Screw it, lets do it

[MileHigh]

It was the title of a book by Richard Branson and I just feel regarding the Blues its pertinent, especially after the weekend (the disclaimer being yes i know it was just a NAB Cup game to avoid the unnecessary posts).

After watching the North v Cats game, both teams just took it on. Its about instinct. I feel our methodology is too much about thinking and not enough about trusting the natural instinct and talents of the players and taking the game on.

Compounding this, the games where we did take it on last year we were the better side. Several games i watched where we were behind because you could see the guys trying to think there way through it, and as soon as time became of the essence to get back in the game and we realised we had to go for broke, we ended up putting a dent in the margin and in some instances coming away with the win.

The sooner into the season Ratten realises this the more exciting our teams is going to play and the more games we are going to win. Sure, sometimes its not going to work out and we will drop a couple, but for the progress of our side and, I think, to come away with a better Win-Loss record, this needs to be recognised, and quickly.

 

[gbatman]

Simplify things? You bet we should. Look at the second Essendon game in 2009. That was a fine example of over complicating things . Keep it simple boys.

 

[jj1978]

I agree...

I hate to compliment the albino (knights) but his theory of teaching his team to be more attacking and instinctive and to worry about the defensive side later has reaped some quick benefits.

I find from midfield onwards our players just halt and make bad decisions moving forward. I think if our mids just take the man on and go for goal themselves a lot more we'd have some pretty good results... instead they try to be too cute and outthink the opposition defence and end up passing the ball right back again.

 

[NAUGHT5]

And this is what makes Essendon great to watch despite being the scum of the earth.

 

[thylacine60]

We played that way under Pago for a while. Mostly to resounding beltings. We too were great to watch - opposition supporters after enjoying smashing us would tell us so. I would love to see us throw caution to the wind as long as we retained our defensive set-ups (whatever they currently are). Can it be done? Geelong?

 

[MileHigh]

Finesse your skills at training, trust your instincts on game day.

Dont think about how you are going to do it, just do it.

 

[Crimson Blue]

We had an awfully inferior team under Pagan than we do now. As bad as he was for us I cant help but wonder if he had this player list when we started how much better we'd be.

To me his coaching style fits this team down to the ground but with the team he had nothing would have helped them.

The only way that he could have stopped several of those beatings would be to play an anti-Pagan system - as slow and as painful as possible... I compare it to a basketball team - the better, more skilled teams can often afford to play like the Phoenix Suns -- get up a shot in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock... Yet, if you don't have that type of talent then you have to take as much of the 24 seconds as possible - often getting the last shot possible hit or miss.

 

[thylacine60]

Richmond beat Adelaide that way some years ago. Officially the worst game of football played although Roos is still trying to outdo Wallets effort that day.

 

[Blue and Silver]

Personally I believe a balance needs to be obtained. Defensive structures and zones do work after all. Therefore I believe some players need to become leaders in zones (forward, back, mid) to organise some structures while the rest play more free flowing footy. Rebounds and attacks should be instinctive, defense should be structured

 

[Crimson Blue]

Its the only way that a team almost completely bereft of talent can win a game of football.

I respect what Pagan did in trying to teach the youngsters of his era how to play attacking football so that when the list was built enough the team already had a background on the basics of winning football.

However, we didn't have the team to be successful playing that style. I believe that it helped several players who not surprisingly had breakout or career years to that point in 2009. Guys like Bret Thornton excelled last year because they were finally able to play (with success) the brand of football that Pagan taught them.

I'm not at all surprised that people are complaining about the midfield and forward lines not playing aggressive enough football when really they haven't been taught that style at the AFL level.

I'm a fan of Rats as a person and of what he accomplished as a player. My problem with him is communication. He isn't the greatest communicator in the world - which is why rumors of him having favorites (Chris Johnson, Brock McLean, and the players who possess genuine football brains - Jordan Russell (who Rats finally realized had been playing out of position all of his career and now has found his natural position), Chris Judd, etc.) - it's because those players know what is expected of them, for the most part. and have the nouse to play to their ability level (whether it be A+ in the case of Judd or fighting against an F like Johnson).

Ultimately, I think we'll end up with a new coach who can play the aggressive football style that is required. I don't think that it's Mick Malthouse, but it could be someone who is untested to this point but has a proven record as a great communicator and has a great football brain- in another thread I posted two words, James Hird. As much as he is everything we hate about Essendon, no doubting he has displayed all of the abilities needed to be that type of coach.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I read 'Screw it, let's do it' by someone named Mile High and immediately decided not to travel by plane for a while.

 

[HBF]

Think it was pretty obvious what Ratts was trying to achieve in Saturday nights game. Who knows, we may play a much more free flowing game on Friday afternoon against Brisbane, or we might just try to determine how to get our structures right again.

