[Albion] I took a closer look at the goals conceded from set pieces...

[Swansman]

Chelsea

Goal: Zouma (or Webster)

Corner. March is marking Zouma at the edge of the penalty area and expects Zouma to run deeper into the box but he doesnt while March does, leaving Zouma alone to take a shot. The ball deflects on Webster and goes in behind Ryan.

Man Utd

Goal: Maguire

Free kick. March is marking some United player at the far post, the ball goes past everyone but the player that March was supposed to be marking is now free on the far post and puts it into the middle. Maguire, marked by Dunk, throws Dunk on the ground and scores.

Everton

Goal: DCL

Corner is taken short and quick and it takes a millisecond for Brighton to notice. Lamptey fails to stop the cross, the cross goes to the back post where White is marking but has his back against DCL, DCL scores the header.

Everton again

Goal: Mina

Free kick. Mina is pretty much marked by two players, Bissouma in front of him and Webster behind him. Bissouma looks like he is afraid of the flying giant and does nothing, Webster challenges him in the air but Mina wins the header. Its in Ryans area but as expected and perhaps wisely (he would have lost) he does not even attempt to challenge Mina in the air.

Aston Villa

Goal: Some Villa player

Free kick. Ben White is marking some Villa player. When the free kick comes in, White is on his heels unsure about the offside line and is too slow to react when his Some Villa player makes his run. Some Villa player scores.

Southampton
Goal: Vestergaard

Corner. Veltman is in charge of Vestergaad. The corner comes in and Vestergaard starts moving against the goal when Vestergaard swiftly changes direction and loses Veltman, and enters the zone Dunk is covering (Brighton does a mixture of marking and zone defending on corners, like pretty much every other team in 2020). Dunk jumps at least three or four centimeters but its not enough to prevent the much stronger and taller Vestergaard from getting a free header.

So what are the conclusions we can make from these situations? I dont ****ing know. I was "hoping" to find a clear pattern or a specific player responsible for most of the conceded set piece goals but its really like - new day, new player failing. The only common things you could see from the situations is 1) too much ball watching and too little player tracking and 2) the players scoring the goals are just physically superior to most Brighton players.

How to solve the issue? I dont know but I hope 190 cm Jakub Moder is good enough in general to challenge for a spot in the team and even though I'm far from a Ryan basher, I wont be crying the day Brighton gets a normal sized keeper that could realistically challenge the ball in these situations.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

No surprises. Lack of physical presence from defenders and keeper. We need to convert more of our chances so we can win every game 3-2.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

The art of good defending is to put your shortest player against their biggest player and hope they think it’s a trick.

 

[Icy Gull]

Averaging a free kick goal in more than 50% of games played is shit defending and is a combination of shit tactics and not good enough players at this level.

This has been going on since we came into the PL though, so I guess the answer is mostly not good enough defenders/keeper

A keeper who can dominate his area and have the confidence of his team mates in these situations is a must too. I wonder how many interceptions a big strong keeper would have made in those games.

I like to keep things simple

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Chelsea

Goal: Zouma (or Webster)

Corner. March is marking Zouma at the edge of the penalty area and expects Zouma to run deeper into the box but he doesnt while March does, leaving Zouma alone to take a shot. The ball deflects on Webster and goes in behind Ryan.

Man Utd

Goal: Maguire

Free kick. March is marking some United player at the far post, the ball goes past everyone but the player that March was supposed to be marking is now free on the far post and puts it into the middle. Maguire, marked by Dunk, throws Dunk on the ground and scores.

Everton

Goal: DCL

Corner is taken short and quick and it takes a millisecond for Brighton to notice. Lamptey fails to stop the cross, the cross goes to the back post where White is marking but has his back against DCL, DCL scores the header.

Everton again

Goal: Mina

Free kick. Mina is pretty much marked by two players, Bissouma in front of him and Webster behind him. Bissouma looks like he is afraid of the flying giant and does nothing, Webster challenges him in the air but Mina wins the header. Its in Ryans area but as expected and perhaps wisely (he would have lost) he does not even attempt to challenge Mina in the air.

Aston Villa

Goal: Some Villa player

Free kick. Ben White is marking some Villa player. When the free kick comes in, White is on his heels unsure about the offside line and is too slow to react when his Some Villa player makes his run. Some Villa player scores.

