Zonal Marking

[GreenOnions]

I've never liked it and think it was a major factor in their goal today.

Quite a number of managers use it though so I'm not sure whether it's the system itself that's the problem or whether it's that players implement it poorly.

Thoughts?

[J-C]

Craig Paterson mentioned on the radio a few weeks back that he liked it as he didn't like being dragged all over the shop at corners/freekicks, he said all you have to do is concentrate on your area and attack the ball when in comes into it, if done properly it works a treat. Today it was a case of not attacking the ball when in an area, so whoever it was switched off, can't stop individual mistakes.

[hibby6270]

I've said it on other threads today. I agree zonal marking is not a good system to defend corners and free kicks. Man for man marking should just make it more difficult for any attacker to get to the ball. If they do, then fair play to them and I include us in that.

Jeez, I could have scored that equaliser today. The guy had so much time and space to attack the ball while we have 5 or 6 men standing there saying "that's not my ball, over to you Claude, to defend it" and nobody does. It leads to a mind set of "if I'm not responsible that's O"K - and it damn well isn't. It's the wrong attitude.

Zonal marking has got to go.

Think it was Ruud Gullit on MOTD who was doing all he could to restrain himself from saying what he really wanted to about ZM last week. If he had said what he really thought, he'd have been joining Sam Allardyce on holiday - Beeb contract cancelled.

[MWHIBBIES]

Goals were scored from corners before zonal marking was even invented. Badly executed defending is bad regardless of the theory behind it.

[GreenOnions]

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Craig Paterson mentioned on the radio a few weeks back that he liked it as he didn't like being dragged all over the shop at corners/freekicks, he said all you have to do is concentrate on your area and attack the ball when in comes into it, if done properly it works a treat. Today it was a case of not attacking the ball when in an area, so whoever it was switched off, can't stop individual mistakes.

I'd have to look at it again but it looked like our taller players were all lined up on the six yard line and the corner was directed towards the penalty spot. One of their tallest players had a run-up from the edge of the box and then a pretty comfortable header into the net. Our markers/blockers at the edge of the area were our smaller players.

If our players fail to block runs it's hard to see how a free header at goal can be prevented if the ball is directed away from the six yard box.

[DaveF]

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I'd have to look at it again but it looked like our taller players were all lined up on the six yard line and the corner was directed towards the penalty spot. One of their tallest players had a run-up from the edge of the box and then a pretty comfortable header into the net. Our markers/blockers at the edge of the area were our smaller players.

If our players fail to block runs it's hard to see how a free header at goal can be prevented if the ball is directed away from the six yard box.

Good summary and a view I share. DU flung most corners outside that 6 yard area to give their runners a real chance to get on the end of it.

[hibby6270]

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I'd have to look at it again but it looked like our taller players were all lined up on the six yard line and the corner was directed towards the penalty spot. One of their tallest players had a run-up from the edge of the box and then a pretty comfortable header into the net. Our markers/blockers at the edge of the area were our smaller players.

If our players fail to block runs it's hard to see how a free header at goal can be prevented if the ball is directed away from the six yard box.

Agreed. Exactly my interpretation of how it played out.

How can anyone justify its the right way to defend? It's beyond me I'm afraid.

[Danderhall Hibs]

We had 3 players in the zone the ball landed for the goal - they all missed it.

Were we using zonal marking when Houston correctly said we couldn't defend crosses? Pretty much the same defenders using a different system and still failing as far as I can see.

[DaveF]

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We had 3 players in the zone the ball landed for the goal - they all missed it.

Were we using zonal marking when Houston correctly said we couldn't defend crosses? Pretty much the same defenders using a different system and still failing as far as I can see.

Who were the 3? I've not yet seen it back.

[J-C]

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I'd have to look at it again but it looked like our taller players were all lined up on the six yard line and the corner was directed towards the penalty spot. One of their tallest players had a run-up from the edge of the box and then a pretty comfortable header into the net. Our markers/blockers at the edge of the area were our smaller players.

If our players fail to block runs it's hard to see how a free header at goal can be prevented if the ball is directed away from the six yard box.

I they were all on the 6 yd line as you said, then when the ball comes in at the penalty spot the player should then cover the ground and meet the ball when it comes in, it looks like a blocker didn't block and a defender didn't defend, it's been said by a few posters though that we've lost goals at corners prior to zonal marking. Maybe it's just the case that the standard of defenders we have means there will be a lapse or two every now and then.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Who were the 3? I've not yet seen it back.

I was too busy counting them instead of identifying TBH when watching the replay but pretty sure McGregor was one of them, maybe Shinnie as well.

[Dashing Bob S]

Struggling to think of where zonal marking, perhaps outwit the very highest quality teams, has ever worked.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Struggling to think of where zonal marking, perhaps outwit the very highest quality teams, has ever worked.

Is it maybe cos it's not something anyone really understands? I've seen folk like Strachan and Souness disagree about it. If they can't agree how will we?

And if we've to take out the examples where it's worked like you suggest then you'll be right and it's never worked.

It's an easy thing to blame though - even if we've not been comfortable dealing with crosses for a couple of seasons when we were man marking.

[Michael]

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Struggling to think of where zonal marking, perhaps outwit the very highest quality teams, has ever worked.

Yes, but generally people only talk about defending when it goes wrong.

[GreenOnions]

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I they were all on the 6 yd line as you said, then when the ball comes in at the penalty spot the player should then cover the ground and meet the ball when it comes in, it looks like a blocker didn't block and a defender didn't defend, it's been said by a few posters though that we've lost goals at corners prior to zonal marking. Maybe it's just the case that the standard of defenders we have means there will be a lapse or two every now and then.

I accept that mistakes are made using any system. It just seems to happen more with zonal marking in my mind - just ask Ronny Deila about last season in Europe.

I think the crux is the issue of clarity in players' minds re what/where is their area of responsibility. This is Gary Neville's argument - that with man-to-man marking mistakes will still be made but never due to defenders being confused about their responsibility. In other words there's simply more that can go wrong when you're marking zonally at corners.

[jgl07]

A lot of teams have opted for zonal marking because the new rules this season ensure that a lot of penalties will be conceded with very tight man marking. Many teams are still feeling their way on this issue and mistakes are being made.

[emerald green]

“Again it’s a set-play that I’m really annoyed about and it’s two corners in the last three games which we’ve conceded from which is a real source of annoyance for me" - Neil Lennon in his post match comments.

Well Neil, you and your players need to get it sorted out quick because that's not good enough. At any level.

[GreenOnions]

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A lot of teams have opted for zonal marking because the new rules this season ensure that a lot of penalties will be conceded with very tight man marking. Many teams are still feeling their way on this issue and mistakes are being made.

Fair point - it may or may not be the reason NL is using it. However - it's a bit like worrying about your dress before you've even been invited to the ball. Let's first try to avoid 6'5" attackers getting a running jump on our defenders right in front of goal before we worry about refs maybe giving penalty decisions