Undisciplined midfield.

[Olmy]

Our midfield is definitely one of the most talented in the leauge - but I would definitely rank it amongst the most UN-disciplined.

Too many times, players waste the ball when we're in possession. It's not so much tactics, as what it is common sense.

Too many times we see players blaze away to a contest of 4 or more players. Sure, Lynch and a few others can haul those marks in - but it is hardly an effective method of producing scoring opportunities.

Similarly, when the ball is eventually kicked to space in our forward line, the kicks are often haphazard, and leave our forwards under immense pressure to even gain possession. Also, players often over-finesse with the ball, rather than delivering it somewhere useful.


If you watch top players from other clubs (especially guys like Milburn, McLeod, Ratten etc. etc., the list could go on), they all have a great ability to kick to space in the forward line, in a manner that is useful to their forwards.

Part of the problem, is that not enough of our players make enough space when we have possession, either that, or they run to the 'wrong' spaces.

It's pretty clear that the Lions play their best footy when running the ball in numbers somewhere half-way between the centre and the wing boundaries. However, players also need to be able to cross into the centre corridor - something which we are not at all good at (we always turn the ball over when this happens).

It's alright to have numbers around the ball, Likewise, we often get caught out on the rebound because too many of our players have followed the ball down into the forward zone. Not that they should be there in the first place really - they should be trying to give our forwards more space. (Notice how much better our forwards look when they have the space to do things themselves? It's ok to have a few running players come from the midfield to give an option, but not the whole entourage).

Similarly, it's pretty noticeable how many times the Lions lose possession when the ball is in conflict. Too many players all go in for it, and not enough stay out.

Our midfield needs to become more disciplined before it can truly be deserving of their heirs placed on it, due to the obvious talent.

What are other people's thoughts??

 

[OldLion]

The job of the forward can be most unrewarding - always presenting yourself and not getting noticed, and then , when you get a shot at goal you have to nail it. That's why strikers get paid mega bucks.

It's interesting to look at teams like Essendon and the way they hold up play in the mid field until plan B ( or plan X etc ) unfolds in front of them before releasing the ball - trying to pick the lock rather than ram raid. Hawthorn and Sydney allow the opposition to over possess coming in and then rebound to catch out the mid field. I'm not sure if we have any such plans other than hoofing it in the general direction. I reckon we need a 50m goal converter so that we could go long or short - like a perimeter shooter.

If any opposition coach has a clever plan that is followed with discipline, we are more vulnerable than most to this, as we tend to rely on our individual players starring. Therefore the no Voss, no Lions tag ( similar to North with Carey )is more easily applied. The flood,as invented by Eade and refined by Wallace etc, should work well against us.

I'm looking for plans and patterns of play rather than positional moves , in order to establish a more consistant team.

 

[Olmy]

Originally posted by OldLion:
I reckon we need a 50m goal converter so that we could go long or short - like a perimeter shooter.

Notting and Brown fit the bill, as does Lynch when he plays up the ground. They are all hard at it too - something that we need.

 

[Olmy]

Originally posted by OldLion:

Hawthorn and Sydney allow the opposition to over possess coming in and then rebound to catch out the mid field. I'm not sure if we have any such plans other than hoofing it in the general direction. I reckon we need a 50m goal converter so that we could go long or short - like a perimeter shooter.

If any opposition coach has a clever plan that is followed with discipline, we are more vulnerable than most to this, as we tend to rely on our individual players starring. Therefore the no Voss, no Lions tag ( similar to North with Carey )is more easily applied. The flood,as invented by Eade and refined by Wallace etc, should work well against us.

I'm looking for plans and patterns of play rather than positional moves , in order to establish a more consistant team.

Yeah, the flood is working well against us at the moment.

In '99, and at times last year, we were able to overcome it, by force of numbers - a form of counter-attack, which just put too much pressure on opposition defenses.

That hasn't worked for us this year.

Basically, we need to create more space, and have only a few runners from the midfield coming into the forward zone.

Likewise, it's pretty heart-breaking to see players blaze away, while there were other, higher percentage options.