Blackadder
Brighton Bhuna Boy
leave Jose up.
We're also shit at taking them. So there must be a correlation, CH said in an interview after WBA that we've done more work on corners this past week than the whole of the season (or words to that effect) but, if in training, the corners coming in are shit, how are we going to learn to defend a decent corner?
Bruno looking at the ball and in the direction the ball is being delivered from would be a good start, rather than instead wrestling the player he's marking
But he's not very good in the air, so he's doing what he feels is most effective. You are right though
I'd love to see us try 3 players upfield to a degree at some stage.
Not all on the halfway line, but perhaps 1 up there (Knockaert), plus one each 3/4 of the way to half way, but wide. How would the opposition try to defend that?
Its really working well
Standing on one of the posts might be a better option, or looking at the ball, or even just picking his nose.
It would help if the majority of our defenders kept their eye on the ball while it is in flight.
We also never score from any ourselves - and we should do, given the aerial power we have at our disposal. For some reason we've got the tactics all wrong with corners at both ends. Maybe we could recruit a short term set piece coach.
One thing I've noticed on this (and I know I've gone outside the remit of the OP somewhat), Dunk and Duffy never arrive at speed to head the ball. They are always 'already there' and if they do get their head on the ball it inevitably loops up and over the bar as they're not running onto it.
I do wonder if having a 4 foot 7 goalkeeper is a part of our problem from set pieces with him being less inclined to come out to claim the ball when the cross comes in than a taller 'keeper would be. And maybe our taller players feel more need to try to protect him as they know he's not necessarily going to be able to come and claim, which puts them out of position. Not a criticism of him as such, just a theory.
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I'm not sure whether it is a recent thing or what we have been doing all season but it seems that at West Brom Duffy was used as a free man to just go and head the ball. I.e. he was not marking a man. If we have been doing this all season then we should stop because our best headerer should be on their best headerer? If it's new then maybe it needs working on some more.
A lot though comes down to individual discipline. Bong should not have lost his man for the second for example.