The Midfield Revamp.

[Fairtex09]

Ok it's quite clear our major problem in our game is our midfield. Heres the list of our regular midfielders ... the ones with X's next to them are the ones who I believe are the major cause of our midfield woes. Lets face it our midfield is very sub-par.




I think we need to address this problem because these players are letting the rest of the team down especially the forwards with the very poor delivery into the forward 50.

Jones X
Mclean X??
Bruce X
McDonald X
Green
Morton
Moloney
Bartram
Sylvia
Davey

 

[Dez!]

I'm sorry but I can't understand any of that.

 

[Fairtex09]

I'm sorry but I can't understand any of that.

yer edited version is up

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

I mentioned this a few threads ago, possibly referring to our premiership line up or our team in 3 years or something. Most of the concerns were of the forward line, but I also see our midfield in need of a lot of improvement.

Jones, McLean, Moloney..to a lesser extent McDonald are all very similar players. If you could compare them to a modern day midfield maestro like a Mitchell or Bartel that would be alright, but unfortunately we can't. I struggle to compare them to any other midfielders in the comp..Jones any similar to Swan if he can build his tank?

Jones, Morton, Grimes, Maric seems a more likely 4. Still need to add some class, Sylvia is addressing the issue but we need to see improvement in others over time. Add Davey..

If you look at how Hawthorn and Carlton were able to turn there fortunes around, the midfield has been instumental.

Hawthorn: they had Mitchell, Sewell came from no where (arguably us), they got Hodge, Young, Rioli.
Carlton: Judd, Murphy, Gibbs..lesser extent Stevens.

I read somewhere that Scott Thompson might want to come back (I fail to believe), but I think a player like him would be a massive difference. We may have him already, we just dont know it yet..

 

[In And Under Tiger]

I think having Moloney back this year has been a massive positive.

 

[Dez!]

Ok it's quite clear our major problem in our game is our midfield. Heres the list of our regular midfielders ... the ones with X's next to them are the ones who I believe are the major cause of our midfield woes. Lets face it our midfield is very sub-par.




I think we need to address this problem because these players are letting the rest of the team down especially the forwards with the very poor delivery into the forward 50.

Jones X
Mclean X??
Bruce X
McDonald X
Green
Morton
Moloney
Bartram
Sylvia
Davey

Grimes into the midfield would add some class, Bruce has been used mostly on across the half back line this season.

McLean and Jones have done pretty good jobs this season, Moloney has improved with him being able to string some games together this season.

Introducing players like Blease, Grimes and Strauss into the midfield would help greatly as would the return of Simon Buckley and his pace, this would definitely give us a better midfield but will take time as there is no quick fix.

 

[Ausyid]

Jones is woeful. One good piece of play today. Other than that, totally mediocre.

Get's caught in possession, makes bad decisions, and misses targets by both hand and foot. Yes, he tries hard and he wins contested ball but I honestly think Valenti deserves a go ahead of him at this rate.

 

[Colin Grigson]

I thought Jones was good today. Well he was better than what he has been... Would be nice to see a bit more consistency from him. Bruce is so-so, and McLean's a bit of a worry at this stage (but that might have more to do with his limited pre-season..)

I don't think its panic stations by any means, but we need to do a bit of a reshuffle in the middle because its just not working ATM. Would like to see McKenzie given a go at some stage.

As Dez said, once you throw the likes of Blease, Strauss & Bennell in, then we'll look a fair bit better. We'll get another classy finisher at the draft table this year so its not too bad..

We've just got too many grunt players in our midfield ATM and not enough polish. When you add a dysfunctional forward setup, and substandard ruckmen to boot, then your pushing the proverbial up a hill..

 

[AFL is Number One]

I have said many a time that to play a slow coach ( both hands & feet ) like McLean in the midfield , is just giving the other team a head start.

Why we persist with this bloke in the midfield is beyond me.

Play him in the backline. Back pocket is probably his position.

