Yes I know it has been discussed before but I would like to raise this again.
Alty continually defend corners will 11 men in and around the penalty area.
This means that usually we have to defend two crosses, the corner and the second attempt when after the clearance it comes back at us.
Last night we conceeded a goal because of this in my opinion.
I raised this at the time in the stand and most people disagreed with me. But a few that I spoke to individually did actually agree with my point or were just being polite at the time.
My Issue is that IF we had one (or maybe even two at a push) standing outside our box mid way to the half way line, or even on the line, the ball would more frequently be cleared and stay cleared.
One comment made to me was that you would not see a forward run 20 yards to attack a defender should the ball go to him.
However my comment is that if we have one player on the half way line it would usually take out two defenders to mark him (thus reducing their attcking ability as well) The ball once cleared would either go out to open space, in which both players can run for it, or it would land near our attacker/ their defender who would then be challenging for the ball. Dale for example IS strong, in my opinion he would pick up alot of these clearances.
In other words both players would have to run 20 yards to the ball or neither would as it would come to them.
I believe had we had someone on the half way line last night that ball would have been challenged for and perhaps would not have come straight back at us and then ultimately us conceeding a goal.
There is the arguement that we should have defended better, I grant you that and we should have, however prevention is better than cure and we could have stopped ball coming back at as in the first place.
As a parting comment on this I also have heard the phrase "if is good enough for United it is good enough for Alty", sorry we are not United with world class defenders who can play the ball out of defence with a fast supporting midfield, we hoof it out and it comes back.
I would welcome your thoughts.