Crisis/Opportunity: Planning for the Blues

[Mantis]

I can see Cripps/Walsh running amok. Our mids just don?t have the ability to defend in anyway.
If Jones doesn?t play then I hate to think what Curnow/McKay will do. They will be licking their lips. Even with a full strength backline, I don?t see a player who would stop Curnow.

If we are to win?.
Keep Cripps under 20 disposals
Keep McKay/Curnow to combined 5 goals (team under 12 goals)
Bont to have a 25+, 2 goal game
Marra 4+

What I think will happen??
Cripps 25+
Walsh 25+
McKay 3.1
Curnow 7.3
Cincotta on Bont (15 disposals/no goals)
Marra 1.3

Carlton 15 goals
WB 9 goals

The master of doom has spoken!

Hard to not be down-trodden after the mess we saw last week, but Bevo really needs to put it on the likes of Bont, Libba, Richards, Tim & Treloar to show the **** up this week!

Our engine room was dead-set embarrassing last week, and whilst many of this group ''statted-up'' when the game was over, their first 45min as a group was pathetic. If this experienced core can't compete to the level required, then it's going to be party time for the Carlton forward.

[Sedat]

The master of doom has spoken!

Hard to not be down-trodden after the mess we saw last week, but Bevo really needs to put it on the likes of Bont, Libba, Richards, Tim & Treloar to show the **** up this week!

Our engine room was dead-set embarrassing last week, and whilst many of this group ''statted-up'' when the game was over, their first 45min as a group was pathetic. If this experienced core can't compete to the level required, then it's going to be party time for the Carlton forward.

Yep, it's all up to the engine room this week. If we show up with the same intent as the Freo game we win this week, simple as that. The magnets down back and up forward are of far less consequence than our midfield group getting it done in all facets.

Carlton are just going at the minute - in the last fortnight it took them 2.5 quarters to shake off the worst team in the comp and then they got stitched up out of the middle big time against GWS. They are absolutely gettable with the right attitude from our mids.

I will be physically ill if TDK monsters English this week like he did to his brother a few weeks ago. If Tim has any semblance of competitive spirit, he will simply not let that happen on Saturday.

[azabob]

I will be physically ill if TDK monsters English this week like he did to his brother a few weeks ago. If Tim has any semblance of competitive spirit, he will simply not let that happen on Saturday.

Clean up required in aisle 2...

Clean up require in aisle 2...

[mjp]

I can see Cripps/Walsh running amok. Our mids just don?t have the ability to defend in anyway.
If Jones doesn?t play then I hate to think what Curnow/McKay will do. They will be licking their lips. Even with a full strength backline, I don?t see a player who would stop Curnow.

If we are to win?.
Keep Cripps under 20 disposals
Keep McKay/Curnow to combined 5 goals (team under 12 goals)

Why?

Last week they lost.

Cripps had 33 and 11 clearances.
McKay kicked 5 (Curnow kicked 1 - so 6 between them).
Carlton kicked 16 and had 24x shots on goal.

Why do we have to constrict them so much in order to win??

The Giants killed them for possession (+90) and uncontested marks (+40) and kept the footy off them. Contested possessions and clearances were basically even.

If you want to know the key stats (and the Giants have showed us the way):

- Marks inside 50: 15-8
- Tackles inside 50: 26-4

So, the recipe is:
- Fight it out at the stop/contest.
- Own the outside.
- Maintain possession (and Carlton are a drop back and defend rather than come forward to defend type team).
- Lower your eyes inside 50.
- Create second chance scores.

This game is very winnable. Worrying about Curnow and McKay etc - I get it, but it is what it is. Move the ball well - doesn't need to be perfect but work for one-another - and own territory inside forward half/forward 50.

Cripps will get his - FINE - but don't let the other mids influence the outcome with possessions outside the game (Walsh, Acres, Cerra, Hollands (x2), Saad).

- See it through. It's gonna be tight. Fight it out to the end and take our chances.

[bornadog]

Why?

Last week they lost.

Cripps had 33 and 11 clearances.
McKay kicked 5 (Curnow kicked 1 - so 6 between them).
Carlton kicked 16 and had 24x shots on goal.

Why do we have to constrict them so much in order to win??

The Giants killed them for possession (+90) and uncontested marks (+40) and kept the footy off them. Contested possessions and clearances were basically even.

If you want to know the key stats (and the Giants have showed us the way):

- Marks inside 50: 15-8
- Tackles inside 50: 26-4

So, the recipe is:
- Fight it out at the stop/contest.
- Own the outside.
- Maintain possession (and Carlton are a drop back and defend rather than come forward to defend type team).
- Lower your eyes inside 50.
- Create second chance scores.

