Defending Corners

[thegoat10]

Mancini insists on having all 11 in the penalty area when we are defending. Does anyone know why this is? When we clear the ball it comes back straight away and just means they get 2 bites at the cherry. A team like Wigan that is full of big strong headers of the ball does not need encouragement to lump it into the box.
Would we not be better keeping 1, 2 or even 3 up front forcing them to keep 3 or 4 back and when the ball is cleared we have a chance of breaking.

 

[tmouseman]

Mancini insists on having all 11 in the penalty area when we are defending. Does anyone know why this is? When we clear the ball it comes back straight away and just means they get 2 bites at the cherry. A team like Wigan that is full of big strong headers of the ball does not need encouragement to lump it into the box.
Would we not be better keeping 1, 2 or even 3 up front forcing them to keep 3 or 4 back and when the ball is cleared we have a chance of breaking.

I have thought we have looked a lot better as late.
I think the idea is stop the initial threat and we will attack later.
Can't see why we have the likes of Tevez back but at least we have stopped shipping. Don't think they looked like scoring from one last night.

 

[cleavers]

If there's one thing that we have greatly improved on since Mancini took over, its defending corners, we still concede the odd goal, but previously we looked like conceding at every corner, and it was one of my biggest bugs about Hughes.

It works, therefore quite happy with it.

 

[Ballet On Ice]

I agree with the OP in theory, leaving two players up the pitch especially if they go wide on each side of the pitch would mean the opposition have to leave at least three back.

But since Mancini has started having us defending with all 11 players we have stopped conceding from corners, maybe flooding the box with players denies the opposition space to attack the ball so it is working and that’s the main thing

 

[bluenova]

If there's one thing that we have greatly improved on since Mancini took over, its defending corners, we still concede the odd goal, but previously we looked like conceding at every corner, and it was one of my biggest bugs about Hughes.

Agreed - I am quite relaxed since the move to zonal marking as we seem to "control" most situations.

However - I can't see how ten men would be drastically different to eleven - especially if the free player was someone smaller and speedier who is less likely to be heading clear in the first place. Maybe we've not been conceding from the "second chance" ball either so Mancini is happy, but it does look too easy for teams to pick up our clearance and have plenty of time to return it to the box.

Surely an easy one for the video/stats people to prove one way or the other.

 

[Blue Hefner]

It seems to be working so i don't really care how many players we do or don't leave up field. If we start letting goals in from corners i might change my mind but so far so good

 

[thegoat10]

There is no doubt we look better at defending them as we have conceeded less goals recently. Like someone else said leave one up front - SWP, Tevez, Johnson, Ireland when he plays, at least this could stop another attack from coming. None of those players mentioned are good headers of the ball and can beat a man.
Does anyone know the last time we scored from an opposing corner on the break? Come in Statto

 

[alblue]

As well as the zonal defending I think they keep the smaller players back as its bodies behind the ball who are capable of stopping shots and clearing lines. Then when we do clear we tend to get our shape back quickly.