JAR not zonal marking. You can clearly see Stevie telling him to cover Gallas but as soon as the corner is hit he he runs to the ball leaving Gallas clear.

Concentration and doing what you are told is the way to defend whether your system is zonal or man to man.