It seems we are going to change the way we defend set plays

[bjd]

From the OS. Not sure what to make of it really. On one had its positive he has realised something is badly wrong. But on the other hand just what were we doing in training in the first place ? I do hope this new change is not going to be zonal marking.

SCOLARI: NEW SYSTEM, SAME SPIRIT

Posted on: Tue 13 Jan 2009

Luiz Felipe Scolari has called for his players to match Southend's desire at Roots Hall tomorrow, as he looks to utilise a new system for set piece defending.

Speaking after watching his side conceded from three crosses at the weekend, one a corner and another a free-kick, the Brazilian explained that he has been working on a zonal defensive setup with his squad.

'In the last three or four games we lost many points by set plays, by mistakes and now is the time to talk with the players, what happened, and tomorrow not make the same mistakes,' he began.

'What's happened is a lesson for us. If we are thinking and talking all the time about the mistakes, maybe we have more. We need to think mistakes did not happen in 25 games before, in four games now it is a reality. We need to change a system in set plays and tomorrow I start a new system, and maybe for another 25 games we play better.

'It is a problem because we give chances for other teams to score a goal by set plays. We are training this every day, maybe 20, 30 times, now in this moment we are wrong and we need to change. Only this.'

The manager identified a series of errors over the past few games that have presented opportunities to the opposition at set pieces.

'My team, now in the last games, we are wrong maybe eight times, and we conceded five goals.'

Now he is determined for his players to show their true colours against Southend on Wednesday, to kick start 2009.

'For Southend tomorrow it is the game of the year, and the same for us. We need to think the same, the FA Cup is fantastic, a beautiful cup. I remember the Brazilian Cup, 124 clubs, if the small clubs play one game in Sao Paulo it is beautiful for one year.

'If our spirit is not the same as Southend, it is difficult to win. If we are the same, go in front and try to arrive more in front, we have more chance. We are better than Southend as a technical [team] but we need to prove it on the pitch.

'Terry and Lampard are captains but I don't have only them in Chelsea. I have Ballack, Carvalho, not one or two, I have more captains. They need to understand we need more work together and sometimes more attention. After this one, two, three, four victories and relax - we have more mentality to win.'

Scolari reiterated that the spirit in the camp remains high, and this has been supported by Nicolas Anelka, who believes we are still in a strong position.

'The fans have been frustrated by our recent results, which is logical,' the forward explained. 'As far as the players are concerned, we have not been happy with some of our games.

'The positive point is that we are still on course for the treble. We understand it's going to be massively tough, but everything is possible,' he added.

And what happens after 25 games Phil ? Oh and 'maybe' we play better maybe ??!!

[TheWestwayWonder]

What is this sh*t about "I have two captains, but also more". If people like Ballack are trying to run the team and dont know their role, throw them in the god damn reserves. Hell, give Cech the armband and tell them all to go out there and prove they are leaders.

And forget working on it 20 or 30 times. These guys should be drilling that until the sun goes down. Until they find it impossible to score off one in training. Thats when we have it down. What good is training if you cant even master the basics.

Jesus, I am getting depressed the further and further we get away from sunday

[Lofty]

Scolari has also apparently called on the press to stop the rumours .. because the transfer window is still open. So does that mean that we may be looking to sign a new player or two after all? Not at all.

If you want a Chelsea player come and get him

says big Phyllis.

But the money has got to be right.

So now we're a selling club.

[BLUENUT]

It must be something to take for the players, I mean the transgression in management.

I hate to keep harping on about Jose, but it's been well documented that when it came to defending corners, set pieces etc he would play videos of the way the up and coming opposing team attacked at corners.

* Weither they played them short

* Weither they played them long

* Who their danger men were

* What runs they made

* Where they were likely to be positioned

In an interview prior to a Liverpool game JT was asked what was in Jose folder, he said stuff like who was picking up who at corners 'I've been watching the last 25 corners Liverpool have taken and I know who I'm picking up''

''Only 25?'' the reporter joked ''Well if I want to watch the 25 before that I only have to ask for them'' JT replied.

Our preparation has gone from being maticulous in every detail to just marking space, even if there is no player anywhere near you!?! Zonal or man for man, people knew their jobs and where the danger was likely to come from under Jose, I'm not sure they do anymore.

It's no wonder the players recently moaned about their training and the way they're prepared for games, because on Sunday it looked to me like they weren't prepared at all.

OK Fil that's the defending side of things addressed, but when are we gonna manage a shot against a decent side?

Edited January 13, 2009 by BLUENUT

[Tim]

If we really are going for zonal marking, then that is not news to make me happy or confident.

L*verpool are the most high profile team to try this, and although they have got better as the SEASONS have gone on, when Fat Rafa initially introduced it, the system was constantly at fault for them conceding soft goals, and was criticised (and rightly so) time and time again by the majority of the footballing world.

However, the one saving grace of that article is that at no point is Scolari actually quoted as saying the new system is a zonal one, so either the journo is making things up (shock horror) or has left out the key quote for some unfathomable reason. For now, I call bullsh*t.

[Barn]

If we think it's just set-plays that are causing us problems though we're deeply mistaken, we can't defend long straight balls hoofed down the defenders throat either. Our defence has been a shambles this season.

[BLUENUT]

If we think it's just set-plays that are causing us problems though we're deeply mistaken, we can't defend long straight balls hoofed down the defenders throat either. Our defence has been a shambles this season.

Agree Barn, but just as worring is the fact we have hardly mamanged 1 shot on target in all our games against the big four. It's OK to stop conceding, but what about scoring at the other end Fil?

