Corners

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

I believe that is 15 games played now, and I don’t recall us scoring from, or having come particularly close to scoring from, any corners.  Surely we must practice them?  They can be a source of plenty of precious goals in tight  games, but we just simply look bad at them, and have done for a while.  It’s weird when you consider the ability of Vrancic or Emi to ping a ball in, but it is getting silly when you consider that it is also an area that we look a little vulnerable in at the back.  Something to work on, certainly.....

 

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Branston Pickle

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

Just me, then!?

[Ken Hairy 4,272]

Nope, totally agree with you. Corners is a massive issue at both ends of the pitch. We concede too many, and barely ever score from one.

[Ian 1,207]

27 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Just me, then!?

No, absolutely agree. Genuinely racking my brain to try and remember the last time we scored directly from a corner - yet we seem to give most our goals away from cheap set pieces. Considering we never leave anybody up top it is pretty remarkable.
 

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

The last I remember was Kenny v Man City - can that be right? It’s now well over a year ago...

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,613]

6 minutes ago, Ian said:

No, absolutely agree. Genuinely racking my brain to try and remember the last time we scored directly from a corner 

Have we scored one since McLean against Man City?

[Ian 1,207]

1 minute ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

Have we scored one since McLean against Man City?

Given what you and Branston have said, it seems not. Pretty unbelievable, and perhaps an indication we are not quite physical enough.

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

I did reply but must have neglected the click.

I have long since thought that we have so many corners, yet they are easily dealt with. Nothing ever comes of them anymore.

By contrast, we have, for ages always seemed vulnerable to them.

[Bill 1,788]

37 minutes ago, Ian said:

No, absolutely agree. Genuinely racking my brain to try and remember the last time we scored directly from a corner - yet we seem to give most our goals away from cheap set pieces.

Some on here seem to overlook How well our players line up on the 6 yard box, each a foot a part. The ball is bound to come to them at some point....eventually. We just need to be patient and not fall into the trap of moving about to create space, or challenge for the ball.

Wait until it comes to you is the watchword.

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

The only time we ever seem to get an attacking player on the end of a cross it’s Hanley, and he doesn’t hit the target. I think Steipermann had a decent chance from a free kick/corner/cross today and he totally missed the target as well. We’re pretty weak aerially all over the park, especially with McGovern in goal.

[Alex Moss 2,167]

Always thought Timm Klose was our biggest threat from corners in recent years, maybe we can get him back in January for the last half of the season?

[Ward 3 483]

18 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

Just me, then!?

You don't get a response in an hour so feel the need to post again. Aww bless you 🤣. We don't score from many set pieces just concede from sh.. loads

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

I thought it was a subject worth debating but it had got hidden among the other stuff. Nothing more or less than that.

I wish some journos would put it to DF as it is bizarre how rubbish we have become at corners - there seems to be no threat whatsoever.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Branston Pickle

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

Oh well - another 9 corners today and nothing to show for them; 16 games and counting this season (I’m hoping to talk one up!)

[Thirsty Lizard 3,215]

On 02/12/2020 at 23:04, Branston Pickle said:

The last I remember was Kenny v Man City - can that be right? It’s now well over a year ago...

Depends exactly how you define it, but Tettey at home to Sheffield Utd last season. 

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

I guess that might just about count - the corner was cleared to him, if I remember correctly; still as-good-as a year ago

[Canary Jedi 609]

I was actually disappointed during the game every time we tried to get a cross in and instead ended up with a corner, because I didn’t expect the corner to come to anything.

Maybe we are better off playing the ball short instead of crossing from corners. Barcelona used to do that, playing the ball to Messi and he would then run at the penalty area. Maybe we should try that with Buendia?

[TheGunnShow 7,371]

To be fair, Hanley's got on quite a few, he's just sprayed more loose balls than a randy tomcat. 

[Pockthorpe 634]

14 minutes ago, Canary Jedi said:

I was actually disappointed during the game every time we tried to get a cross in and instead ended up with a corner, because I didn’t expect the corner to come to anything.

Maybe we are better off playing the ball short instead of crossing from corners. Barcelona used to do that, playing the ball to Messi and he would then run at the penalty area. Maybe we should try that with Buendia?

Yes why not . I’m one of the biggest fans of Emi in open play  , yet his corners and free kicks seem to come from a different player . With Hanley and Gibson we should be more of a threat . Quintilla was showing how it could be done . Such a shame he got injured before we got the hang of his delivery .

Edited December 5, 2020 by Pockthorpe

[hogesar 10,750]

Deliveries have generally been pretty good this season and we certainly should have scored a few of them generally when falling to Hanley.

