Breaking the Zone...

[da_champ]

After our losses this year (particularly against the swans and crows) it has become very clear that we struggle against teams who flood defensively and set up a rolling zone.

I would like to see some suggestions/tactics into how we as a team can overcome this. Obviously it isn't an easy question, but I and hopefully many others would like to see some new ideas.

There has been much criticism of the coaching staff/players in recent weeks, however I don't want it to come up in this thread. No player bashing, just constructive criticism. Put forward some new tactics and a different game plan that you believe could help us progress as a team.

If you want to post what you believe is our best side, then give reasons as well. This isn't a "What is our best side?" thread. More of a "You be the coach thread." Think as creatively and laterally as you can!

 

[a1118374]

Its fairly well known that drawing players and running with handball is the best way to break the zone up. This is obviously the way to beat these teams, but with the skills we displayed on saturday it doesnt matter what the gameplan is.

Simply put....If you cant kick or handball to a teammate without them having to reach down/up or try to control on the bounce you wont win many games.

If we had half decent skills and kicked better for goal on saturday we would have won.

 

[djudd]

From being at the game on saturday all i can say is(and its not rocket science)play man on man especially when kicking with a 5 goal wind.
Adelaide had 6 on 3 in the 1st qtr against us.
Every time in the last 5 years we let opposition teams to have a loose player or 2 in our forward line we always loose.
We was so badly outplayed and coached on the weekend it was embarrassing to be a carlton supporter.
I thought we would learn from the freo game about the man on man stuff but hey what would i no?

 

[gbatman]

play one on one contested footy, man up the opposition when we have the ball, run off them late if at all. The zone forces us to be out numbered, not good enough if we run around looking for the space that's not there. We need to go one on one, draw players into the contest and win contested ball then run it forward and kick, overusing they handball doesn't work for us against their zone.

 

[parrot]

Our anti-flooding tactics clearly didn't work against Floodelaide. Obviously Ratten and co had been working on some sort of elaborate anti-flooding strategy, that just did not work in practice. We always struggle against the AFL's ultraflooders. In the 2nd half we just went back to man-on-man footy and won that half half pretty convincingly. Think we've become too reactive, and too worried about the oppositions tactics rather than play to our strengths, and let them do the worrying. We should have won that game comfortably.

 

[no. 4]

In my opinion, there are two issues with the game plan. I don't question Ratten's ability but every game I have noticed two common issues: no accountability in the midfield and an inability to break through a zone, be it when kicking in or in open play. I know tagging is frowned upon but we never tag a midfielder from the opposition. Ratten always places a tag or run with role with the best small forward and the best half back flanker in the opposition but always lets the midfield go all out attack. Obviously the midfield has to win its own ball but we have to pay respect to players like Thompson and Edwards some respect.

 

[blues_gibbzy]

Man the men up that are protecting the space and than everyone leads they have to follow you than kick it long to the K bomb than easy goal