One thing I was disappointed with on Thursday night was the easy chip kicks Sydney made to increase their position of shots on goal.
I really hope we put some work into making sure our players are fully aware and switched on at all times.
I understand late in a game when fatigue sets in that this may be a small lapse in concentration, however early in the game this really needs to be stamped out and drilled into the minds of our players to make us a better team in the future.
Yeah, a few goals from midfielders have been from our mids just thinking their job was done, and their direct opponents continuing to push forward.
DP coughed up one to Parker after Heeney marked wide HFF (DP actually turned his back, and had no idea what was happening!!), Caldwell the first goal to Moore (?) early in round 1.
Both first quarter, fatigue unlikely to be an issue. Just not being switched on.
Both after HF ish marks.
These are not things good sides do, but very much fixable.
Spot on. I believe even Ridley allowed Buddy to make an unexpected lead at one stage for an easy mark (and goal).
Not bagging Ridley, as I believe he’s easily one of the top defenders in the comp. I’m just pointing out that these crafty sneaky forwards need to be kept in check at all times, even when the opposition is lining up for a shot on goal.
As you said, the good teams don’t allow this to happen. Well, not as often as us anyway.
IIRC Franklin led Ridley back to the goal square, leaving a hole in the pocket. Franklin knew the ball was being going to be kicked there, and just turned and ran into the space at the right time. I think he actually waited for the ball to be kicked before he made the move, so Ridley didn’t know it was happening until it was too late. Obviously Sydney had practiced that play.
I also think the new manning the mark rule is having an impact.
Previously our defenders would rely on the man on the mark to move laterally and cut off certain angles, meaning the attacking player couldn’t (easily) make certain kicks, so our defenders wouldn’t need to defend certain areas.
Now with the new rule that prevents the man on the mark from moving laterally, our defenders need to realise that the man on the mark cannot stop these kicks anymore. The opposition have adjusted their leads to take advantage of these new kicks; we need to adjust our defending to compensate for it.
Do you think it was a mistake not playing zark? He could have kicked couple goals,maybe next time we drop Langford, when we play the topsides,we bring in more pace
Sydney’s entire setup atm is based around opening up that short pass to around 40 meters so yeah, it was a tad annoying to see us caught out several times. I did think we knuckled down on it though.
It’s been a humongous weakness for years. Watching teams pass it to the wings uncontested, sometimes worse, whilst we do the old famous bang it long to a pack 60m from our goals every time. It hasn’t been as bad this year (Port game aside) but it’s still a weakness.
Was it because we were playing more of a zone through the corridor though? That’s what it looked like
I have genuinely no idea who this refers to
I heard an expert explain that Essendon defenders played in front of opponents to prevent easy passes info the forward line hitting forwards on the lead, on the basis that they would save more goals than concede goals over the back.
Is that fact? Did it work?
david zark-thatcher
‘Zark’ is an abbreviation for Zarquon, the Great Galactic Prophet, a religious figure who appears briefly in the book “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe”
Zark Bolton?
I think Zaharakis was ready for half a senior game, so made sense to be sub. His touch isn’t up to his normal standard.
I think he’ll be in against Brisbane or the week after.
I’m here because you spelled loose correctly
Meaning I didn’t have to loose my ■■■■ over he’s spelling.
Hi Perkington, hi
If they push up to prevent that short kick, it just opens up the long kick over the press.
Whilst most other sides have figured this method of attack out, we haven’t. If we can start hitting up someone 60-70 metes out we’ll find the short option near the 50 meter arc
Be accountable to a player. Simple to explain and simple to execute. Even if it’s just at kick ins and them move to a zone after the kick in.
Teams just get out of our 50 far to easily.