Zonal Marking – A hindrance to Celtic

Zonal marking has been a big talking point this season, as Celtic have thrown away valuable points and big goals in important games because of the system.

On Thursday night, it was evident again as Celtic conceded once more from a corner, allowing Fenerbahce to capitalise on the zonal marking set-up. All the good attacking play from the Hoops was thrown away on another defensive set piece and is frustrating for all Celtic fans.

For the last few years, Celtic have used zonal marking in both in European competition and domestic matches. Whether it’s a set piece or a corner kick, since the beginning of the season it has been an issue for the Celtic defence.

Interestingly, Celtic hardly conceded from corner kicks last season and headed goals from the opposition were a rarity, as the Hoops looked solid at the back. However, this indecision at the back, along with the system, has hindered Celtic since the start of the season.

So what seems to be the issue? Have teams finally figured out how to attack the different zones and its flaws?

Celtic lost Jason Denayer, Adam Matthews and Virgil Van Dijk in the summer, and all played a part in the zonal marking system last season, but it still has it’s many issues.

For example, if you take a look at how Celtic set-up when they zonally mark from a corner you can start to see where opposition teams target. With all 11 Celtic players in the box, it invites pressure from the opposing team who can attack at will. There is no counter attacking threat from the Hoops as no one is left near the centre circle or at the edge of the D. This allows teams to push forward as Celtic have no out ball if they win possession.

With zonal marking, the opposition gets a free run on the Hoops defence, giving them an aerial advantage, whereas staying static limits the defences movement.

For example, if you take a look at Malmo’s first goal in Sweden, Markus Rosenberg was allowed to ghost in ahead of the defence and had a clear run to attack the ball. A simple but effective run shows that the zones in the area could not deal with a ball into the box. This is just one of the many problems this season that zonal marking has uncovered.

If Celtic man marked or mixed the two systems, then it would allow the defence to track the runs of the opposing team. It has been a common theme this season for other teams to whip crosses in because of our flaws in using this system.

Yes, Celtic do have the players to cope in the air, but the current system they use allows free runs into the box.

There has also been an element of confusion this season with zonal marking. With man marking, you immediately know which players you are picking up during the match. However with zones, some of the Celtic players seem to be troubled by what is their own zone and how they attack it.

Now with all the different systems for defending set pieces, every single one has their positives and negatives. This type of zonal marking, however, can be seen more negative than positive. If you have every player back and in their zone, it does allow the opposing teams the chance to throw everyone forward.

However, with some element of man marking it can be a benefit to the Hoops if they were to ‘mark’ the target men from the opposing teams.

In the last few weeks, Celtic have lost goals from set pieces by marking zonally and it has been costing the team massively. Had it been a combination of zonal and man marking or outright man marking, then the cheap goals the Hoops have conceded wouldn’t have happened.

In the coming months, it will be interesting to see if Ronny Deila and John Kennedy stick with this type of zonal marking or will they change it to a mix or outright man marking system. The general consensus amongst Celtic fans would agree that this type of zonal marking has to go and be replaced with something far more effective.

If Celtic continue with the zonal marking they have to get out to Lennoxtown and sort it out! Otherwise, they will lose more goals from set pieces.