14 replies to this topic

[craig]

This weeks podcast is due to be recorded tonight and I thought a discussion on zonal marking at set pieces would be good.

I know its last minute, but it would be good to read out some opinions from the forum.

Are you for or against zonal marking at corners or free kicks?

[RobboBhoy]

Very much it depends on the team yer defending against pal.

[johnarob]

dont understand it craig..and if it's what celtic are trying then totally against...you have to mark a man, follow him and get to the ball first..whilst always thinking that regardless of what you do your team mate has read it too and moved into position.....if defenders are zonal marking and forwards are playing out of the zone do we not have a dilemma?

[Laurie]

Levein is all for it...so it must be pish... :D

[craig]

Laurie said:

Levein is all for it...so it must be pish... :D

dont you be stealing my podcast banter. I have first dibs on Levein being for it ;)

[?apester]

Zonal marking is alright if your players know what they are doing and are capable . I wouldn't go for all out zonal marking but a mixture of both that and man marking . Mark the oppositions dangermen then mark zones by all means . But your defenders must attack the ball . Standing like lumps of wid while the other team is attacking the ball is just asking for trouble . A striker who has run in before jumping at the ball is always going to get there before a defender who is jumping from a still position .

[Grumpy Old Man]

Against...think it will it will lose more goals over the season than it saves.

[Laurie]

Remember the old Aberdeen corner tactics when the whole team would stay in a group and jog round the edge of the box, then run in together when the corner was delivered?

It was quite amusing occasionally, but actually quite effective at times because it was very hard to defend against.

[Charlie Bhoy]

Defo against it & you cant repeat on podcast what i really think.. :lol:

[Bundy]

Over the years I'd say man marking is far more successful, for set pieces anyway. All too often teams that prefer zonal marking are caught short. Man marking has taken a funny turn recently though. Some players seem to take it too literally though and spend all their time watching the man and not the ball (eg. corners, free kicks).
Zonal marking is fine during open play but defenders can find themselves outnumbered if it's played too rigidly.

[Big Bluenose Bear]

I think zonal marking works fine if your team can work together and can communicate well, however during set pieces and corners I feel you have to adapt a more man marking approach.

[hoopz]

hate it, it gives players a run on you, and since the defenders are zonal, they jump from standing which is a disadvantage when the opposition has a run and jump on you.

[robertkelly]

?apester, on 19 September 2011 - 08:19 PM, said:

Zonal marking is alright if your players know what they are doing and are capable . I wouldn't go for all out zonal marking but a mixture of both that and man marking . Mark the oppositions dangermen then mark zones by all means . But your defenders must attack the ball . Standing like lumps of wid while the other team is attacking the ball is just asking for trouble . A striker who has run in before jumping at the ball is always going to get there before a defender who is jumping from a still position .

Spot on.
I think in todays modern game, a mixture of man marking and zonal marking is needed.
And as ?ape says, the important thing is that your defenders must attack the ball.

In all honesty, the quality of defender makes far more of a difference than the system played.

[hoopz]

robertkelly, on 05 January 2012 - 09:29 AM, said:

Spot on.
I think in todays modern game, a mixture of man marking and zonal marking is needed.
And as ?ape says, the important thing is that your defenders must attack the ball.

In all honesty, the quality of defender makes far more of a difference than the system played.

doesnt matter how good the defender is IMO, if you are jumping from a standing position against an opponent jumping from a runny, 99out of 100 the runner will win the ball unless he is against a smurf lol

[sheeptastic]

hoopz, on 05 January 2012 - 01:39 PM, said:

doesnt matter how good the defender is IMO, if you are jumping from a standing position against an opponent jumping from a runny, 99out of 100 the runner will win the ball unless he is against a smurf lol

I agree with some of the reasons given as to why zonal defence does not work, this being one of them, this season MOTD have highlighted the weaknesses of this tactic in a couple of teams that use it, however I have included a piece that advocates it for balance, it is an older piece as you can see for yourselves but is still relevant I think

http://www.google.co...lJm0B2w&cad=rja