Midfield hitting the scoreboard.....

[The Butcher]

Did you get a parking fine for parking on the Medium Strip last night?

The Dogs showed us that any thoughts that players can EITHER have the attributes of big bodied strong contested ball beasts, or fast nimble outside runners is as out dated as the typewriter. The number of times I witnessed Zeibs lose a contest under the rucks to someone like a Jonge cements the idea for me.

 

[Gasometer]

The Dogs showed us that any thoughts that players can EITHER have the attributes of big bodied strong contested ball beasts, or fast nimble outside runners is as out dated as the typewriter. The number of times I witnessed Zeibs lose a contest under the rucks to someone like a Jonge cements the idea for me.

Wat?

Are you one of Arthur Cloke's 54 mates?

Did he get a parking fine I asked?

 

[Moti]

The Dogs showed us that any thoughts that players can EITHER have the attributes of big bodied strong contested ball beasts, or fast nimble outside runners is as out dated as the typewriter. The number of times I witnessed Zeibs lose a contest under the rucks to someone like a Jonge cements the idea for me.

Said the same thing last year, we recruited a type of player, most clubs are recruiting a player that can play different types. Z is not a strong clearance player, Swallow a much stronger player at the contest.

 

[royalblue92]

Each mid has a lot to think about, starting with Cunnington's lethargic manor and constant don't argues that turn into an instant tackle, moving to Dal santo's constant ball watching and inability to put in two weeks of high intensity football, to Ziebell's lack of polish during his second efforts - continuing on with Jed's anxiousness around linking plays and the lack of faith he has when he disposes the footy - proceeding onto Mc Kenzie's inability to play on any forward unless it is Caleb Daniel.

Point is, these guys offer plenty when they're switched on and ready to play for a big game, but if they are slightly off, most prove to be liabilities out on the park. When was the last time we had a player or even a passage of play where a North guernsey was able to break out of pack and get a clean effective kick? We're just getting turn overs after turn over's at the moment.

 

[Horace]

Dont compare our current midfield to Geelongs premiership one. Skill levels are chalk and cheese. Who's our Bartel that hits the scoreboard? Who's our Ablett that breaks the lines and hits the scoreboard????? You doing LED over there champ?

I think I'm agreeing with Tas.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Did you get a parking fine for parking on the Medium Strip last night?

Yes sir. It capped off a night I'd rather forget. $160!!!! Melb City Council must think money grows on trees!! It's like I've got a money pit put aside to pay these absorbent fines. I'll be taking it further. One of my 428 mates invented Medicare - he'll sort it out - he's got like 3 computers at home.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Swallow hasn't kicked a goal this year. WHich is amazing for a mid.

But he's a high-half mid. So it doesn't count.

 

[Gasometer]

Yes sir. It capped off a night I'd rather forget. $160!!!! Melb City Council must think money grows on trees!! It's like I've got a money pit put aside to pay these absorbent fines. I'll be taking it further. One of my 428 mates invented Medicare - he'll sort it out - he's got like 3 computers at home.

Write a letter asking for a review.

You can download the pfd on a computer.

 

[Tas]

You're right Tas but AC & Moti aren't wrong either. Part of the reason we are playing this way is that we have run out of steam and can't cover the spread on the defensive side.

I'm not sure if it is run out of steam. Our core mids do not work hard enough forward or defensively. They will do the defensive work at stoppages but Swallow, Ziebell, Cunnington and Dal Santo in particular move between the arcs at a slow pace irrespective if we have the ball or the opposition has the ball. Gibson and Wells are pretty much the only ones that run and carry the ball, we are too reliant on our flankers to make up for what we lack from the midfield group in general.

We moved the ball quickly several times yesterday then f*cked it up by handballing 4 feet to someone's side. Players then get caught out and can't recover. Part of the reason they can't recover is that they don't have enough pure legspeed and running power.

Yes, our skills were s**t, but our skills were s**t in the last quarter where we took the game on for 5 minutes as well, and we found the ability to score by using the corridor and moving the ball quickly. Unsurprisingly, 5 minutes of football isn't enough to win a game.

We know this and are trying to setup to prevent it but we keep getting injuries to the players that provide this pressure. Despite the PR pieces written about Drew our best pressure players at the moment are Wells and maybe Thomas when he isn't distracted by getting reamed every which way. Wells can barely get on the park every 3rd week and we are relying on him to come in and do what Rioli does... it is just insanity. Clarke in is a step in the right direction because he has decent top line speed and can run a lot. He stands out like dogs balls.

The problem is we are not playing to our strengths. We don't have the skill levels to play possession football, that game plan should have been crossed off the board because of it. We are over-exposing our weaknesses. We use a zone, where everyone is sagging off 5-10m and they are incapable of getting to the contest when there is no pressure on the ball movement, so we allow the opposition to take uncontested marks at will.

