GAME THREAD - Us v Them

[OnceWeWereKings]

Saw some very good signs tonight. Yeah it looks like a comfortable loss but the stats sheet says we competed, and really the difference was a little more system and a little more polish in a handful of plays. In the general run of play, we definitely pressured the Pies and gave as good as we got. That is progress for us.

Henderson, Kreuzer and Bower to come back in for Thornton, Hampson and I'm not quite sure who else, and there is more system for us to work with.

We had a few players down tonight who would normally perform well, but still didn't get blown off the park.

Lots of improvement left in this side, but we are finally seeing the right mindset and appropriate amounts of effort.

Some will think it is all about the four points though, and not the experience. We measured ourselves against the premiers with a side that is not yet settled, and were not found wanting in the heat of battle. I'll take that. Looking forward to each week now, and especially the rematch.

Bullseye

Really good signs from an as yet settled team.
With three to five players ( Henderson, Bower, Kruezer - Lucas, Armfield, McClean, Ellard ) to possibly come into the team I think our improvement will bring us closer to being able to match it with the Pies.

The inclusions of Hendo and Bower will really settle our structure both defensively and offensively. Kruezer can be used as a swingman.

We need to win the games we should, but really looking forward to matching up against the Pies later in the year.

On a side note, this unbeatable Magpies nonsense is just that, nonsense.

If they loose their key ruckman in Jolly just as we lost Kruezer last year they are in real strife.

Leigh Brown and Cam Wood as your ruckmen just dont cut it.

Their getable, and potentially getable this year.

Good signs by the Blues.

 

[JuddyBuddy]

Well played Blues, outside of that 3 goal burst we had in the 2nd quarter I thought you guys held your own extremely well. You would have beaten any other team tonight with that gang tackling pressure. It was a frustrating game to watch, we just couldn't break you.

**** off, Matt. Piss off with your "oh, we're so ****in good, pity you couldn't get near us, but you tried" shit. It's condescending rubbish.

Enjoy it while it lasts, cause 2010 will be the last flag you win for a long time.

 

[TNBT]

Ease up there JB. Matt has been pretty realistic with what he has said about the game so far, and is probably the only Pies fan who will admit that the umps were shithouse tonight. I'm pissed off as well, but Matt is alright I think.

 

[Swade]

Can some1 please explain to me why watson didnt take anymore than 1 or 2 kickouts? i would think a zonebusting kicker, playing against the reigning premier who are known for keeping the ball in the forwardline, WHILE we were struggling to get the ball outside our 50, it would then be a good idea to see watson kick a 60-65 meter drop punt up the middle of the ground, and hope for the best...

 

[Red Bull]

Carlton v Essendon R 4

In : Henderson Bower Armfield Lucas

Out : Thornton Duigan Carrazzo Collins


B : Russell Jamison Laidler

HB: Yarran Watson Bower

C : Simpson Judd Scotland

HF: Garlett Henderson Robinson

F : Betts Waite Hampson

R : Warnock Gibbs Murphy

INT: Curnow Armfield Lucas SUB : Walker

**** IN : Kruezer OUT : Hampson ASAP !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Azul]

Can some1 please explain to me why watson didnt take anymore than 1 or 2 kickouts?

Seemed to me that he was supposed to be the target. Player kicks out to Watson. Watson launches it into the attacking half. Unfortunately, Collingwood zone off too effectively, so Watson only had short targets available in that scenario.

I remember when he did roost one from the goalsquare it was marked by a Magpie.

 

[SBYM]

Some very interesting views thus far.

I'm always interested in scoring shots;
Q1: Blues 7, Filth 6
Q2: 2, 10
Q3: 4, 4
Q4: 6, 7

I think that's a bloody good result, really. They are obviously a superior team, yet outside the second, we didn't let them have it all their own way, as has been pointed out by 40YB repeatedly I think. Just goes to show what's needed; a four quarter effort. Last one I can remember was St Kilda under lights at Etihad last year, and look what happened then.

It was just too patchy a performance with far too many good players down. Good signs, but indicative of how far we have left to go to have the pleasure of rubbing their stinking faces in it like they did to us tonight.

PS. The next person who says to me, 'C. Judd, three votes', is gonna get a punch in the nose.

 

[Sin City]

C. Judd, three votes

 

[Claypigeon]

C. Judd, three votes

Just watching the replay. .. Umpire gave a free kick to Matty in our forward line last night and I was like is Watson up forward. .. Today I realised he said Matty, Matty Warnock's free kick

 

[SBYM]

I was wondering how long that would take. Seriously, didn't every fat pleb anywhere near you last night let forth this little pearler every time Juddy went near the ball?

Forgot...hate mentioning the umpires but jeeezzuzzz, that free kick Gibbsy missed out on was crucial, would have put us 8 points behind, and as Finey very astutely pointed out last night, football is played relative to the scoreboard. Would have made for a very interesting few minutes at least.

 

[Dramoth]

Haha! The one thing that constantly does irritate me is that the Blues have won 7 more games between the clubs over 120 years of footy. That has bothered me for a decade. After 2011 I reckon we'll be square on 16 flags each though.

Not if by some chance Carlton manages to make it to the grand final

5 grand finals in 100 years... all wins to Carlton

 

[Claypigeon]

I actually hope Judd gets the 3 votes. .. Not that he was near BOG but at least I can take the positive image of Eddie's head exploding out of this contest

 

[SBYM]

 

[ESKIE]

Not a bad effort, we matched them for just over three quarters, their scoring burst in the 2nd quarter was the difference...

