If we have one, you might want to look at defending a corner when attacking players are blocking off the goalkeeper and key defenders. If we get the hang of that, you could also try blocking off attacking players running in.

I am no expert of course, so I will leave it with you as no more than a suggestion.

Two ways of defending corners. Zonal or man to man. Zonal makes it harder to block off because as an attacker you’re not sure who is going to pick up who when the ball comes across. It looked like we were playing zonal with a bit of man to man but it was such a mess I couldn’t in truth tell you what it was without recording it and analysing it.

I think it’s been mentioned numerous times on different threads that as good as Guehi and Andersen are on the deck, they are generally pretty average in the air and this is not the first time we’ve been torn apart at set pieces.

I suspect the issue is that we do practice defending them in training. I don't think we practice attacking from them though given how many we score from.

Edited by robdave2k (21 Jan 2024 12.32pm)

Sticking a man on the keeper is Sunday league level. More fool Hendo for getting pinned. And for he defender for letting him do it.

It really is 101 stuff. Block the keeper so you can stick it into the danger area

I think it was said that Arsenal spent a lot of time in Dubai working on set pieces and there were probably a few surprises for us yesterday.

We're not tall enough or good enough in the air as a collective, don't have enough good headers of ball (one of the reasons Richards has been persevered with in Midfield IMO) and is another glaring omission in balance of the team / squad.

After watching the analysis on MoTD of our defending corners it's clear Roys coaching methods are so out of touch with modern football. Blocking defenders and standing on the keeper are normal today but not in Roys world. We looked like amateurs not elite Premier League footballers