Andy discusses Liverpool's man marking
Every week, Betfair Football's star tipster Andy Gray will be picking out and answering his favourite question out of those he is asked on Twitter and Facebook. Here's his answer to this week's poser...
"Andy, Liverpool have conceded two goals from corners so far this season. Maybe zonal marking under Benitez wasn't so bad?" - @Zonal_Marking
That's a good question, mate. The way I see it goals are going to come from corners from time to time, whatever method you choose to defend them.
Rafael Benitez famously preferred zonal whilst Roy Hodgson is more a fan of man-to-man but it's less about which of the two methods is better than about the players defending the corner properly.
If it's man-to-man you're going with, you need to stick with your player and do everything you can (within the laws of the game or otherwise, as long as it doesn't result in a penalty) to stop him from scoring.
Fernando Torres letting Dimitar Berbatov get a free header on Sunday was an example of a player not doing his job properly and his team paying the price, but then again some would question the wisdom of having an attacker marking an opponent who is one of the team's best headers of the ball.
You look at teams like Stoke and Bolton scoring from corners time and time again throughout the season and however much you plan during the week you can't legislate for someone out-jumping your defender or a deflection finding the back of the net. Goals will come from corners and that's just part of the game.
Do you agree with Andy? Let him know what you think by following him on Twitter
Published: 23 Sep 2010
Jck (September 23, 2010 1:17 PM) said:
Unbelievable. Andy Gray slated Benitez for zonal marking even though we conceded less from corners than United and Chelsea. Now that his preferred man-marking is not working he basically says "oh well, it happens". Its a shame some of the LFC fans fell for it. Kudos to the ones who knew better and supported Benitez on this. Oh yeh and where is J. Redknapp? He seesm to be a bit quiet.
jamie (September 23, 2010 1:49 PM) said:
What a load of Rubbish Andy Gray, you and your fellow sky (so called) pundits have ridiculed Rafa Benitez over his zonal marking and other issue for years. The man is ahead of his time and considerably more knowledgable than those who mock. Liverpool has been a fading force for years. He was the only one stopping the rot, now watch Roy accelerate it!!
Nish (September 23, 2010 2:18 PM) said:
Team's best header of the ball, my a***. Barbie doll has scored 6 premiership headed goals in 4 seasons - hardly the best header.
As usual, Andy Gray twists things to suit him. Now that Benitez is out, who will he slate? Not RH, I'm sure.
Inter is laughing all the way to the bank - the best manager for the European Champions whilst LFC now have...? Someone who almost won the Europa League last year.
Dave (September 23, 2010 2:19 PM) said:
How many times did Pepe Reina win the golden gloves when we employed Zonal Marking? It was never discussed by Andy Gray but everytime we conceeded from a set piece it was down to Rafa's stubborn insistance on employing a Zonal Marking system.
Sky and the media have used Zonal Marking as a way of getting cheap digs in at Rafa for years. Their comments never could be backed up by facts.
Against Utd all the goals came from poorly defended crosses and the employment of a man marking system but there was no mention of it on Sky.
Mickey (September 23, 2010 2:25 PM) said:
I don't understand why Liverpool are so poor this year. All last year's problems are gone: they don't do that horrible zonal marking; they've got rid of that poor manager Benitez who only won things because of Houllier; they've even shipped out a few players to trim that massively over-stocked squad. Hopefully the media will tell us what to criticise now.
soji (September 23, 2010 3:39 PM) said:
guys you are all spot on. thanks for your objectivity. in rafa we trust all the way. the top the serie A with players approaching retirement after 4 games and our most treasured roy gives us 5pts from 5 games - boy isn't he a treasure!
graeme stitt (September 23, 2010 5:13 PM) said:
some of the corners liverpool r defending, sometimes they have 1person on each post, and sometimes not, i cnt understand this, im in favour of covering both posts, if koncesky had of stayed on the post againest man u, they wouldnt have got one of there goals
Stevie G (September 23, 2010 6:28 PM) said:
It's doesn't matter what defensive system you play, the system is only as good as the defenders who practise it!!! Zonal marking worked for Liverpool, the OPTA stats proved that. Maybe, that's why Andy Gray constantly moaned about it. Most commentators support for Hodgson, why, he has been an unmitigated disaster, because they want to see Liverpool flounder in the bottom reaches of the Premiership and Hodgson is just the man to do it!! These so called "experts" on Sky are unbelieveable - remember the nugget from Redknapp - "Liverpool beat United 4-1 at Old Trafford because of Alonso's influence" - unfortunately for Redknapp, Alonso didn't play in that fixture!! As Mastercard would say PRICELESS - it's nice to know our Sky money is not wasted on pundits but comedians!!!