Set piece specialist

[aRdja]

We don't really have one, do we? The sight of Henderson, Milner or Coutinho lining up for a direct free kick opportunity wouldn't really strike fear into any oppositions goalie. I think we're missing a trick here. Luis Suarez, on top of his numerous other top class qualities, was a brilliant free kick taker. Some of his free kick goals for us.

 

http://youtu.be/NhttduMN8ys

 

Steven Gerrard was the main set piece taker for us for a while. He had his days where he was brilliant at it, and some days where he couldn't clear the first man time and again.

 

Do you think it's something that we should seriously consider in our next purchase? I think it's one of the reasons we've been linked with Hakan Calhanoglu. He's a brilliant set-piece taker, but his overall ability is pretty good, but not really any better than what we have already. Who else is out there?

[Preston Red]

I wouldn't mind us signing someone who can actually take a corner as well being deadly on free kicks. The amount of corners that don't beat the first man is laughable. The thing that used to get me was how great of a passer and free kick taker Stevie Gerrard was but his corners were awful.

[aRdja]

I wouldn't mind us signing someone who can actually take a corner as well being deadly on free kicks. The amount of corners that don't beat the first man is laughable. The thing that used to get me was how great of a passer and free kick taker Stevie Gerrard was but his corners were awful.

His corners weren't always awful. He was just quite inconsistent at it.

[Preston Red]

There were a few that led to goals or chances but more often than not, they never beat the first man.

[ZonkoVille77]

Stevie could head the ball. Should never have been taking corners in the first place.

[Simbo]

Suarez videos make me sad.

[aRdja]

Stevie could head the ball. Should never have been taking corners in the first place.

We tried to give it to Alonso if I recall correctly, but he was shockingly a dreadful set-piece taker.

 

Fabio Aurelio was the last consistently good one we had (before Suarez).

[Lee909]

Lets change the rules so you can have rolling subs and sign Juninho (Lyon) and just bring him on for freekicks

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

We're horrible at both corners and any sort of free kick at the moment. Difference between this and having 2-3 really good set piece players us easily 5-10 points over a season. Maybe more. Which again could be the difference between 6th and 4th. Or 3rd and 1st for that matter.

 

Fully expect our current coaching team to address this.

[aRdja]

We're horrible at both corners and any sort of free kick at the moment. Difference between this and having 2-3 really good set piece players us easily 5-10 points over a season. Maybe more. Which again could be the difference between 6th and 4th. Or 3rd and 1st for that matter.

 

Fully expect our current coaching team to address this.

Especially now we have Benteke who is excellent in the air. I'm not quite sure it's something you can coach someone into, especially if you're not a decent free kick/corner take in the first place. An example I gave previously, Xabi Alonso.. A beautiful striker of the ball, but a woeful dead ball taker.

[aRdja]

Lets change the rules so you can have rolling subs and sign Juninho (Lyon) and just bring him on for freekicks

That would actually be a game changer, maybe for the better. Gives fat/unfit guys the opportunities to make it in the game, not unlike NRL.

[aRdja]

We are the worst we've ever been currently at this.

[Ne Moe Imya]

We especially need a left-footed option for free kicks. 

 

You could really see it today, free kick in a brilliant position for a leftie and we have ... Moreno lining up over the ball.

[aRdja]

We especially need a left-footed option for free kicks.

 

You could really see it today, free kick in a brilliant position for a leftie and we have ... Moreno lining up over the ball.

I don't think it matters too much. Suarez scored plenty of those from positions preferable for left footers. We just need one reliable set piece taker at the moment.

[Pidge]

I thought we should have laid it off to Benteke from there. Or just taken it with the right, there was plenty of angle for Milner to still bend it round that wall.

 

Anyway, Henderson is actually pretty decent at free kicks and we're doing better wth corners (although I don't like the tactic of bunching everyone together every single time), a late arrival breaking towards the front is something we don't have and can cause havoc on those slightly underhit ones we know too well.

[Grinch]

Corners are easy to defend, no club creates much from then.

[El Dangerous]

Charlie Adam is worth £10m for his corners alone! 

 

Unfortunately the rest of his game was worth -£20m and he ended up being shit at set pieces anyway.

[aRdja]

Klopp really needs to address it. What the fuck is the point of those quick free kicks/corners? we have Benteke and the two centre halves up in the box, WHY ARE YOU LAYING IT OFF FOR MILNER!?!?!?

[G Richards]

I noticed when Henderson just came back into the team he was trying to clip a few early crosses in for Benteke. He wasn't very good at it, but the intent was there!

 

The best crosser I've seen for us this season was Brad Smith. Dunno if that's his normal game or if he rose to the occasion having been called upon, but he put a few good crosses in besides the obvious peach of a cross that landed on Origi's head for the hat-trick. 

 

We don't appear to have anyone for a free kick. When Suarez was standing over it there was a realistic chance of a goal. Now I don't have any expectation when we get a free kick in range. 

[billypilgrimnz]

I thought we should have laid it off to Benteke from there. Or just taken it with the right, there was plenty of angle for Milner to still bend it round that wall.

 

Anyway, Henderson is actually pretty decent at free kicks and we're doing better wth corners (although I don't like the tactic of bunching everyone together every single time), a late arrival breaking towards the front is something we don't have and can cause havoc on those slightly underhit ones we know too well.

Correction: Henderson is shit at free kicks.

[Jay86]

Pjanic and Calhanoglu are the best free takers in the world at the moment, Pjanic hasn't a crazy conversion rate this season. Willian seems to be running them close too.

 

I genuinely can't remember an actual set piece specialist we've ever had, I know Gerrard scored a few free kicks but couldn't take a corner, Suarez was the best I can remember but I wouldn't call him a specialist. We should take Pirlo off New Yorks hands and teach someone how to take a set piece.

[aRdja]

Why wouldn't Suarez be a specialist?

[Boss]

Hakan Calhanoglu would be brilliant. He wouldn't be any worse than Henderson and Milner in central midfield and he'd offer us a massive advantage every time we get a free kick outside the box.

[aRdja]

Hakan Calhanoglu would be brilliant. He wouldn't be any worse than Henderson and Milner in central midfield and he'd offer us a massive advantage every time we get a free kick outside the box.

 

 

He's more of an AM, and I actually think other then the free kicks he's a bit average.

[Dr. J]

2013-14 Skrtel scored 6 goals from set pieces. As a team we scored a ridiculous amount. That was because teams were preoccupied with Luis and Sturridge. Now we don't have anyone who attacks the ball, which is just as much a factor as a decent ball in.