tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395804217504122294.post1038989556009364992..comments2023-10-15T18:17:14.634+05:30Comments on A Couchside View: The Lost Art of DefendingSuhrithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08218428697256149354noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395804217504122294.post-81287966711860069882011-06-04T04:44:04.215+05:302011-06-04T04:44:04.215+05:30Well written. My comment is coming late but I chan...Well written. My comment is coming late but I changed on your post only this evening. I just want to add that the main complaint against zonal marking also has a root in squad rotation and overmanning/undermanning zones at particular zones in the game. <br /><br />United's loss at Wolves saw Evans and Vidic start. I don't think the former has a good understanding of this concept of defending. The last point mentioned by anonymous above has grave relevance. While Rafael turned his back, neither did Carrick or Evans take action. A case where Evans was not clear about his zone. Cases where he conceded a penalty against Liverpool and was responsible for Fulham's equalizer at the Cottage are further proofs.<br /><br />I think this concept needs extreme concentration and balance and it is not much helped by squad rotation.Suppose a team has 4 options of 2 centre backs. Common mathematics shows we can have 4C2 combinations. That means I can arrange my defensive centre backs in 6 ways. Now, I personally feel this is where the issue crops up.6 ways of choosing centre backs will have several different and peculiar idiosyncrasies of understanding of zonal adaptation on part of the defenders, isn't it? D1 may think that he is better to suited to zonal marking in the box in open play but is not much confident if there is a tall forward in his zone during corners.D2 may feel that he is better off by marking one player throughout the game where D3 prefers to mark and sweep alternatively depending on position of the attackers in the box.How does a manager cope with all this is a significant challenge.<br /><br />Man marking may be easier in this case because physical traits are more or less standard for this purpose. Alternatively, a defender may be a stopper or a ball player coming out of defensive. So you could mark the physical or quicker forward with your stopper and have the ball player sweep behind him or track furtive runs in the box. But it is not effective to take the easier and certainly not better off in open play over zonal marking.<br /><br />Sacchi had the benefit of having Costacurta and Baresi rarely out injured. That could have made it simpler that time. Let's also recall one thing. The offside rule was less stringent in Sacchi's time than now. The concept of advantage was not there. It came only in 1992 which coincidentally was the point when Milan's legendary team began to crumble. Hence, his precept of the 25m gap between defensive and offensive bands. So, the defenders there had a smaller 'zone' to defend against. Now it's not so. Higher defensive lines if misuse the trap will find their zones infinitely expanding as marauding attackers beat the trap and ghost past in their zones.<br /><br />Sorry for such a long comment. We hardly know each other but I took the liberty because it was engrossing to read your thoughts.Tuhinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04668897763959335895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395804217504122294.post-57040786892709315782011-03-01T20:18:47.678+05:302011-03-01T20:18:47.678+05:30Just came across this excellent piece and hence th...Just came across this excellent piece and hence the late comment. While you highlight the biggest concern with zonal marking being the fact tht the attacker gets a run ahead of the defender, there is another significant disadvantage with zonal marking - When u are man marking the opposition, you tend to put ur best header of the ball against the opponent's biggest ariel threat. When you resort to zonal marking, you will not have this luxury - the attacking team can easily have their danger man at set pieces target those zones that are being defended by players who are weak in the air. (of course one could argue that the obvious solution is to identify vulnerable 'zones' and have ur best defenders protect them. But this will not work against players like Vidic who are capable of heading in from anywhere within 12 yards in the box even from 'zones' considered less vulnerable.) So rather than have ur best defender mark the 6 yrd box or any other 'zone' as such, it might be a better idea to have him man-mark the attacking team's best header instead.<br /><br />Ultimately it is more often the players and not the system itself that makes the difference when it comes to defending set plays. Also zonal defending requires a higher degree of footballing intelligence which u cannot expect from the typical 'no-nonsense kick and rush' English defender.<br /><br />P.S: With reference to Elokobe's winning goal against United, Rafael turning his back was not so much to blame as Carrick and Evans who din even bother challenging Elokobe. Now that was criminal defending.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395804217504122294.post-11360875135681985272011-02-12T08:27:47.195+05:302011-02-12T08:27:47.195+05:30Ya I agree.Ya I agree.Suhrithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08218428697256149354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395804217504122294.post-4496630397493777932011-02-09T15:08:43.812+05:302011-02-09T15:08:43.812+05:30Only those who really understanding defending unde...Only those who really understanding defending understand the sophistication in football. Give me a hard fought 1-0 (as in Liverpool v. Chelsea) than a 5-3 any day. Its a bit like preferring test cricket to T20.The Reluctant Rebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18408663191253344571noreply@blogger.com