Southampton
Goal: Vestergaard

Corner. Veltman is in charge of Vestergaad. The corner comes in and Vestergaard starts moving against the goal when Vestergaard swiftly changes direction and loses Veltman, and enters the zone Dunk is covering (Brighton does a mixture of marking and zone defending on corners, like pretty much every other team in 2020). Dunk jumps at least three or four centimeters but its not enough to prevent the much stronger and taller Vestergaard from getting a free header.

So what are the conclusions we can make from these situations? I dont ****ing know. I was "hoping" to find a clear pattern or a specific player responsible for most of the conceded set piece goals but its really like - new day, new player failing. The only common things you could see from the situations is 1) too much ball watching and too little player tracking and 2) the players scoring the goals are just physically superior to most Brighton players.

How to solve the issue? I dont know but I hope 190 cm Jakub Moder is good enough in general to challenge for a spot in the team and even though I'm far from a Ryan basher, I wont be crying the day Brighton gets a normal sized keeper that could realistically challenge the ball in these situations.

Could part of our problem defending set pieces be our ineffectiveness at set pieces when attacking?

Are our defenders getting a good enough setpiece workout in training from our short attackers?

 

[maresfield seagull]

Could it be poor communication between players,
handing over responsibility as the opponent moves into another’s zone ?
Personally I prefer the man marking system
Also missing Muzza having a free defensive role to attack and clear the ball
Although I believe Welbeck is possibly taking on this role

 

[ac gull]

Murray, Stephens and Duffy are missed when we are defending corners

 

[BN41Albion]

Could part of our problem defending set pieces be our ineffectiveness at set pieces when attacking?

Are our defenders getting a good enough setpiece workout in training from our short attackers?

Two great opportunities from free kicks last night, both completely fluffed

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Are we perhaps committing too many fouls around the box or corners that could be avoided. A ratio of set pieces conceded v set pieces that turn into goals might make a useful comparison against other teams stats

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

Zonal marking is fine in open play for an attacking minded side but we need to switch to good old fashioned in your face man to man marking for corners and set pieces.teams are taking the piss now as seen in veldermans shimmy from one zone into another to make space for his header.
If we don't go man to man then we have to accept we will concede goals.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't think we should add Southamptons goal to the list of set piece woes because it was an absolute cracker of a header and the type of goal that all teams will concede at various points. Excellent corner, perfect movement and an absolute bullet of a header into the top corner. Just applaud it and move on.

The rest? There has been a pattern of a high line with players getting in front of it - I don't think it's possible to defend a high line without a keeper who is comfortable coming out to claim the ball. I actually thought we held a deeper line last night and the wide free kicks didn't cause us damage.

Elsewhere White has been soft in the air and shaky in man marking - Evertons first, Villa, not to mention Man Utds corner when they won the last minute penalty. He has to improve there to be a top CB, but he's young and time to work on it.

What's left? A deflection, pah, Minas goal, again big standard big defender scoring at set pieces, nothing particularly special, and the shocker of Man Utds first where Ryan had to claim but didn't. A nice big keeper would certainly be nice, I'm sure Potter wants one.

 

[albionalex]

I don't think we should add Southamptons goal to the list of set piece woes because it was an absolute cracker of a header and the type of goal that all teams will concede at various points. Excellent corner, perfect movement and an absolute bullet of a header into the top corner. Just applaud it and move on.

Or actually learn how to defend it.

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

I don't think we should add Southamptons goal to the list of set piece woes because it was an absolute cracker of a header and the type of goal that all teams will concede at various points. Excellent corner, perfect movement and an absolute bullet of a header into the top corner. Just applaud it and move on.

The rest? There has been a pattern of a high line with players getting in front of it - I don't think it's possible to defend a high line without a keeper who is comfortable coming out to claim the ball. I actually thought we held a deeper line last night and the wide free kicks didn't cause us damage.

Elsewhere White has been soft in the air and shaky in man marking - Evertons first, Villa, not to mention Man Utds corner when they won the last minute penalty. He has to improve there to be a top CB, but he's young and time to work on it.

What's left? A deflection, pah, Minas goal, again big standard big defender scoring at set pieces, nothing particularly special, and the shocker of Man Utds first where Ryan had to claim but didn't. A nice big keeper would certainly be nice, I'm sure Potter wants one.

