[rags41]

I was just browsing the FIFA homepage. Stats from the world Cup - 30% of the goals scored were from set pieces. We have a lot of problems with this at the high school level. OUr defense on free kicks is pretty good now, everyone sets up quickly with specific areas of responsibility, but our corner kick defense sucks. I cringe every time we give up a corner kick. I would really like to hear some ideas anyone might have out thee on what works for them. It doesn't seem to matter what we try, man-marking, covering zones, or any combination of the two, our guysalways seem to get caught flat-footed at the critical moment. I think that this is possibly the most overlooked strategy in coaching. Any thoughts? I need some insight to share with my players.

[Richie]

How are they scoring on corners?

Near post redirection headers are the best attacking headers, but they take a lot of skill to redirect the ball far post.

The reason they are the best option is a small guy who can head can score on them. He is not beating anyone straight up in the air. He merely has to beat the back moving to the ball so he can now see the ball. See the ball you can head the ball, and you don't have to worry that the guy marking you is bigger then you. Just beat him to the near post.

Also make the near post run the keeper has to commit to near post or you can beat him on his near post.

Then from that other players are moving to far post and another a little further out on far post (get a lot of goals From that player. They commit to the first far post guy. So if the first attacker the near post attacker uses a dummy play and lets the ball run you beat the keeper because he had to commit to the near post. Then whatever other player gets his head on the ball he doesn't have to beat the keeper.

That is the way you should set up all your corners and crosses first run always near post.

Defensively I man mark on corners even throw ins, but others play zone with success.

So how are they scoring most of their goals?

They must be beating your man on the inside so they can see the ball. You can do that anywhere near post is the best, or in the middle or the far post. You have to be much more physical then you have been, and bump the attacker just before he can get to the ball. Make him be off balanced just before the header.

Go up for header jump sooner then him put a hand on his shoulder to hold you up and keep him down.

Heading is the most physical part of the game be physical, and protect you space to head by using your elbows and forearms :-)

[Turk from Pigs Eye]

The goalie should be able to grab or punch anything between the posts and six yards out from the line.

Nothing should bounce in the box.

[helmzgk]

I always set up my corner kick defense this way:

One guy on the near post.

One guy standing on the upper corner of the goal box, closest to the ball, so he can clear out short corners and challenge if they do a quick restart.

About three of my guys hanging around me close to my goal, that way they have to run out to meet the ball in the air, instead of standing flat footed. These guys are usually lined up along my five yard line. Anything in there is mine, of course.

Then I have about two guys up where the opponents are to tick them off, obstruct runs, and so forth.

It works well. We've only been scored on once so far on corners.

[cpwilson80]

Be physical.

It doesn't matter if you have a smaller team, or if the other team is stronger. Corner kicks are mostly about desire - you have to be willing to throw your body at the ball to clear out. The other part of defending corner kicks is positioning. You should never, ever let your mark get goal side of you. Being able to read the movement of the players and the flight of the ball is crucial.

As much as I am an advocate of playing the Beautiful Game, corner kicks are a nasty world unto themselves - even more so than free kicks. I honestly can't remember the last time I've seen a penalty called on a defender off a corner kick unless it was ridiculous (punching someone, pulling someone down with the shirt.) For a prime example of this physical abuse, look at Vieri's goal in the World Cup when Italy played South Korea.

With positioning, here is my order of importance:

1. Man on the back post
2. Every man in the box marked.
3. Man about 25 yards out for the counter-attack
4. Man on the near post
5. Man watching for the short corner

If I have used all my guys up on parts 1 and 2 (which does happen), then so be it. The keeper is responsible for anything in the 6, and starts about 2/3 of the way over from the near post. This way he is rushing forward to meet a ball instead of back tracking

The ball not hitting the ground is key. I would even go one more and say save a Balboa like bike, no one on the opposing team should get a foot on the ball from the air.

[rags41]

Thanks for your advice. Our current strategy is to mark the front post because that is where the goalkeeper will be obstructed. we do not mark the back post, we station two midfielders at the top of the box to obstruct any player crashing late. we matchup zone on any players in the box. we commit either 8 or 9 players to corners leaving 2-3 outlets for the counter attack. This hasn't been tested too much yet as we have been working very hard at not giving up corner kicks I make it a point to let them know at the next practice how many corners they give up unnecessarily. I like the idea of staying goal side any time a player is in the box and being more physical. I think it is true that not very many penalties are called in there unless it is obvious and flagrant. A lot of the goals that have been scored on us in the past have been off of misdirections as Richie described or from followup shots when the ball wasn't cleared properly. This is also why we are posting the two players top of the box.

[Richie]

Rag "from followup shots when the ball wasn't cleared properly."

On balls that make it through to far post or even to the center of the field don't drasticlly change the direct that the ball is going. Just head to help it along further past the far post towards the touch line.

Once the ball is touched by that back your far side wing mid should open up on his side. Remember the wing mid is a short pass option for the gk, back, inside mid. So the far side back is not just clearing the ball out of danger. He is "helping the ball get to his wing mid." So now instead of giving up a throw in. You have a chance to immediately restart the attack on a ball to your wing mid. So don't fight the direction that the far post ball is moving to, just help it along.

Richie

[Richie]

Almost forgot on heading near post ball defensively. That you head back to the flank where the ball came from, but not just to clear out the ball. When the ball passes your near side wing mid he opens up that side looking for that header.

The keeper should play corners in the same way. He turns and moves to far post on a ball his distribution should likely be to the far side as well.

On near post save he can go to near post wing or somewhere else.

Even if he boxes the ball out he can do the same thing practice that as well.

Always think of defensive heading and gk saves on corners and crosses as sort of restarts not clearances. Practice doing that.

Richie

[rags41]

I've been in a rut when it comes to corner kicks. I've never thought of making defensive heading from a corner kick an offensive strategy. I always like it when I can give the boys a place to focus and a new way of looking at things.
Good advice, thanks.