 

[thylacine60]

I read 'Screw it, let's do it' by someone named Mile High and immediately decided not to travel by plane for a while.

It ain't so bad say some.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

It ain't so bad say some.

Geez, not bad at all, maybe a few accomodating flight attendants might improve our interstate record!!!!

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

It ain't so bad say some.

I didn't want to spin the wheel and take my chances ...

 

[Dramoth]

I read 'Screw it, let's do it' by someone named Mile High and immediately decided not to travel by plane for a while.

You get kicked off planes for that sort of thing..

 

[blue gunslinger]

I read 'Screw it, let's do it' by someone named Mile High and immediately decided not to travel by plane for a while.

I did the opposite

 

[invinciBlues]

You get kicked off planes for that sort of thing..

They land first though, right?!

 

[blue gunslinger]

They land first though, right?!

prematurely

 

[thylacine60]

I did the opposite

At least the grapes look freshish.

 

[blotto]

back on topic...

The key to a succesful attacking brand of footbal is very simple, even in todays keepings off style of game play. its all based around a solid backline and the understanding they have with the midfield.

A good backline no longer just consists of 6 blokes who can beat their players 1 on 1 and just boot the ball away as far as they can. they have to now know when to run off or leave their man to help out another and when to take the opposition forwards on.

If you look at Geelong, they have a very solid defensive unit, and the midfield has a great understanding of how they opporate, and have the faith in them to win the ball back for them. therefore they are able to anticipate that their team will win the ball before the other team has finished attacking, and instantly bolt away from their men who are running forward trying to sneak a goal and get into a position where they can receive the ball from the backs, and run it forward under little pressure.

Using this game plan also proves you can win games with a mediocre forward line, as long as you have a solid backline, as well as that understanding between the backs and mids. it is infinately easier for forwards to mark and kick goals when the ball is coming in with little to no pressure, hence why nathan ablett has a premiership medallion. its often said the game is won in the middle, but a top line back 6 can make a good midfield great, and a great midfield champions.

This is why i am more excited about our improving backline as opposed to worried about our seemingly lacking forward line. it will take some time, but i think the other 12 players on the ground one day will be taking the pressure away from the forward line to be the match winner.

 

[blue gunslinger]

my interest - melons

 

[celtic_pride]

Stop with the over use short kick chipping crap in the backline and overuse of the handball in the guts (moving the ball up the wing and centre), but most importantly of all, don't kick to a $%^^$5 contest when kicking out from fullback ... And we have to find a way to get around clubs that play clever zone defences, and start to play more attacking, attractive footy, bit like Neil Craig did with the boring Crow-Bots, halfway through last season, turning them into one of the most exciting sides in the comp, simply by modifiying his negative gameplan into a more attacking one.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that out ...

 

[kouta70]

back on topic...

The key to a succesful attacking brand of footbal is very simple, even in todays keepings off style of game play. its all based around a solid backline and the understanding they have with the midfield.

A good backline no longer just consists of 6 blokes who can beat their players 1 on 1 and just boot the ball away as far as they can. they have to now know when to run off or leave their man to help out another and when to take the opposition forwards on.

If you look at Geelong, they have a very solid defensive unit, and the midfield has a great understanding of how they opporate, and have the faith in them to win the ball back for them. therefore they are able to anticipate that their team will win the ball before the other team has finished attacking, and instantly bolt away from their men who are running forward trying to sneak a goal and get into a position where they can receive the ball from the backs, and run it forward under little pressure.

Using this game plan also proves you can win games with a mediocre forward line, as long as you have a solid backline, as well as that understanding between the backs and mids. it is infinately easier for forwards to mark and kick goals when the ball is coming in with little to no pressure, hence why nathan ablett has a premiership medallion. its often said the game is won in the middle, but a top line back 6 can make a good midfield great, and a great midfield champions.

This is why i am more excited about our improving backline as opposed to worried about our seemingly lacking forward line. it will take some time, but i think the other 12 players on the ground one day will be taking the pressure away from the forward line to be the match winner.

Top notch. There is an old saying (from the NFL as I believe). A great offence will win you games. A great defense will win you championships.

Come on. We had a great goal option for years and still couldn't get near a finals appearance. Carlton's defense has been so poor for so long we have become dumb struck. The swans should have killed us. And though our mid's were playing their hearts out it was our backs, even though still lacking some stars and some discipline kept us in it.

Grow the back line. Make it a line of heat and steel. The forwards will come together from good ball generated from the backline.

 

[Dramoth]

They land first though, right?!

You would like to think... but if it's that fat bugger... they might just drop him out the door