Without rehashing the statistics, West Ham’s defence of set pieces is shocking. Whether it be the zonal marking, switching off by key players, poor goal keeping with zero domination of the six yard ‘box: Everyone has a view. Probably everyone has a point. It has become the Irons’ achilles heel this season and every club seeks to attack the Hammers in the same manner.
Whether a double-bluff to play down the problem, or simply expecting to solve the crisis through force of willpower where Potter for all his analysis failed, new boss Nuno Espírito Santo has claimed the solution lies within his team.
Probably until his coaching team is properly assembled, Nuno needs a quick fix and lamenting publicly how bad the problem is, ahead of the fixture today against ‘set piece kings’ Arsenal will do him no good. It certainly won’t help the players.
Avoiding the situation becoming a permanent flaw seems to be his aim. As per the standard.co.uk, Espírito Santo is on an exercise to play down the problem:
“The worst thing that can happen is that if an opponent gets a corner, we start immediately thinking that we are in trouble. It’s not the mindset. That can happen. It can become a trauma.”
And, eschewing a set-piece coach, (for now at least) in a decision that will raise eyebrows amongst fans who have to endure every nervous corner as a white knuckle ride, the Hammers newest manager insists “he would not be looking to bring in a dedicated set-piece coach, insisting that the staff at the club were more than capable of managing set-pieces.
“Everybody, the coaching staff, has the ability and the capacity to help. It’s not an individual. It’s us as coaching staff that we have to solve, help the players find the right positions.”
A matter – of – fact stance may help the players overcome the panic, providing their decision making and execution of the ‘Nuno plan’ is solid this afternoon. Nobody is expecting another Emirates miracle but a solid defensive performance- even if they Hammers come away without points but avoid a goal avalanche- will settle the nerves of players and supporters alike.
Have a good reason to be where you are on a football pitch at all times. ‘I’m standing here because the coach told me to’ is not a reason. All football players should be good enough to read the play, understand the situation and react accordingly. Ball watching or being asleep is not to be tolerated. You can have a brilliant game without ever touching the ball. The statistics won’t show how well you played but stats aren’t why you play the game.
Simplicity and satisfaction rolled into one. Your manager and team mates will all notice and appreciate.
Bring in Tony Gale. He has all the answers.
This should get better as Nuno gets his teeth into the job. Forest were amongst the top 3 for set piece for both goals for and against last season (not including penalties). They scored the same amount as Arsenal but conceded less which put them on a set piece goal difference of +7 only behind Brentford and Palace that could beat that. Whether we like it or not, with fouls and therefore free kicks in and around the box being a huge part of the game now, why in earth wouldn’t you try and maximise the opportunity to gain as much advantage from them as possible by being highly organised in defending them and highly potent in taking them. We have gone from being feared at set pieces under Moyes to an abject joke under his successors. I put that squarely down to coaching. We have the bodies, we aren’t a particularly small team, we just don’t have a clue what to do with corners or free kicks both in defence or attack. I reckon they could be worth up to 9 pts over a season
Bob makes perfect sense,set pieces in and around the box are part of the modern game. I’m sure Nuno will make a difference in that area.