Arsene Wenger has confirmed today that he is experimenting with a zonal marking system for defending set pieces this season.
The Gunners boss had suggested in the summer that he would work on erradicating the numerous errors made by Arsenal from corners and free kicks last season. He has aided that cause by signing the vastly experienced (and tall) German centre-back Per Mertesacker, and he hopes a zonal marking system will prove superior to the man marking tactics employed previously.
“Yes we have changed our system a little bit,” he said on the official site. “It’s too early to say that it works but the signs are positive.
“It has advantages and disadvantages. You need a great sense of individual responsibility with zonal marking. Taking initiative and responsibility is bigger. But it looks more rational. When you run after somebody, the players can cross each other and that can stop you from intervening. You are less subject to screening too.”
There has often been some hostility towards zonal marking from fans on these shores, as it is seen as something a taste too European for the more straightforward and physical English game, but it has been used to great success here before, mostly by Liverpool.
Under Rafael Benitez, the system earned a lot of criticism initially, before eventually proving a stroke of genius in the 06/07 season, where his team had one of the best defensive records in the country, especially at home. And this system had brought glory to Anfield years before this, with Liverpool defensive legend Alan Hansen singing its praises.
“We always used zonal marking when I won championships with Liverpool,” he told the BBC. “It was all about winning the first ball and if not, you’ve got to clean up the second ball. The other thing of course was having a goalkeeper who we knew was going to come for crosses.”
So, while I can’t claim to be an expert myself, from what I gather it is a system that, if done properly, can be very effective, but if done badly, can be a disaster.
My basic understanding would tell me that for Arsenal the advantages will be, as Wenger said, less room for ‘screening’, which is something the likes of our next opponents Blackburn have used to great effect against us, and that is basically fouling and pushing man markers away which too often goes unpunished in the Premier League. As well as that it generally means your defenders don’t get moved around too much by smart attackers and dummy runs. We would also be in a potentially better decision for counter-attacks, as players who don’t need to attack the ball can remain in their positions and be ready and free to move forward.
The disadvantage, at a guess, would be the communication needed to make it work. Szczesny is a good, commanding goalkeeper who shouts a lot, but none of the other Arsenal defenders talk to each other nearly enough. If people don’t know their positions and don’t know whose run to be looking out for, there will be problems.
However, so far this season we have not conceded from a set piece. Sure, when you’re conceding eight at Old Trafford it hardly matters, but last season we never went more than three or four games without conceding from a corner or free kick. So far this campaign it’s been seven games.
Still, with Blackburn and Bolton coming up next in the league, our new strategy will be properly put to test by the kind of teams who have punished us on set pieces many times in the past.
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