Watching Liverpool recently, and what was particularly evident on Saturday is that where as we look extremely vulnerable against set pieces this season, possibly due to trying to adapt to the new zonal marking system. We don’t look particular dangerous when we’ve been awarded them ourselves
I think Steven Gerrard is on the whole a very ineffective free-kick/corner taker, as nothing ever seems to come from them. It’s similar to Riise and his long throws, they simply don’t work so why persist with them.
From corners especially I’d like to see Stevie on the edge of the area, where he could despatch one of his trademark missiles, should the ball ricochet out to him.
Xabi wasn’t particularly impressive with his corner taking either in my opinion, and his height would give something else for the corner taker to aim for, imagine Alonso, Morientes and Sami in the box, the defence simply wouldn’t know who to mark.
Who to take them then? Well Riise has been okay, Smicer is now available but is unlikely to be on the pitch for the full 90 for a while, Kewell should be back soon but in the mean time I think Lil Luis (who has shown he has the ability to put in a good ball, as he showed against Fulham }would be favourite, and his wee-ness suggests he wouldn’t be as valuable in the six yard box as other players.
Our set pieces this season have been very inventive at times which is refreshing to see, but they often come to nothing. The times when we have taken the direct route they usually end up in the stands, so is it time we nominated a new free kick taker or is Stevie the best we’ve got?