I was disappointed in Warnock's game tonight, he scored some frees, but appeared to have no impact, Jolly is good and boy they would be RS without him, Collins struggled with the tempo when he came on & e sill be better for the experience would like to see him play next week, under the circumstances our defence did okay, I like Laidler and Jammo played a better second half and will be better for the hit out. Gibbs on Pendlebury just didn;t seem to work, I would have subbed Carrazzo instead of Walker, we need that big body in the forward line and hope Hendo is back for next week.

I loved Curnow, Jeffy, Mitch and Juddy's tackling was awesome, lots of positives, we didn;t get blown away and a few wasted opportunities it cold have been a lot closer, they are definitely beatable.

Also, Dane Swan is one of the most over rated players, yes he is good but vastly over rated.

 

[Azul]

Just watching the replay. .. Umpire gave a free kick to Matty in our forward line last night and I was like is Watson up forward. .. Today I realised he said Matty, Matty Warnock's free kick

Worse, The Age reports that Blair was paid a free kick by running into Jordan Bannister.

 

[Blue and Silver]

That review by Connelly is ridiculous.

The Pies weren't scary last night, they had their best players beaten or rendered neutral, and simply had better depth. Coming up against a side with several key players missing they beat us to the contested footy and had a better spread up forward.

And who from Collingwood would pass as "absolute stars" at other clubs? B. Johnson benefits from Shaw copping the first forward tag, Sidebottom would be under a lot more pressure at other clubs, Blair is a small forward who got lucky on a few occassions and read the drop best on a few others. Talking out of his ass

 

[Claypigeon]

That review by Connelly is ridiculous.

The Pies weren't scary last night, they had their best players beaten or rendered neutral, and simply had better depth. Coming up against a side with several key players missing they beat us to the contested footy and had a better spread up forward.

And who from Collingwood would pass as "absolute stars" at other clubs? B. Johnson benefits from Shaw copping the first forward tag, Sidebottom would be under a lot more pressure at other clubs, Blair is a small forward who got lucky on a few occassions and read the drop best on a few others. Talking out of his ass

They were intense though and players like Rusty, Gibbs, Betts, Carrots and Simmo got fumbly. .. Most of those also did some good things so I am not been critical, more highlighting that those players can learn from that, hopefully. .. By the same token some of theirs were fumbly and off their game too, due to our intensity and we should definitely learn from that and hopefully bring that to the lesser teams. ..

 

[The Toad]

I was out last night so I have only seen bits and peices of the game, but I have read a few post's saying the Duigan should be dropped.

WHY?

From what I have seen so far I think he will be a bloody good player for us. As I said I haven't seen last night's game, but was he that bad that we send him packing?

Leave him in the side to gain the confidence he needs. I think he will be well worth it.

 

[Claypigeon]

I was out last night so I have only seen bits and peices of the game, but I have read a few post's saying the Duigan should be dropped.

WHY?

From what I have seen so far I think he will be a bloody good player for us. As I said I haven't seen last night's game, but was he that bad that we send him packing?

Leave him in the side to gain the confidence he needs. I think he will be well worth it.

I for one put his name forward. .. but not out of spite but out of necessity. .. Its either Duigs or Steps to make way for Bower. .. Bower needs to come back as the third tall and we need to give Watson a few more games to allow for this. .. Steps rotates well and I think some here blame him for losing contests against the opponents of others. .. So that only leave Duigs or perhaps Rusty?

 

[The Toad]

I for one put his name forward. .. but not out of spite but out of necessity. .. Its either Duigs or Steps to make way for Bower. .. Bower needs to come back as the third tall and we need to give Watson a few more games to allow for this. .. Steps rotates well and I think some here blame him for losing contests against the opponents of others. .. So that only leave Duigs or perhaps Rusty?

Pardon my ignorance, but who is steps?

 

[blues4flag]

I was out last night so I have only seen bits and peices of the game, but I have read a few post's saying the Duigan should be dropped.

WHY?

From what I have seen so far I think he will be a bloody good player for us. As I said I haven't seen last night's game, but was he that bad that we send him packing?

Leave him in the side to gain the confidence he needs. I think he will be well worth it.

Just haven't seen it. He's been solid in part but looks unsure with ball in hands.

 

[Azul]

Duigan has been serviceable but we need Bower. Ideal back 6:

Russell Jamison Yarran
Watson Bower Armfield


Yarran can play forward. Armfield and Russell can rotate through the midfield.

With a 3 man interchange bench, we can't afford to carry both Duigan AND Laidler in the same team - neither have shown the versatility to be anything other than medium defenders.

 

[Azul]

Pardon my ignorance, but who is steps?

Step Ladder --> Laidler ?

 

[Sir CJ]

One thing I was getting frustrated at last night was our work at the stoppages in defense, too often they got some soft goals our of the packs and won too many contests when we needed to tighten up and move the ball out as quick as possible, it was obviously particularly evident in the 2nd qtr, we need to tighten up on that aspect of the game

 

[Blueboys7]

One thing I was getting frustrated at last night was our work at the stoppages in defense, too often they got some soft goals our of the packs and won too many contests when we needed to tighten up and move the ball out as quick as possible, it was obviously particularly evident in the 2nd qtr, we need to tighten up on that aspect of the game

That killed us, they got easy goals when the shouldn't have and in turn we had to work hard for our goals.