Counter Attacking & Set Pieces

[DukeTyrion]

It seems that, no matter how much under the cosh you are in football, there are 2 areas that give you hope, Counter Attacks and Set Pieces. We seem to do okay in normal play, but I don't think we are up to scratch in these 2 areas.

When it comes to counter attacking, we seem to slow down to allow players to catch up with the play, which allows the opposition to get back into position, killing any advantage we may have snatched.

As for set pieces, it's been a while since I felt confident that we could make something happen from a corner, or free kick around the areas.

To me, with these ingredients in place, we have a chance against any team. Perhaps to counter attack we need to bypass Berbatov and let Kaka, Frei, Deja and Bent just go for it, let Duff, Berba, Parker and the likes catch up later.

As for set pieces, I don't know what the answer is ... except maybe stop Riise from taking the free kicks ...

[Enter the Frei]

Free Kicks around the area I think we should really be working on. In the Hodgson days we used to come up with some smart moves, off the top of my head I remember AJ being involved in one goal, but now we just seem to hit the wall. Taarabt especially has earned us quite a few free kicks in dangerous areas, but currently we're just squandering them and we did the same through pre season. We've seen what Riise, Taarabt and the like have been doing when they shoot so why not try something different.

Good post though, two areas that I think we could definitely do better in and will maybe win us some more of those games that you " don't deserve " to win.

[Lighthouse]

Counter attack needs pace. We have pace. But seldom have we used it. Hopefully we will this season. The odd idea of leaving huge gaps that are not being covered, yet still breaking quickly until we stop dead and pass square or back and lose the ball.

Hopefully when players are fit and we have well oiled machine going forward. This season we will see it. We have the players.

[Enter the Frei]

I'll also add defending counter attacks to that list as that's where we conceded two of our goals from against Arsenal.