We need speed and classy kicks in the middle. I would definately have Aaron Davey in the middle for a start. I would probably have Green in the middle as well.

But for now , please get McLean out of there.

 

[Dez!]

I have said many a time that to play a slow coach ( both hands & feet ) like McLean in the midfield , is just giving the other team a head start.

Why we persist with this bloke in the midfield is beyond me.

Play him in the backline. Back pocket is probably his position.

We need speed and classy kicks in the middle. I would definately have Aaron Davey in the middle for a start. I would probably have Green in the middle as well.

But for now , please get McLean out of there.

McLean covered the ground extremely well today, his kicking usually is pretty good but had a poor game disposal wise but he wasn't the only one. He still had a pretty decent game but of course everything he does by you is wrong.

 

[omit]

Jones is 4th for score assists so his delivery can't be that bad

 

[AFL is Number One]

McLean covered the ground extremely well today, his kicking usually is pretty good but had a poor game disposal wise but he wasn't the only one. He still had a pretty decent game but of course everything he does by you is wrong.

Dear Dez, you need to get the blinkers off , get yer head out of the sand and see how badly McLean is playing. Yeah, he racks up stats but they go nowhere .

I agree with some of the other views...give him a spell at Casey. The days of us playing him in midfield are over.

 

[Ausyid]

Jones is 4th for score assists so his delivery can't be that bad

4th for our team doesn't mean much mate.

 

[omit]

4th for our team doesn't mean much mate.

true, if he were delivering it to some decent fowards his numbers would probably be up a lot

 

[Dean Chiron]

McLean covered the ground extremely well today, his kicking usually is pretty good but had a poor game disposal wise but he wasn't the only one. He still had a pretty decent game but of course everything he does by you is wrong.

clearly related

 

[Demon 86]

Dear Dez, you need to get the blinkers off , get yer head out of the sand and see how badly McLean is playing. Yeah, he racks up stats but they go nowhere .

I agree with some of the other views...give him a spell at Casey. The days of us playing him in midfield are over.

Brock McClean disposal effieciency- 72%

Chris Judd- 72%

Jimmy bartel and Gary ablett marginally better at 76% and 78% respectively (and thats in a class team that block and shepherd for each other)

So McCleans disposal isnt too bad at all.

 

[Grandmaster_B]

The sooner Bruce is gone the better.

McLean, Jones, McDonald and Moloney all too one dimensional.

 

[Colin Grigson]

Brock McClean disposal effieciency- 72%

Chris Judd- 72%

Jimmy bartel and Gary ablett marginally better at 76% and 78% respectively (and thats in a class team that block and shepherd for each other)

So McCleans disposal isnt too bad at all.

I don't know what those efficiency ratings are for... the season overall???

Probably because a lot of it is him handballing to a player 2 metres away from him.

So what you're saying is that McLean's travelling as well as Judd and slightly behind Ablett and Bartel? Hmmm...

 

[Demon 86]

I don't know what those efficiency ratings are for... the season overall???

Probably because a lot of it is him handballing to a player 2 metres away from him.

So what you're saying is that McLean's travelling as well as Judd and slightly behind Ablett and Bartel? Hmmm...

they are the season overall- unfair to base any sweeping generalisation about McCleans ability to dispose of the ball over one game agreed?

As for handballing to player 2 metres away no doubt a lot of his possessions are like that- but he is an inside player winning contested ball so you'd expect a bit of that!

As for playing as well as Judd- not quite
But just using some stats to defend a player whom i think is one of the least deserving whipping boys at our club!

 

[Fairtex09]

Brock McClean disposal effieciency- 72%

Chris Judd- 72%

Jimmy bartel and Gary ablett marginally better at 76% and 78% respectively (and thats in a class team that block and shepherd for each other)

So McCleans disposal isnt too bad at all.

He may have good efficiency, but like allot of our midfield he makes crappy decisions when he has the ball . It's one thing to kick it to a bloke 15m away but you have to make sure he doesn't have 3 blokes covering him, or inevitably only gaining 10m because you went sideways!