This game is very winnable. Worrying about Curnow and McKay etc - I get it, but it is what it is. Move the ball well - doesn't need to be perfect but work for one-another - and own territory inside forward half/forward 50.

Cripps will get his - FINE - but don't let the other mids influence the outcome with possessions outside the game (Walsh, Acres, Cerra, Hollands (x2), Saad).

- See it through. It's gonna be tight. Fight it out to the end and take our chances.

Love your posts MJP.

I just hope we don't try any dumb moves and just play our players in their best positions and make them chase us and worry about our players, instead of us worrying about theirs. The key will be our pressure which was lacking last week.

[Sedat]

Why?

Last week they lost.

Cripps had 33 and 11 clearances.
McKay kicked 5 (Curnow kicked 1 - so 6 between them).
Carlton kicked 16 and had 24x shots on goal.

Why do we have to constrict them so much in order to win??

The Giants killed them for possession (+90) and uncontested marks (+40) and kept the footy off them. Contested possessions and clearances were basically even.

If you want to know the key stats (and the Giants have showed us the way):

- Marks inside 50: 15-8
- Tackles inside 50: 26-4

So, the recipe is:
- Fight it out at the stop/contest.
- Own the outside.
- Maintain possession (and Carlton are a drop back and defend rather than come forward to defend type team).
- Lower your eyes inside 50.
- Create second chance scores.

This game is very winnable. Worrying about Curnow and McKay etc - I get it, but it is what it is. Move the ball well - doesn't need to be perfect but work for one-another - and own territory inside forward half/forward 50.

Cripps will get his - FINE - but don't let the other mids influence the outcome with possessions outside the game (Walsh, Acres, Cerra, Hollands (x2), Saad).

- See it through. It's gonna be tight. Fight it out to the end and take our chances.

Freo are literally twice as good as the next best clearance team in the comp all season to date, and they also have an elite defensive game. We destroyed them in the middle and got 22 goals on them.

Carlton have the higher profile names but in reality are not travelling as well as Freo are - we are in this game up to our eyeballs if our midfield group approaches with the same intent. We smacked Freo in the mouth and we can do the same against Carlton. What midfielders do Carlton have in elite form behind Cripps and Walsh?

[DOG GOD]

MJP states we need to lower our eyes going into fwd 50. That?s fine, but how many times do we do it?
I can see us bombing it more in hope than anything, and Darcy and Jamarra flying for everything, getting in each others way as usual.

I hope I?m proven wrong. I may come across as the master of doom, fair enough, I really don?t care. I was one of a few to pick port last week by a decent margin. No rose coloured glasses here.

Our backline is shithouse and if we don?t win the mids battle, we are screwed.

Who?s going to kick our goals if Marra/Bont have quiet ones?
We will be lucky to kick 10 with them contributing.

[merantau]

The game will be won and lost at the stoppages. This is the time for Tim English to shut his critics up. Ditto our mids.

[Bullies]

Macrae and Libba need to reinvent themselves as the game gets quicker and they don't.

One needs to take up the tagging role full time. Both have endurance and would have no issue with the run with roles. Both smart enough to hurt the opposition the other way as well. Start this week with Walsh or Cripps.

[bornadog]

Macrae and Libba need to reinvent themselves as the game gets quicker and they don't.

One needs to take up the tagging role full time. Both have endurance and would have no issue with the run with roles. Both smart enough to hurt the opposition the other way as well. Start this week with Walsh or Cripps.

Remember a few years ago, Macrae tagged Cripps successfully and got quite a few possessions himself.

[Bullies]

Remember a few years ago, Macrae tagged Crisps successfully and got quite a few possessions himself.

We can't afford to let their mids run free as the more good ball they get forward the more they will score. The reason i would like to see Libba/Macrae take up the tagging roles.

[Grantysghost]

Remember a few years ago, Macrae tagged Crisps successfully and got quite a few possessions himself.

He's always loved tackling a box of pringles.

[bornadog]

He's always loved tackling a box of pringles.

[mjp]

MJP states we need to lower our eyes going into fwd 50. That?s fine, but how many times do we do it?
I can see us bombing it more in hope than anything, and Darcy and Jamarra flying for everything, getting in each others way as usual.

You're right of course...but we just have to hit up this week as Carlton fall back defensively.

Our backline is shithouse and if we don?t win the mids battle, we are screwed.

Yeah - agree - we have to win territory. But if we have a strength, it's in the mids.

Who?s going to kick our goals if Marra/Bont have quiet ones?
We will be lucky to kick 10 with them contributing.

Well...I think that's harsh.
#1: Of course we need our best players playing well/at least contributing.
#2: West is playing, Weightman is playing, Darcy is playing...a few weeks back we had no Weightman, no Darcy, no Naughton...that list of outs is a lot smaller now.