John Worsfold

strong text[quote=“TWatson32, post:2237, topic:2976, full:true”]
Woosha’s being criticized for not having a wet weather game plan. Do people seriously believe that a man of his experience would not have the common sense to know about wet weather footy?

Rule of thumb - if arm chair internet experts can identify a simple game trend like wet weather footy, then so can the actual experts actually employed in footy.

It wasn’t the coaching. It was the newness of the team. We basically have a new forward line, a new back six, and half a new midfield. It’s gonna take time.

Clarkson has half a new midfield. He’s not a crap coach. His team needs games together.

Same for Woosha.
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The problem with that is wet weather football is simpler. If there is any type of game you want to play with an inexperienced team, it’s wet weather football.

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Makes you wonder how much longer he isn’t going to cop criticism for these performances.

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Still using a dated attacking plan. Through the middle with handpassing, very little accountability. Works if you have a gun midfield, but we dont

Tonight confirmed 1 thing for me, team chemistry! You only need to look at Adelaide to see how important it is and how long it can take to gel. Maybe 2017 will be the “Gap Year”

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Also works if you have maggots onside, but we don’t.

Woesha hasn’t adjusted to that fact of life at EFC.

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First time I’ve seen Woosh get emotive since his arrival tonight.

Judging by that, … & the post match, it was obvious he was clearly expecting a far better showing tonight.

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cant help but feel the coaching panel are getting a lot wrong these days.

From selection, to positioning to structure/game plan.

That first quarter was a Knights-esq plan - we were actually not playing badly but were simply too aggressive, taking too many risks and too many players ‘cheating’ or trying to get ahead of the ball.

It was clear by half way through the quarter we had to slow it down - get numbers back as allowing their potent forwards a half of ground to play with had disaster written all over it.

We arrested some momentum early in the 2nd - then some impossible type plays causing turnovers turned the tide yet again. We are barking up the wrong tree here. Take it when its there, not inboard at all costs.

We have too many mids who cant spread - massive issue with team balance and I wonder how long he will give some of these stalwarts of the club?

Kids generally looking ok, need to mix a lot up with the other end of the list.

Not sure Hurley is good or big enough as the #1 or only key defender. Get Hooker back there, or get Hartley in or both.

Looking at our team = cant help but think having a slingshot game plan is a must. Get numbers back to turn or save the tide - then bang, hit them with speed and width as we have the players.

We can control the tempo this way. Protects our turtles in the midfield too.

Worsfold just seemingly takes too long to change anything. That worries me.

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Can see the way we want to play, interesting what John said in the presser about taking the game on, and not wanting to go back into there shell and a defensive mindset when things are not going our way. I thought the players and coaching staff adjusted reasonably well in that second quarter and we looked the better side in the 3rd.

I don’t think we really have much of a plan B at the moment as its hard enough to have a plan A. These players have only played a handful of games together so I guess its hard to expect a good showing against the very best teams that have played years of footy together.

I think John was very honest in the presser, disappointed but not surprised at where we are at. Would be pretty harsh to judge him on what he has done so far one way are the other. Will wait until half way through the season.

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Can’t help but feel they have a plan and know it might take some time for it to get learnt & for players to click together properly, before it will work properly.

When that is the case you don’t just get knee jerk reactionary like a seasoned Blitzer and throw it around in panic.

Some here seem to think this is just like any other year, it isn’t. I said it a while ago, but right now, what Woosha and the coaches are managing, is probably the weirdest, and most difficult situation team wise, possibly ever. It’s not like last year where no one expected a win, and it was all about blooding some youth & trying not to get smashed. Right now, in this first period, is the hardest part of his time with us so far, & ever likely will be.

No one knew how the returning blokes would go, and they certainly haven’t just slipped straight back in in great touch as we might have hoped, … but I’m sure he’s not totally surprised by that, but maybe is, as I am, by just how out of touch a few of the big namers are.

Jobe aint Jobe yet, neither is Hepp in 2015 form by quite a way, and Hooksey has been a bit out of sorts, with Hurley moreso, … but what is not lacking is the effort & endeavour they are putting in, … perhaps they are putting too much pressure on themselves right now??

It was always going to take some time, and you don’t change horses mid stream just coz. You stick with the fully informed, properly & professionally considered plan, and give the guy’s the time they need to get their touch back, and for the team to amalgamate.

They’ll know within the next month or 2 if it is going to pan out as expected/hoped, and if not, then maybe an alternate tack will be employed, but until then, it’s steady as she goes, back the plan & the players in, and wait for that cake to rise…

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Have just watched the press conference, pretty clear they will give it another 4-5 weeks to see what happens and then after that period they will probably have s understanding of where we are

Based on that, I can’t see hooker going back and the likes of Stanton, Hurley ect being dropped.

After the ups and downs of the last 4 years one of the key things Whoosha brings is stability and clarity.
On the other hand it’s very much a learning experience with the players returning. I don’t think anybody expected all the returning players ( except for Trav ) to drop off a cliff like they did last night.
Hindsights a wonderful thing though, and after the slog in the pool against the scum and a six day break it’s clear that team selection is not going to be as straightforward as many would hope.
Realistically a week by week assessment of who’s ready to go again and who needs resting has to be implemented.
A combination of stability and more frequent but limited team changes on a weekly basis seems to be called for.
Here’s hoping.

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How much of it ‘so out of touch’ v playing a game style which is totally at odds to what we have out on the park?

I understand what you are saying, and yes the easy answer is give it time etc. But last night showed that when the game slowed down a touch, we were back in it.

They were able to pick off our mistakes, make a mockery of our high press and just rebounded into acres and acres of space.

We dont not have the cattle to play such an open, unaccountable game. Our midfield is full out turtles, and no matter how long we wait that will not change without personnel changes.

It is not like anything is new here, is it?

Hurley isnt a #1 defender. Needs a hooker or at least Hartley to take the monster.

Stanton, Zaharakis, Goddard, Watson, Heppell, Hocking, Howlett etc can not spread from a contest offensively and defensively. Never could , never will.

Hooker is a defender.

Except for his previous season of football, where he was AA playing all year as the #1 defender.

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Woosha can’t coach, BB tells me so.

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and I should say - i dont think we actually played too badly last night.

The issue is the style/type of game we are trying to play with what we have. We haven’t got the balance right. There would have been a few teams who wouldnt have been able to score 90 points last night.

Ala Carlton last week - we were attempting a dry game in a literal flood. It was all balls up.

yea this chestnut - how many times did he play with Ambrose his only ‘key’ defender with him.

He has always had bigger help which allows him to take the best suited forward. He likes to play off - often being on the key target isnt his go.

Again, it’s a tweak which has to be adjusted.

He played the second half of 2015 with only Carlisle as his help, and that’s about 1/20th of the help that Ambrose provides currently.

He played on the best forward, regardless of size, in every game of 2015. (Hooker actually started 2015 a bit rusty before he went forward.) It’s an old chestnut for a reason. It’s what happened.

The problem isn’t his match ups, or his help, the problem is his form.

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Exactly.

No coach in the world could bring in 10 guys after a year off (along with 6 or so draftees and trades) and have them all ticking in the first month.

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1/20th here we go.

I agree. It’s not like we have one or two players who have missed a year of footy it’s almost half the team. The fact that those 10 players recommitted to the club under such circumstances I reckon affords them a bit of slack. I think that goes for the coaching staff too - managing these players back to full fitness and the best they can be will take time.

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