 

[Colin Grigson]

they are the season overall- unfair to base any sweeping generalisation about McCleans ability to dispose of the ball over one game agreed?

As for handballing to player 2 metres away no doubt a lot of his possessions are like that- but he is an inside player winning contested ball so you'd expect a bit of that!

As for playing as well as Judd- not quite
But just using some stats to defend a player whom i think is one of the least deserving whipping boys at our club!

I like Brock. How could any Melbourne supporter not? He is 310% committed to the cause. But something' just not clicking with him ATM...

He didn't start running until after xmas, so thats probably set him back a fair bit. I think he's too bulky as well. Would like to see him trim down and get some power into those legs. He should do a lot more cross-training and sprint training than working on his upper body (an expert Sports Science based opinion of course ).

My point was that I just didn't think the stats reflected his influence in our games.

I guess when you look at the fact we are 1 and 10 and have just been belted by 66 points by a good side (but not top 4), when we had probably our best 22 (on paper) out on the field then you have to start asking some questions about where we are breaking down. I don't think Brock is anywhere near the form he's shown in previous seasons..but he's not the only one...

 

[kv_baby]

Brock McClean disposal effieciency- 72%

Chris Judd- 72%

Jimmy bartel and Gary ablett marginally better at 76% and 78% respectively (and thats in a class team that block and shepherd for each other)

So McCleans disposal isnt too bad at all.

Dude, wtf? McClean is horrible, as if you even put him under the category of these 3 superstars.

McClean is slow, has terrible decision making skills, terrible kick

Now compare that to those 3 players you mentioned.

Get your hands of it Dale.

 

[Demon 86]

Dude, wtf? McClean is horrible, as if you even put him under the category of these 3 superstars.

McClean is slow, has terrible decision making skills, terrible kick

Now compare that to those 3 players you mentioned.

Get your hands of it Dale.

Holy Jebus am i the only MFC supporter who likes McClean? Possibly!

I am in no way putting him in the same class as those 3 players- no one would! Where did i say he was as good as them? I merely used their disposal efficiency stats to compare to McCleans as someone said earlier that his efficiency was horrible!

I dont think McClean is the best kick going around- not even close! But he's there for his grunt, and ball winning ability which are both of a high standard. When we get some silk in the middle (instead of McClean, Jones Moloney, none of whom are great users of the ball), McClean's ball use wont be under the microscope as much because its never been his strongsuit- and never will!

McClean wasnt drafted to be a quick playmaker, he's there to be an inside ball winning midfielder- which he is. The quick playmaking midfielders are going to be Blease + Strauss etc, and if they develop as we hope then McClean will look like the gun he is because he'll be getting the ball, and dishing it to them.

 

[Supermercado]

Maybe we all should start spelling his ****ING NAME RIGHT for starters.

 

[Demon 86]

I like Brock. How could any Melbourne supporter not? He is 310% committed to the cause. But something' just not clicking with him ATM...

He didn't start running until after xmas, so thats probably set him back a fair bit. I think he's too bulky as well. Would like to see him trim down and get some power into those legs. He should do a lot more cross-training and sprint training than working on his upper body (an expert Sports Science based opinion of course ).

My point was that I just didn't think the stats reflected his influence in our games.

I guess when you look at the fact we are 1 and 10 and have just been belted by 66 points by a good side (but not top 4), when we had probably our best 22 (on paper) out on the field then you have to start asking some questions about where we are breaking down. I don't think Brock is anywhere near the form he's shown in previous seasons..but he's not the only one...

Good to see some Brock respect!

The stats i've used as ive mentioned were only to show his disposal isnt as bad as some suggest- but i agree they are misleading to an extent! His decision making isnt brilliant- but its damn tough for any Melbourne midfielders to make a good decision moving forward when there NO ONE presenting on HF!

I think the key here is ur last point- we know Brock can play better which is why its a bit frustrating- but at the end of the day he's one of our better players on a more consistant basis than most!