Why Liverpool’s ‘Italian’ method of defending free kicks seems to be more effective
“In an era when football is criticised for its tactical homogeneity, an interesting debate has arisen around the idea of defending a crossed free kick. It had become the accepted approach to use a high defensive line, keeping opponents away from the box and leaving space in front of the goalkeeper. But in recent years, particularly in Italy, an alternative has emerged. In Serie A, it’s common for teams to sit deep, often in two separate lines, and then come forward and attack the ball. Historically, the Dutch approach to football is very different from the Italian one, particularly in terms of defensive lines. Whereas Italian football is renowned for deep defending, Dutch coaches want their sides to push up. …”
NY Times/The Athletic – Michael Cox