Thread by @saints_analysis

Right, here’s a thread on our Achilles’ heel - not being able to deal with set-pieces.

Have covered this topic before (last tweet in thread) - it’s still holding us back in huge games.

We offer a free goal to teams if they get it right #SaintsFC

Reasons for this weakness (my opinion):

- Lack of height vs other teams
- Saints know they have aerial weakness, so defend zonally and then play for offside
- Defensive line has lost timing/nerve
- Not enough work is being done to sort it
- Players can’t zonal mark
#SaintsFC

I’ll start with Sunday. A point was directly lost by conceding this goal.

West Ham use back post runners to make our line drop early, leaving Aguerd to head home.

Saints don’t try to challenge him the air, but the problem is they also don’t catch him offside either #SaintsFC

Brentford. Again, the first goal in a tight game is a set-piece.

It’s clever from our opponents - I marvel at their creativity from free kicks and corners.

However, the zonal marking system and lack of players attacking the ball is exploited again #SaintsFC

Villa. Watkins gets an easy free header as the result of another wide free kick.

It’s all far too simple. Teams must lick their lips when they get a free kick like this against us #SaintsFC

Fulham. Based on us actually scoring in this game, you could argue that we’ve lost three points here after conceding from two corners.

The first, very messy. No one seems bothered about the edge of the box, and the shot is deflected in #SaintsFC

The second. Identical to how Brentford got their opener but from the opposite side.

Static defending sees the man able to amble his way to the front post, win the header and flick to a dangerous area at the back post.

Defenders bypassed again #SaintsFC

This absolutely needs to be sorted.

It’s costing us points at the most crucial time. We could perhaps have six extra points if we hadn’t conceded the goals highlighted.

We’re giving teams an easy foothold in games where they can then force us to chase a result #SaintsFC

Here’s a thread I did on this topic before.

There was a time under Ralph when we were excellent at defending these situations - we’d catch teams offside all the time with a dead straight line.

This season and some of last season, it’s been terrible #SaintsFC