We have only brought the heat, that real in your face pressure for 2 or 3 games this season, if the coach can't get the players to bring that pressure consistently then his game plan is not going to work. The question is why can't he get that heat consistently and when he can't why doesn't he change to plan B. If he can't get the team to bring that pressure every week then ultimately his game plan is a failure or he is not good enough to get them to come out and play consistently.

The good news about all of this is that I don't think adding 3-4 good solid pacy runners into this team is that hard to do. The tough part is that which I'm worried about - do they have the guts to make the tough calls and trade guys out who are surplus to requirements?

We would need to change the structure of the side and the way we play to even fit 3-4 outside mids in the side.

 

[shintemaster]

We would need to change the structure of the side and the way we play to even fit 3-4 outside mids in the side.

Somewhat Tas, but it depends who we are replacing with them.

 

[Tas]

Somewhat Tas, but it depends who we are replacing with them.

That is the problem, other than Dal Santo, who is exiting the midfield any time soon? You have to also account for that Jacobs would also move into the midfield when he is fit and he isn't a Gazelle either.

 

[shintemaster]

That is the problem, other than Dal Santo, who is exiting the midfield any time soon? You have to also account for that Jacobs would also move into the midfield when he is fit and he isn't a Gazelle either.

That's the point I guess. We need to make some hard calls on players that might be more than capable but surplus to our strengths.

 

[Tas]

That's the point I guess. We need to make some hard calls on players that might be more than capable but surplus to our strengths.

I don't think it is the players. At the moment Swallow/Cunnington/Ziebell while get clearances do not really work hard for each other in terms of retaining the ball. Cunnington is best out of the three in terms of his ability to look for targets by hand, but doesn't follow up with second and third efforts aggressively, he will defensively at stoppages. Ziebell is more prone to follow up aggressively but is horrendous at ball retention. Swallow looks like he is handling a beach ball with his kicks and handpasses.

You can say this player or that player is surplus to our strengths but my contention is that we are trained well to win a stoppage but are not trained well in terms of ball retention or ball usage. I find it hard to believe that Ziebell would be banging the ball on the boot as often as he does, even when he has time and space if there was a concerted effort from the coaching department to focus on ensuring we retain possession of the ball. Same as our slow up the line movement of the ball from half-back. We just maximise the opportunity of turning over the ball with our lack of system and inability to get into or create space.

I am not convinced it is a player issue but one of a lack of direction from the coaching department. We had the same stodgy midfielders when we were considered the fastest transition team in the competition, we were second behind Hawthorn for ball use. It is a lot easier to use the ball well when players spread and you have options to go to which aren't contested.

I just don't see shuffling the deck chairs is going to resolve anything unless the new players come in are taught how to play a brand of football that will allow them to play and win consistently and contend for a flag.

 

[kool kangas]

ATM aside from Ben Brown, the only other player who l feel comfortable shooting for goal and isn't afraid to is MacMillan. Shame we can't have him playing in the midfield.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Season tally:
Wells 5 goals
Nicky Dal 4 goals
Cunners 3 goals
Swallow 0 goals.

According to my mum, the Swans midfield has kicked 95 goals this season compared to 65 for us (NM).

That's damning. Absolutely damning.

 

[archereleven]

Im more worried about the midfield hitting a 25m pass...

 

[Tas]

Season tally:
Wells 5 goals
Nicky Dal 4 goals
Cunners 3 goals
Swallow 0 goals.

According to my mum, the Swans midfield has kicked 95 goals this season compared to 65 for us (NM).

That's damning. Absolutely damning.

Our midfield goals are a bit misleading, a lot of our midfield goals come from when they are playing forward, ie most of Ziebell's goals are when he is playing half-forward, he hasn't kicked 16 goals playing in the midfield.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Season tally:
Wells 5 goals
Nicky Dal 4 goals
Cunners 3 goals
Swallow 0 goals.

Just reporting - no change after today.

 

[Roozee]

Just reporting - no change after today.

Swallow hit the scoreboard today.

Pity it was Hawthorns....

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Update:
Swans midfield 102 goals
NM midfield 67 goals.

 

[Yondola]

When I think of mids who regularly kick goals (that don't play forward) I can only really pluck out Gibson. Drifts forward a bit and kicks most of his opportunities. I remember Bastinac used to be pretty handy for a goal.

 

[Yondola]

Update:
Swans midfield 102 goals
NM midfield 67 goals.

Half would be boomer as well, see many our mids get when he retires!

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Update:
Nicky Dal kicked 2 goals today taking the Fab Four (Dal, Cunners, Swallow & Wells) season total to 14 goals.

NM midfield 69 goals.
Swans midfield 115 goals.

 

[Roosurgence]

Hitting a target would be nice .......

 

[Tas]

Between 2012-2014 Bastinac kicked 12, 20 and 16 (48)

Was displaced by Dal Santo who has kicked 9, 1 and 6 (16)

Can't say it has been a raging success of a move. Dal gets more lateral ball but Bastinac continued to spread towards goal and finished relatively well. He is now 25 and Dal is looking at retirement.