View Full Version : The Mix
Knight Ryders
8 Apr 2010, 12:38
Something I've been thinking about our team of late that we don't quite have the mix right in our team, particularly in the midfield. I think we are currently picking our best players, but this doesn't necessarily result in the best mix for the team to be successful. Our game plan is designed around quick and skillful movement of the ball, but currently we don't have the right mix to implement this. We have too many similar players who are probably our best players, but I think we need to drop a few of them to bring in players that our not necessarily in our best 22 but provide the skills and/or dash that we require.
For instance, the plodders we currently have are Watson, Welsh, McVeigh, Slattery, Hocking, Stanton, Prismall, Myers, Dyson and Howlett. Of the dashers, Winderlich is out of form compared to last year, Reimers was dropped, Zaharakis is filling a hole up forward and Dempsey provides dash but his skill is sometimes questionable.
The introduction of Melksham should be a plus, but I think there is room to bring in Houli, Reimers, Zaharakis into the midfield rotations; and Hardingham and Atkinson into the backline. I know that Atkinson's skill level and decision making can sometimes be poor, but he provides the sort of dash that is required to pull off our game plan and give our young forwards a chance to compete one on one.
Who are the plodders that should make way? For mine, Watson, Stanton, Prismall and McVeigh (one of our best ball users) should be the only ones guaranteed a game atm.
Watson and Stanton are locks.
All other players should be (I'm blank on the word I want to use here)... made to earn their places; McVeigh hasn't done much in 18 months; nor Welsh; Hocking has done what he can rotating between the backline and short midfield stints; Dyson has been OK without being great; Prismall has been a disappointment; Howlett has been impressive; Myers should be playing midfield if anywhere; Slattery is fine but he needs run surrounding him.
It won't happen, but if Welsh and Prismall produce another below-par game, I'd like to see Welsh replaced with Myers or Hocking, and Prismall with Houli or Zaharakis.
Skeeta Olly
8 Apr 2010, 12:55
Midfield and Forward lines need to be fixed up. No balance whatsoever.
I tend to agree with what Whomb has written. Welsh and Pris may be the ones who make way for some players with pace through the middle.
We are really missing Lovett's pace and no one has seemed to step up with him gone.
I tend to agree with what Whomb has written. Welsh and Pris may be the ones who make way for some players with pace through the middle.
We are really missing Lovett's pace and no one has seemed to step up with him gone.
Its a lot of pressure on a young player but I am hoping Melksham will be that replacement for Lovett. If he has a good game on Sat there will be some tough choices to make.
Knight Ryders
8 Apr 2010, 13:13
While Prismall has been hugely indirect this year, when he came in last year he displayed some very good foot skills. Seems to be running around in circles somewhat this year, along with our midfield in general at times.
May be this is where we've missed another marking target up forward such as Hurley (sorely missed to date) or even Daniher for this week. One thing you know with Daniher is that he will present and present because he is so determined and Hurley is just a magnet. Gumby is not really demanding the ball at this stage, but this may come with confidence in himself and his body.
gPhonque
8 Apr 2010, 13:35
Watson and Stanton are locks.
Why is Stanton a lock?
He's average. Overrated by everybody. Yes, he gets a lot of the ball, and yes he runs his guts out all day.... but what does he ever do with the ball when he gets it? McPhee makes decisions quicker than Stanton. He has average disposal and makes slow, bad, decisions a lot of the time.
There's nothing worse than watching Stanton try to set up a run through the middle from half-back. He waits until the last second to offload the handball, by which time the opposition and everybody watching the game knows exactly who he's going to offload it to, which gives the opposition time to get onto the receiver, which usually results in Stanton offloading to a teammate who is under immense pressure, which generally results in a turnover.
He does it every single game.
Yes, he might be trying to execute Knights' gameplan, but if you can't execute it with any success, then what's the point? Watching Stanton try to create some run through the middle is like watching somebody fall down a flight of stairs.
In my opinion, Stanton does NOT fit Knights' gameplan. His decisions are too slow, and his skills are average at best. But because he runs all day and gets the ball a lot, he's a "teacher's pet" and can't be dropped. I think that's rubbish. He has some serious deficiencies in his game that need to be looked at IF he's to improve at all, and let's face it, he hasn't improved at all over the last 3 years. (MAYBE his kicking has gotten a little better, but it's still average at best. For every pass that he drills onto somebody's chest these days, there are still 3 or 4 that miss the mark by a long way... and when you're getting the ball as much as he does, that tends to hurt.)
Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but for somebody who's allegedly one of our "top tier" players now, I expect much more from him. My heart is generally in my mouth every time he gets the ball.
I wouldn't call Stanton "a lock" by any means.
The_Young_Gun
8 Apr 2010, 13:44
Midfield just needs a big kick up the bum.. Winderlichs been a bit of a dissapointment to start off, I'd like to see him play up forward this saturday to spark the forward line a little.
Forward line mainly just needs structure, Neagle should come back this week.
Backline needs an NLM or Atkinson to provide extra run... Dempsey is our only run ATM.
Ben the Gooner
8 Apr 2010, 13:47
and let's face it, he hasn't improved at all over the last 3 years.
What a load of pure shite.
Why is Stanton a lock?
He's average.
If Stanton is average then he's hell of a lot less average than most of our other midfielders.
kelvin_sheedy
8 Apr 2010, 14:16
I've been whinging about team selections and balance for 2 years now.
I recall having a massive argument with our ex mod Angie666 on how we lost games against North and someone else because our mix was not right and we didn't select the best team.
Anticipating 5pm today to see the team selected.
gPhonque
8 Apr 2010, 14:21
What a load of pure shite.
What a great argument.
Why is Stanton a lock?
[...]Fair enough mate.
No disrespect intended, but I've had this argument with people so many times it feels like banging my head against a brick wall (as I'm sure it does for you).
Agree to disagree.
Kaiser Powser
8 Apr 2010, 14:39
What a great argument.
Was more accurate than most of your points.
Stanton will not be dropped. And not due to favouritism. He is becoming a very good player.
How we can attack players like Stanton, while hacks like Welsh, Slattery, Myers and Dyson are getting games is ridiculous.
stay true
8 Apr 2010, 15:01
Why is Stanton a lock?
[...]
Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but for somebody who's allegedly one of our "top tier" players now, I expect much more from him. My heart is generally in my mouth every time he gets the ball.
I wouldn't call Stanton "a lock" by any means.
I reckon you were a little harsh. His disposal has definitely improved since we first drafted him and so has his numbers and ability to cope with a hard tag.
At almost 24 years of age, I think there is scope for more improvement. Not everyone is a Judd or a Selwood and are guns from day dot. He's a far less frustrating player now than he was IMO.
What a great argument.
And what was your argument? Has become our most consistent mid. Goes for the long dangerous kick many a time and, while they might not all come off, he is a playmaker, runs all day and will be our Dane Swan come next year, if not this year. He is very good and like Jobe did last year, everyone will believe by years end.
Ben the Gooner
8 Apr 2010, 16:36
What a great argument.
If you can't see the difference between the bloke who was squibbing packs this time in 2008 and what we have now, I can't help.
gPhonque
8 Apr 2010, 17:07
If you can't see the difference between the bloke who was squibbing packs this time in 2008 and what we have now, I can't help.
And if you can't see that Stanton, due to his knack of consistently putting teammates under pressure with his poor disposal decisions, is responsible for more turnovers than anybody else in our side, then I can't help.
Considering we're being beaten by our bad turnovers and poor skills, I would have thought that the guy responsible for a fair share of those problems would be fair game? :confused:
Anyway, it wasn't my intention to derail this thread into a Stanton discussion. I just wondered how, when we're talking about "the mix" of our side, a guy who I'm not sure even suits Knights' gameplan, and who is also directly and indirectly responsible for many of the errors we are all complaining about, could be a "lock" in the side.
kelvin_sheedy
8 Apr 2010, 18:49
Considering we're being beaten by our bad turnovers and poor skills, I would have thought that the guy responsible for a fair share of those problems would be fair game? :confused:
They are... hence why Prismall was dropped this week. ;)
Ben the Gooner
8 Apr 2010, 21:46
And if you can't see that Stanton, due to his knack of consistently putting teammates under pressure with his poor disposal decisions, is responsible for more turnovers than anybody else in our side, then I can't help.
Stants is prone to a shocker of a kick every now and then, but this statement is just crap. He's usually pretty reliable. Sure, it's not lace out on the chest every time, but it's certainly not bad disposal.
Considering we're being beaten by our bad turnovers and poor skills, I would have thought that the guy responsible for a fair share of those problems would be fair game? :confused:
What kelvin said (I fully expect this to become a sig)
Anyway, it wasn't my intention to derail this thread into a Stanton discussion. I just wondered how, when we're talking about "the mix" of our side, a guy who I'm not sure even suits Knights' gameplan, and who is also directly and indirectly responsible for many of the errors we are all complaining about, could be a "lock" in the side.
Fair enough. Leave it there?