Roast What's up, midfield?

[Ant85]

Apologies if there's other similar threads, feel free to merge.

But we need to have a thread discussion on our midfield issues.

We've been getting smashed in the clearances and stoppages since the West Coast game.

It's not simply a matter of statistics, it's the ease in which opposing midfields are walking out of these stoppages.

Sydney marched out of the centre tonight, enabling clean forward 50 entries. When the forward 50 entries are clean, increases chance of a mark inside 50, goal scoring opportunity etc.

Carlton the same last week. Melbourne the week before. WB the week before that.

I was at the game tonight and I was trying to analyse the midfield setup at every bounce. I can't figure out where we're going wrong. At times I thought Swan wasn't being defensive enough, or our mids weren't going hard for the ball. We always seem to sit off and allow the opponents to get first ball, and then we pounce with the tackles.

So often, however, the tackles are slipping, skilled midfielders are getting quick handballs out, and they're off.

Is it an instruction to sit off and tackle, as opposed to go in and win the footy?

One poor week can be attributed to an off day, but more than a month of this and I'm starting to wonder whether we're failing structurally, and if Robert Harvey is missing something. Our midfield on paper looks pretty decent, we should be performing better than we are.

 

[Robroy22]

Apologies if there's other similar threads, feel free to merge.

But we need to have a thread discussion on our midfield issues.

We've been getting smashed in the clearances and stoppages since the West Coast game.

It's not simply a matter of statistics, it's the ease in which opposing midfields are walking out of these stoppages.

Sydney marched out of the centre tonight, enabling clean forward 50 entries. When the forward 50 entries are clean, increases chance of a mark inside 50, goal scoring opportunity etc.

Carlton the same last week. Melbourne the week before. WB the week before that.

I was at the game tonight and I was trying to analyse the midfield setup at every bounce. I can't figure out where we're going wrong. At times I thought Swan wasn't being defensive enough, or our mids weren't going hard for the ball. We always seem to sit off and allow the opponents to get first ball, and then we pounce with the tackles.

So often, however, the tackles are slipping, skilled midfielders are getting quick handballs out, and they're off.

Is it an instruction to sit off and tackle, as opposed to go in and win the footy?

One poor week can be attributed to an off day, but more than a month of this and I'm starting to wonder whether we're failing structurally, and if Robert Harvey is missing something. Our midfield on paper looks pretty decent, we should be performing better than they are.

We haven't had a decent midfield coach since Neeld......Can I have your tickets?

 

[TradeDraft]

We have to many bad Ball Users.

 

[Adz]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Swan is finished as a midfielder. It's one thing to get 40 touches, the bloke hasn't won a clearance since 2010.

 

[sr36]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Swan is finished as a midfielder. It's one thing to get 40 touches, the bloke hasn't won a clearance since 2010.

Swan is our only midfielder who occasioally breaks from a contest.

 

[Kappa]

Apologies if there's other similar threads, feel free to merge.

But we need to have a thread discussion on our midfield issues.

We've been getting smashed in the clearances and stoppages since the West Coast game.

It's not simply a matter of statistics, it's the ease in which opposing midfields are walking out of these stoppages.

Sydney marched out of the centre tonight, enabling clean forward 50 entries. When the forward 50 entries are clean, increases chance of a mark inside 50, goal scoring opportunity etc.

Carlton the same last week. Melbourne the week before. WB the week before that.

I was at the game tonight and I was trying to analyse the midfield setup at every bounce. I can't figure out where we're going wrong. At times I thought Swan wasn't being defensive enough, or our mids weren't going hard for the ball. We always seem to sit off and allow the opponents to get first ball, and then we pounce with the tackles.

So often, however, the tackles are slipping, skilled midfielders are getting quick handballs out, and they're off.

Is it an instruction to sit off and tackle, as opposed to go in and win the footy?

One poor week can be attributed to an off day, but more than a month of this and I'm starting to wonder whether we're failing structurally, and if Robert Harvey is missing something. Our midfield on paper looks pretty decent, we should be performing better than we are.

Our midfielders like Adams Swan and Sidebottom are overrated on this forum

 

[Piestration]

You can't gell as a midfield if your Ruckman can't lay a hand on the ball.

FULL STOP.

 

[76woodenspooners]

You can't gell as a midfield if your Ruckman can't lay a hand on the ball.