[icecoolguy22]

So the players have 2-3 days after Man United game to learn a new defensive system, and it suppose to be bullet proof? If there was a system like that, Scolari should have introuduced it first day on the job. Why dont we just dig out the Jose training manual from the library and learn from there?

[loz]

So the players have 2-3 days after Man United game to learn a new defensive system, and it suppose to be bullet proof? If there was a system like that, Scolari should have introuduced it first day on the job. Why dont we just dig out the Jose training manual from the library and learn from there?

I doubt it is a major change though. Probably a case of 'Oi, you front post and you back post and as for you - don't lose your bloody marker again!'

There are some managers who choose not to have people on the post (granted not many of them) as they feel that bu doing that you are playing everybody onside thus making it easier for the attacking team to crowd the box and, in particular, the goalkeeper. However when you have nobody on the post you have to make damn sure there are no free players in the box with easy heading opportunities.

[coco]

First we had the Tinkerman, now weve got, Felipe the Fiddler.

Why is the thought of LFS fiddling with our defence scaring the hell out of me ?

I heard on the radio (5live) yesterday, some Brazilian who worked with LFS in WC94, said, in his opinion "LFS is not a football coach, he is more your motivational manager".

My confidence in Scolari is shot.

[Star]

If you click on betfair's match betting stats - something i've been doing for two years now - 80% of Premiership goals are scored by set plays.

It gives you an advantage when betting and laying teams, especially those who have a higher percentage than most on scoring or conceding goals.

It's basic stuff and cuts down the chance element in gambling.

By failing to put a man on each post on a corner puts incredible odds in the favour of teams who have high pecentages of gaining corners. Yes on betfair you can bet on numbers of corners in a game, under or over a certain amount. You will be amazed to find what teams have a high amount of corners and free kicks in dangerous positions.

Search for yourselves, i'm not going to let it be known those teams, but i'm certain everyone would be amazed at a few.

It's attention to detail that made Jose Mourinho the Special One, i'm certain he would know at a drop of a hat, what I am talking about.

Scolari's defensive strategy is flawed, teams have studied us and found a way of breaking our confidence and team spirit in a way that would never have happened in our Championship years.

With the type of football we are playing, we have to score twice to cut the odds, in the past one goal would do and their confidence hit when they conceded.

It's a form of Psychology and yes you've guessed who had a degree in it.

Our players AS A TEAM were in defensive mode when we never had the ball, they are now caught in between defence or counter attack.

But all Scolari is doing is acting out Roman's mindset. He wanted atttacking football, goals, swagger, something the team we were supposed to emulate have done for years. But we WERE CHELSEA a new breed of a team but like everything else people without a clue about football interfered and now we are open to ridicule and Managers with the nous to set their teams out to stifle us and hit us with the dreaded set play.

Now teams have picked up on our midfield gameplay, the fact we have problems accomodating Drogba and Anelka, our attacking options are limited because they are self inflicted.

Change our ways ? We already have !

We aint got a hope anymore.

[bluegraham]

What is this sh*t about "I have two captains, but also more". If people like Ballack are trying to run the team and dont know their role, throw them in the god damn reserves. Hell, give Cech the armband and tell them all to go out there and prove they are leaders.

And forget working on it 20 or 30 times. These guys should be drilling that until the sun goes down. Until they find it impossible to score off one in training. Thats when we have it down. What good is training if you cant even master the basics.

Jesus, I am getting depressed the further and further we get away from sunday

Hi there i agree with you totally making school boy mistakes not good enough for so called professional. if u preformed like that in your job ud b sacked it ,akes me sick Deco is a joke ballack 2 slow there doing my head in but we'll be back.

[callista]

From the OS. Not sure what to make of it really. On one had its positive he has realised something is badly wrong. But on the other hand just what were we doing in training in the first place ? I do hope this new change is not going to be zonal marking.

And what happens after 25 games Phil ? Oh and 'maybe' we play better maybe ??!!

Not sure what to make of this either, I rather wish Phil had kept his mouth shut frankly.

It's nice that he's realised that there is a problem but what concerns me more is that like you it makes me wonder well what the hell were you doing beforehand?

And it's never wise to use words like "may be" in that context!

I know it's not fair to keep harping back to Mourinho but as others have done so on here, I'll continue. Mourinho prepared the players like no other manager before him had done at Chelsea with detailed notes, DVD's, meetings, training session etc.

The example the poster above gave about the Liverpool game was typical of his exacting nature.

I'm sorry but it seems to me that Scolari has just let all that go, may be I'm totally wrong but there was nothing amiss with Mourinho's training methods and prep work for games, they seemed to be excellent. Pity Scolari couldn't have grabbed Jose after the Man Utd game and asked for his old notes.

I just get the impression from Scolari's speeches that he's just going from one thing to another and then back again when it doesn't seem to work, like I mentioned on another thread there seems to be little consistency or coherent thought being shown in his approach to the squad.

I hope I'm wrong about that obviously.

Edited January 13, 2009 by callista

[TheWestwayWonder]

Scolari has also apparently called on the press to stop the rumours .. because the transfer window is still open. So does that mean that we may be looking to sign a new player or two after all? Not at all.

says big Phyllis.

So now we're a selling club.

If I were in charge, I would sell half the squad (you know who) tomorrow if I actually believed the board had any intention of bankrolling any new signings for the remainder of this decade. No hesitation whatsoever

We're stuck with what we have, and it aint that good. How a team has four world class CBs that could walk into most sides in Europe, and plays with Joe Cole and Florent Malouda as its only pure wingers, well, I cant figure that one out.

I look at that roster and its a bad nightmare. Deco, Malouda, Kalou, Drogba. Guys who dont wanna be here and dont care. And the only hope we have is to recall Claudio Pizarro