[shruk4 60]

I imagine its not really Farke's style to spend hours doing set piece training. Judging by our playstyle its probably more trying to get the nice free flowing passing patterns into the backbone

[horsefly 5,301]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/27/in-defence-of-the-corner-a-much-maligned-set-piece

"Football fans have a curious relationship with corners. For a set piece that, according to Opta, leads to a goal only 3.2% of the time, they don’t half get excited about them. A stadium invariably gets louder when a corner is given and there is a heightened sense of anticipation or fear depending on who you are supporting. Yet, never before has the prevailing opinion on this particular set piece seemed more scathing, with many fans’ forums containing a thread with a title along the lines of “Why are we so bad at corners?” and the phrase “You’ve got to be able to beat the first man” right up there at the top of the co-commentator cliche bingo list."

 

https://sports.stackexchange.com/questions/977/what-percent-of-corner-kicks-turn-into-goals

"The percent of goals from corners is changing from league to league, for one competition to another and for one year to another. For example on 2010 World Cup 1 goal scored for every 70 corners taken, but generally the ratio of corners to goals is almost zero."

[overthebordercanary 160]

10 hours ago, TheGunnShow said:

To be fair, Hanley's got on quite a few, he's just sprayed more loose balls than a randy tomcat. 

So frustrating as his the only one who seems to get on the end of anything and he either misses the ball completely or doesn't get it on target

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

It’s difficult to know if it is the delivery (though often appears to be) or the player runs.  
Clearly no side will ever create clear chances from all their corners, but our tally of 0 in a year or more must be among the worst.  And the mayhem that we occasionally have defending them suggests we’re missing something - it’s not necessarily about scoring but creating pressure/unsettling teams as well.

[dylanisabaddog 6,131]

11 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

It’s difficult to know if it is the delivery (though often appears to be) or the player runs.  
Clearly no side will ever create clear chances from all their corners, but our tally of 0 in a year or more must be among the worst.  And the mayhem that we occasionally have defending them suggests we’re missing something - it’s not necessarily about scoring but creating pressure/unsettling teams as well.

In general our players are not big enough, strong enough or physical and aggressive enough. We get away with it in the Championship because we have better players but when we go up again we will have the same problem. The opposition will match us for skill but will be bigger and stronger. And we'll come straight back down again. Not that I mind, I prefer the Championship 

[pete 371]

Most of the deliveries from corners have been poor and easily dealt with would prefer to see the ball driven into the penalty area at waist height.  Just perhaps try it once to see if it creates a chance not Emi though perhaps Mario.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,613]

5 hours ago, horsefly said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/27/in-defence-of-the-corner-a-much-maligned-set-piece

"Football fans have a curious relationship with corners. For a set piece that, according to Opta, leads to a goal only 3.2% of the time, they don’t half get excited about them. A stadium invariably gets louder when a corner is given and there is a heightened sense of anticipation or fear depending on who you are supporting. Yet, never before has the prevailing opinion on this particular set piece seemed more scathing, with many fans’ forums containing a thread with a title along the lines of “Why are we so bad at corners?” and the phrase “You’ve got to be able to beat the first man” right up there at the top of the co-commentator cliche bingo list."

I agree with the sentiment there, but if those statistics are correct it means one corner in 30 leads to a goal. We must have had several hundred since we last scored from one.

[Branston Pickle 4,144]

Does yesterday’s count?  Not totally sure, it was a recycled ball rather than ‘from’the corner....but we are getting closer!

[lake district canary 4,813]

On 06/12/2020 at 12:32, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

I agree with the sentiment there, but if those statistics are correct it means one corner in 30 leads to a goal. We must have had several hundred since we last scored from one.

Hanley has been a whisker from scoring from corners two or three times this season, so one will go in sooner or later and Zimmermann is good for a set piece goal or two.

[sonyc 6,144]

5 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Does yesterday’s count?  Not totally sure, it was a recycled ball rather than ‘from’the corner....but we are getting closer!

It has felt like almost every single game this year my son and I have welcomed a corner as THE chance to score (and I remember those days of Stringer and Forbes when the crowd would chant "in the net, in the net" ....a cute old fashioned chant but I recall it being effective by the results, at least you felt it was an opportunity). Now, we don't feel at all enthused. The corners can be decent but I recall 2 if not 3 real gilt-edged opportunities for Hanley, when it might seem it's impossible to miss (one was a cross, against Brentford I think).

Maybe they don't practice these? Our strength let's face it has been on the ground under Farke (and his results and win percentages let alone our style prove his approach). Our play is mostly geared to feeding Pukki on the floor so you expect this.

I wish we could break this 'spell' soon. Perhaps Jordan Hugill? He appears to find space to get on the end of crosses.