IN football’s search for net gains, set-pieces have quickly become a speciality.
With so many clubs now employing specific coaches for corners and free-kicks, inventive routines and synchronised attacks have become commonplace in most games. Ajax’s opener on Wednesday was not one such moment.
Having attempted two short corners prior to Edson Alvarez’s opener 16 minutes into the game, their goal was as simple a routine as any. There was no blocking and little movement, just an unopposed finish after an unopposed run.
But how can a goal be so simple?
As mentioned, the home side had taken two corners prior to their opener at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The first saw Dusan Tadic take the ball short and hit the near-post. Jurrien Timber should arguably have done better with his effort.
The second saw an attempted cut-back at the near post played into the path of Scott Wright.
Clearly, the hosts identified the zonal marking system they would face as a weakness. Just as PSV did a matter of weeks ago to level the scoring at Ibrox when Armando Obispo attacked a cross unchallenged.
On Wednesday, Ajax had five players to Rangers' eight in the box prior to Alvarez’s goal.
Along with the five players across the length of the six-yard box (highlighted in blue), Glen Kamara and Borna Barisic added extra numbers at the front post (highlighted in yellow).
Below, James Tavernier blocks the run of Calvin Bassey but the goalscorer Alvarez is completely free.
From this point on there is no blocking from either side to either enable or stop the run of Alvarez. The ball is simply delivered in between Connor Goldson and James Sands…
…Goldson and Tavernier are caught under the ball which John Lundstram cannot reach…
…Enabling Alvarez to score unmarked from a standing start with Sands’ feet planted.
Looking at the StatsBomb freezeframe shows how weighted Rangers were at the front post.
From the reverse angle, this is even more apparent. Alvarez has two-to-three yards of space from which to score.
It won’t take Rangers long to diagnose the problem of this particular goal. Their preference to use a zonal marking set-up gives players responsibility for a zone rather than a man. It's designed to keep strong headers of the ball in key areas and avoid the defensive structure becoming vulnerable to opposition movement.
But the concession of a goal as simple as Alvarez's strike raises serious questions about its suitability.
Even when they let in two from corners against PSV, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side tended to have at least two or three blockers. With only one player, Tavernier, enacting that role to try and kill the momentum of attacking runners against Ajax, Rangers were asking for trouble.
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