Sky Sports’ tactical expert Danny Higginbotham explains the relative merits of zonal and man-to-man marking before offering a solution to the problem… The familiar debate about the merits of zonal marking has flared up again following a spate of defensive errors from set-pieces.A summer directive to referees put the spotlight on shirt-pulling from corners and Stoke were twice punished with penalties for fouls committed as the ball made its way into their area. Those infringements forced Mark Hughes to consider switching to zonal marking but Liverpool are among a number of clubs already struggling at the back using that method.Indeed, at the current rate, the 2016/17 campaign is set to see more goals conceded from set-pieces than any of the previous five seasons. So whats the solution?As former Stoke defender Danny Higginbotham explains, its not necessarily a case of one method or the other. Both have their benefits - but getting the balance right is the tricky part.Managers are worried about players holding shirts, getting blocked and opponents getting into areas that are really troublesome for defenders, says Higginbotham. Danny Higginbotham discusses the pros and cons of zonal marking What weve seen is that teams are going with zonal marking and its causing a lot of problems.The problem that you have is that these players are more or less stood in a line. When youre doing zonal youll tell the person stood next to you to stretch their hands out.You should then be touching their hands. What thats supposed to do is stop gaps appearing for the opposition players to run through.But as weve seen with a few teams this season, with Stoke City and even Leicester City at times, is that opposition players are getting into positions that can cause real problems. If youve got a man and he scores then you know youre in for it at half-time. When you play zonal, players will go into the dressing room and say, Hes gone out of my zone. Danny Higginbotham I know as a defender if Im marking zonal, Ive got a standing start. The opponents are giving themselves a run and so theres only going to be one winner.Higginbotham believes that there is a benefit in giving players responsibility to mark another individual rather than allow excuses to be made.In the dressing room before a game you know the man you are going to mark, he says. If youve got a man and he scores then you know youre in for it at half-time. Premier League goals from set-pieces Season Set-piece goals 2012/13 227 2013/14 225 2014/15 217 2015/16 226 2016/17 45 *projected at 244 When you play zonal, players will go into the dressing room, whether at half-time or full-time, and are going to be saying, Hes gone out of my zone, hes gone out of my area.However, Higginbotham believes there are advantages to zonal marking. What zonal will stop is people pulling shirts and stuff like that, he adds. The other thing it will do is stop people being blocked.As a result, Higginbothams preference is for a hybrid system that fuses elements of both the zonal and man-to-man systems.Thats what Stoke used during his time at the club, conceding only 16 goals from set-pieces in 2010/11 - in contrast to the seven conceded in their opening six games of 2016/17.The way we used to do it at Stoke City, we were quite successful at it in terms of not conceding many goals, says Higginbotham. Christian Benteke explains why zonal marking makes it easier for him Tony Pulis Stoke would have three zonal men - one at the front, one at the centre making sure that the man cant get close to your goalkeeper and another one at the far post.What Id be saying is that we go back to the first scenario where you have a few zonal markers, he adds.If theres a problem where you have a player in your team who is prone to pulling shirts, you let him become the zonal one and give him the space to run into and attack the ball.Its another situation for teams to resolve and its just a case of getting the best of both worlds without confusing players too much. Also See: Europes best young player Cruyff legacy lives on Buy Adidas Basketball Shoes Online . And like the near entirety of last season, Jonathan Bernier and Torontos goaltending tandem is up to the task. Adidas Nmd Mens Ireland . 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The English Football Association had charged the German right back with violent conduct after retrospectively reviewing video evidence of an incident that was missed by match officials at Craven Cottage on Saturday.MANCHESTER, England -- Arsenal and Manchester City showed no sign of slowing up in the race for the Premier League title by grabbing routine home wins on Saturday to stay 1-2 in the standings. Spain playmaker Santi Cazorla scored second-half goals in a five-minute span for Arsenal in a 2-0 victory over lowly Fulham that keeps the Gunners in the lead by a point. "We have played 22 games and have 51 points. If you compare that to any other season you will see that it is one of the best, if not the best ever," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said after his sides fifth straight league win. "So lets just continue." City put on another attacking clinic to breeze past Cardiff 4-2 and pass the 100-goal mark this season in all competitions -- after just 34 matches. Edin Dzeko, Jesus Navas, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero netted for City, which has now scored four or more goals in a game on 12 occasions this campaign. "Its not easy to score 103 goals by the middle of the season," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. "It reflects how we think this team must play. We are always an attractive team." The Chelsea side of last season had been the previous fastest to reach a century of goals in the Premier League era, after 42 games, but Pellegrinis entertainers have set a high bar. The defeat dumped Cardiff into last place and ensured a miserable return to Manchester for its coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who spent 11 successful years across the city at United. Third-place Chelsea will look to stay a point behind City by beating Manchester United at home on Sunday in the standout game of the weekend. Liverpool lost ground in fourth by drawing 2-2 at home to Aston Villa, which raced into a two-goal lead after 36 minutes thanks to strikes by Andreas Weimann and Christian Benteke. Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard -- from the penalty spot -- salvaged a draw for Liverpool, which is now eight points behind Arsenal after spending Christmas Day on top of the table. The scrap for survival is even tighter than the battle for first place, with three teams now locked on 18 points in the relegation zone. Crystal Palace started the day in last place but Jasoon Puncheon made up for his awful penalty miss against Tottenham last week by converting from the spot against Stoke, sealing a 1-0 win.dddddddddddd Sunderland remains second from bottom after coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Southampton and West Ham makes up the bottom three following a 3-1 loss to Newcastle, for whom France midfielder Yohan Cabaye scored twice while compatriot Loic Remy netted the other. Norwich climbed five points clear of the drop zone thanks to a 1-0 win over Hull, secured by Ryan Bennetts 87th-minute goal. Although Arsenal is maintaining the remarkable consistency it enjoyed in 2013, it will be difficult to stop City on current form. Solskjaer was part of a string of wonderfully attacking teams during his time at Old Trafford, but none of them were as rampant as Citys class of 2013-14. Edin Dzeko brought up Citys century of goals with a scruffy opener that dribbled just over the line in the 14th minute at Etihad Stadium, with the validity of the strike confirmed by the Goal Decision System on the giant screens in the corner of the ground. Craig Noone equalized for Cardiff in the 29th minute but Jesus Navas restored Citys lead three minutes later and second-half goals by Yaya Toure and substitute Sergio Aguero kept up the teams 100 per cent home record in the league. "We are playing fantastic football at the moment," Pellegrini said. "We play with fantastic intensity and that is how we must continue. The best way to play is the way we are playing now." With Theo Walcott out for the rest of the season with a knee problem and Aaron Ramsey still not fully recovered from injury, it was Cazorlas turn to chip in with goals from midfield to ease the burden on chief striker Olivier Giroud. Cazorla delivered instinctive finishes in the 57th and 62nd minutes, the first to complete a flowing move and the second after latching onto a clearance to break down the stubborn resistance of a Fulham side that arrived at Emirates Stadium with the leagues leakiest defence. "He is one of the players who can create something special, either through his pass or through his finishing," Wenger said of Cazorla. ' ' '