FULL STOP.

Not necessarily true.

I remember us dominating the clearances back when we had Wood in the ruck.

 

[Kappa]

You can't gell as a midfield if your Ruckman can't lay a hand on the ball.

FULL STOP.

It's funny I remember two occasions when our ruckmen tapped it down the throat of one of our midfielders in space, then 30 seconds later Sydney were lining up for goal.

 

[JB1975]

I don't think that our midfield is a chronic problem, but agree that we've been down for a bit. We are losing clearances, and that's a concern. A concern of mine is that, even when we win a clearance, our movement from the congestion isn't especially convincing.

I'm not sure what the problem/answer is. Overuse of the handball in heavy traffic unsettles my equilibrium, the way that players hand it off to a team mate under just as much (or even more) pressure than them. This often seems to be a problem with younger players who panic under pressure, and I can cop it a bit, but it does happen far too often for my sanity.

Adams is doing a good job this year. He's stepped up in exactly the way I hoped he would at the start of the season, and his disposal has been considerably better than last year. We certainly missed his input when he was suspended. Similarly, we missed Sidey as well, who hasn't really been the same since he came back. When you also think that Pendles is carrying an injury, and won't be able to give us his trademark smooth movement for the rest of the season, then maybe it's no surprise that our midfield is misfiring. At this stage I'd also say it lacks for depth. Nothing that some more development (Broomhead & JDG in particular) and some handy trading (Treloar please) won't be able to remedy in quick time.

 

[LukeH10]

And people wonder why we're chasing Treloar so hard...

 

[Piestration]

Not necessarily true.

I remember us dominating the clearances back when we had Wood in the ruck.

Our mids back then had already played some time together and the game has changed and is far more congested these days.
Unfortunately our current guys are having a hard time learning the craft without 1st use.
IMO Grundy is well underdone. Some say he is athletic but so far I don't see it. Tap work doesn't come natural to him and without some serious ruck coaching ASAP I can't see him improving for 2 years atleast.

 

[TradeDraft]

Not necessarily true.

I remember us dominating the clearances back when we had Wood in the ruck.

and Okay when Bryan, Fraser and Richards where our Rucks

 

[Leviathan Pie]

Doing a good job, Harvs.

lol

 

[76woodenspooners]

Doing a good job, Harvs.

lol

Isn't Scotty Burns our midfield coach?

IIRC Harvey is a "senior assistant" with no specific line responsibilities?

 

[Hva sher a]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Swan is finished as a midfielder. It's one thing to get 40 touches, the bloke hasn't won a clearance since 2010.

I know your statement might be hyperbole but watch Swanny's performance in the 2011 prelim when he continuously cleared the ball at centre bounces. Or Anzac day last year.

 

[Chameleon75]

we set up offensively, if the opposition ruckman gets the tap there away

 

[mike123]

We were plus 16 in contested possesions, our ball use just isn't good enough to capitalise on it.

The midfield is only a problem in the centre bounces for some reason

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Swan is finished as a midfielder. It's one thing to get 40 touches, the bloke hasn't won a clearance since 2010.

Swan was our leading clearance getter with 6

 

[jmac70]

And people wonder why we're chasing Treloar so hard...

Hopefully we get him and Aish. Add those guys along with Broomhead and the mids look a lot better.

 

[jmac70]

Isn't Scotty Burns our midfield coach?

IIRC Harvey is a "senior assistant" with no specific line responsibilities?

Burns is the midfield coach. Think what he will do with the Carlton mids.....scary.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Bit of a rumour that Pendles got 'jabbed' for pain before the game

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Greenwood as sub didnt help, neither did bringing him on way too late. A change should have been made a lot earlier.....tall off (Moore Reid Frost...) for Greenwood as early as half time.

 

[BEEG]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Swan is finished as a midfielder. It's one thing to get 40 touches, the bloke hasn't won a clearance since 2010.

Toovey is the definition of someone finished

Swanny is still a star he would get more centre clearances then most at our club so you have any stats?

 

[1ipie]

It's the crap game plan and has been for 3 years .. Buckley has no clue that is the problem ..

 

[ottoman]

It's the crap game plan and his been for 3 years .. Buckley has no clue that is the problem ..

You know I can actually recognise your posts without even looking at who posted it.