Taking the soccerball into the corner

[NMH]

Good idea?
Not good?

Your vote.

 

[Mendoza]

its frustrating when we get a counter attack and have more attackers than their defenders, and we have no intention of trying to carve out a chance, and take it to the corner flag.

The best ever was McCammon coming on with about half an hour to go, and the first thing he did was dribble it to the corner flag.

I still think we should try and finish the game off as we now have a tendency to conceed in the last 5 minutes

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It very much depends on the pattern of the game. If we are being battered, then I would say it could be a good idea to provide a brief respite and a chance to break up play. It is certainly preferable to turning over the ball into the hands of the opposing goalkeeper.

 

[Spider]

I think you should. I know football fans don't like it but realistically, and probably statistically, it's the best way to hold out the last few minutes. The problem is most teams seem to be shit at it, so turn a promising attack into the corner to waste about 4 seconds. If we were good at it you could waste half minutes or minutes at a time, in which case it is worth it.

The best way to waste time, though, is for your strikers to work their arses off making it as difficult as possible for the ball to get out of their half, and holding it up when we do have it. When we played Doncaster last year Forster was magnificent at this, and it really did help win the game.

 

[Uter]

I think you should. I know football fans don't like it but realistically, and probably statistically, it's the best way to hold out the last few minutes.

I'm far from convinced it is a sensible tactic when defending a one goal lead, unless it is in the very last few seconds of a game, for two reasons.

Firstly, I think it is questionable whether it actually wastes any more time than attacking the goal.

Secondly, and I think this is increasingly evident, certain teams seem to be passing up every single goal scoring opportunity with several minutes left, just to try and waste a few seconds by the corner flag, thus reducing their chances of scoring again to virtually nil. On the other hand the opposing team's chances of scoring are undiminished (especially if my first point is true). So if there is to be another goal, it will probably be an equaliser.

 

[Rookie]

hardly takes any time away, gets the oppo backs up and usually leads to a goal kick so allowing the oppo to launch the ball forward.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Wilkins was SLATED for that tactic...

 

[BensGrandad]

If you take the ball into the corner inevitably you will now give away a free kick the correct way is for two players to take it into the corner and pass between them selves and then one kick he ball off of an opponent for either a throw in to us or a corner.

 

[Silent Bob]

The problem is we CAN'T do it. WE always lose the ball or give away a free kick/goal kick to the opposition. I've seen us concede DIRECTLY from losing the ball trying to shield it in the corner on more than one occasion.

The most frustrating one on Saturday was when we had a corner - they had left four men up, so fair enough it was risky, but they were down to 10 and that meant they didn't have a huge amount of players in the box. Fair enough if we don't put a cross over as they could head it away, but at least TRY and work it into the box and take advantage of the numbers. Instead we have away a goal kick. Not cool.

The McCammon example was hilarious, mainly because it didn't seem so much like a tactic as that he was running with the ball and had no idea what to do and accidentally ended up in the corner.

 

[NMH]

Teams that do this tactic and get scored on, DESERVE what they get.

Unless it's the albion.... ?
Well, that's what we all think when we see teams doing it, let's face it.

Referees also tend to judge against the side doing it, giving resultant throws to the defending side, and turning a blind eye to overtly physical efforts to get the man off the ball.

It sends several messages to the opposition;

1) "We FEAR YOU having possession of this ball, above the whole idea of us taking you on and trying to outplay you"
2) "It's getting very near the end of the game fellers, you had better have some real urgency"
3) "We challenge you to do something less dull than this"
4) "Reminder; We are looking at 3 valuable points, and you at none".
5) "We really want to keep these points and not try to score against you, so you should concentrate on attack now"

My conclusion, despite it costing The Albion that I love - is still that sides who do it deserve to get scored against. It's an awful tactic that I'd love to see out of the game.

 

[Barrow Boy]

It drives me f.....g mad, in my mind it's deliberate time wasting and, you could argue, obstruction. Refs should start booking them for it that would put an end to it.

 

[beorhthelm]

you not supposed to just take it to the corner, but once there boot it against the opposition in a vague attempt to cross, in order to win a corner/throw. then rinse and repeat.