It was an excellent header,but he should never had that much space.some one should have been all over him.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It was an excellent header,but he should never had that much space.some one should have been all over him.

And Ryan looked tiny when he dived. Is he shrinking ?

 

[seagullwedgee]

I don't think we should add Southamptons goal to the list of set piece woes because it was an absolute cracker of a header and the type of goal that all teams will concede at various points. Excellent corner, perfect movement and an absolute bullet of a header into the top corner. Just applaud it and move on.

The rest? There has been a pattern of a high line with players getting in front of it - I don't think it's possible to defend a high line without a keeper who is comfortable coming out to claim the ball. I actually thought we held a deeper line last night and the wide free kicks didn't cause us damage.

Elsewhere White has been soft in the air and shaky in man marking - Evertons first, Villa, not to mention Man Utds corner when they won the last minute penalty. He has to improve there to be a top CB, but he's young and time to work on it.

What's left? A deflection, pah, Minas goal, again big standard big defender scoring at set pieces, nothing particularly special, and the shocker of Man Utds first where Ryan had to claim but didn't. A nice big keeper would certainly be nice, I'm sure Potter wants one.

If we did things properly, someone would get right in Vestergard’s face and prevent him getting the power onto the ball, this is easily done by sticking your backside into his hip right at the last moment, because the body instinctively contorts in mid air to compensate for that legitimate contact, and the ball ends up 50p’ing off his head for a wide miss. This is one of the absolute very basics of coaching for aerial duels. But we had 8 men within six yards of Vestergard when he headed it, but not a single one got close enough to even blow on him. Truly awful, laughable, embarrassing lack of basic defensive coaching. But he does have a socking great big briefcase full of leadership textbooks, which is really useful in such a situation.

 

[Reddleman]

The worst and most unforgivable thing for me is the lack of game management. Either goals just after we scored or goals just before or after halftime. Everyone knows these are the sort of goals that kill you.

Last night was a prime example, get in one up at half time and it’s a very different team talk from both managers. It’s not acceptable that it keeps happening.

 

[Swansman]

If we did things properly, someone would get right in Vestergard’s face and prevent him getting the power onto the ball, this is easily done by sticking your backside into his hip right at the last moment, because the body instinctively contorts in mid air to compensate for that legitimate contact, and the ball ends up 50p’ing off his head for a wide miss. This is one of the absolute very basics of coaching for aerial duels. But we had 8 men within six yards of Vestergard when he headed it, but not a single one got close enough to even blow on him. Truly awful, laughable, embarrassing lack of basic defensive coaching. But he does have a socking great big briefcase full of leadership textbooks, which is really useful in such a situation.

Coaching this, coaching that, awful lot of conceded goals on set pieces with both CH and Potter, when do the players start to have some kind of responsibility in these situations?

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I think our players are so fearful of conceding VAR penalties from set pieces that they won’t apply the Dark Arts of defending, which in the past would’ve meant someone checking Vestegard in his run.

That and Duffy used to win at least 50% of our defensive headers from set pieces.

I don’t remember it ever being an issue under Hughton in the same way it so clearly is now.

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

And Ryan looked tiny when he dived. Is he shrinking ?

Yes,I have been pondering this.jc and Warren hinted at it after the goal but decided to move o.
I can't decide would a taller person have got to it or does Maty's athleticism take him to within the same touching distance as a taller keeper?
I can't decide as it was a rocket header quite well placed.
I stop short of blaming Mary because velderman should never have had the time or space to unleash such a header in the first place.

 

[Justice]

If we did things properly, someone would get right in Vestergard’s face and prevent him getting the power onto the ball, this is easily done by sticking your backside into his hip right at the last moment, because the body instinctively contorts in mid air to compensate for that legitimate contact, and the ball ends up 50p’ing off his head for a wide miss. This is one of the absolute very basics of coaching for aerial duels. But we had 8 men within six yards of Vestergard when he headed it, but not a single one got close enough to even blow on him. Truly awful, laughable, embarrassing lack of basic defensive coaching. But he does have a socking great big briefcase full of leadership textbooks, which is really useful in such a situation.

Bruno had that mastered.