Playing them into form.....

[sharp9]

It's true that Richmond sit above us on the ladder. As Grant Thomas said last year....there is no way they are a better side than us. How can I say that ? Well two weeks ago they played with herocism, heart, clean hands against a team that were close to a rabble, a team that made so many pathetic errors that half of Australia actually laughed. But the margin was...2 kicks.

But my question is this, why is it that teams play appallingly against Richmond and at their absolute best against us? Richmond faced a Shocking Hawthorn, Fumbling Sydney, Disgraceful Dogs.

But Sydney?

First Geelong, the absolute worst team in the comp at the time...came to us and played their best game for years (we were crap)...

Then Melbourne come for the unwinnable game....they were as good as they could be.....we were crap

Then Essendon after struggling to get a couple of wins together gets to play Sydney and, miraculously, their form turns round.

Richmond neede a tonic...they got it, just play Sydney!

The Eagles were 2 and 5 with a woeful percentage. everything was going wrong for them, but the moment they saw the Red And White they turned into the slickest, classiest unit of talented footballers you have ever seen.

It's bad enough that we were poor but surely at some stage a team has to play Sydney and not turn on their best performance of the year?

Who have we got now? I believe it is two teams needing to find some form...Hawthorn and the Doggies.

There is absolutely no way that either of those teams will have a poor game against us?

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Simple, because we cough the ball up without pressure and we cough the ball up with pressure. When other teams win the ball you would be tempted to drop your head. When the Swans win the ball you look at it as an opportunity to rebound. The assumption that there will be a bank error in your favour has now crept into the subconscious of every opponent. We are handing confidence on a platter to every other team in the comp.

I believe the beginning of the solution is to drop Williams for 2 games. Something (even if it symbolic) needs to happen to shake things up. If the message is "it doesn't matter how good you are, but regular performances several notches below your best are not acceptable, no exceptions, even if your effort several notches below your best is still better than whoever might replace you in the side." We need every player firing and Roosey needs to make something happen. If our best players are performing poorly then we're not going to win anyway, so why not give oppotunity to others.

To put it another way. With leadership comes responsibility and if Williams, Maxfield, Goodes, Ball, Hall, O'Loughlin and Schauble do not perform at or near their best then we cannot challenge for the top four. If that is not happening then everything else is academic.

If they are firing then we can look to everyone else to become part of a 22 man contribution.

To put it another way it doesn't matter how well Ablett, Buchanan or O'Keefe play if too many of the seniors are injured or down on form.

Something has to be done. Either the senior players stand up or we try and find some new senior players (in a 3 year plan).

In terms of senior players producing the goods we are 2 from 7 at the moment, now that Micky is back.

12th place here we came.

Although having said that it is difficult to see how we can win another game. But then everyone would have said that about richmond before they played the Hawks.

[liz]

Re: Playing them into form.....

Originally posted by sharp9

But my question is this, why is it that teams play appallingly against Richmond and at their absolute best against us? Richmond faced a Shocking Hawthorn, Fumbling Sydney, Disgraceful Dogs.

But Sydney?

First Geelong, the absolute worst team in the comp at the time...came to us and played their best game for years (we were crap)...

Then Melbourne come for the unwinnable game....they were as good as they could be.....we were crap

Then Essendon after struggling to get a couple of wins together gets to play Sydney and, miraculously, their form turns round.

Richmond neede a tonic...they got it, just play Sydney!

The Eagles were 2 and 5 with a woeful percentage. everything was going wrong for them, but the moment they saw the Red And White they turned into the slickest, classiest unit of talented footballers you have ever seen.

Hadn't Essendon won their three games leading into the game against us and have won the two since? Didn't they just play to form?

Melbourne have taken pretty much everything before them this season. Didn't they just play to form?

Geelong have shown they can are a decent team - getting lots of players back from injury has contributed to this.

When Richmond were a rabble they were without both Richardson and Stafford. We played them with both. Richardson, in particular, showed again yesterday what a devastating player he can be when his head is on right.

Maybe part of the problem is Sydney fans underestimating the abilities of many of the other teams in the league and just thinking that our boys have to turn up to win. That is clearly not the case.

I believe the beginning of the solution is to drop Williams for 2 games. Something (even if it symbolic) needs to happen to shake things up. If the message is "it doesn't matter how good you are, but regular performances several notches below your best are not acceptable, no exceptions, even if your effort several notches below your best is still better than whoever might replace you in the side." We need every player firing and Roosey needs to make something happen. If our best players are performing poorly then we're not going to win anyway, so why not give oppotunity to others.

So your message would be, if you work harder than pretty much anyone else in the team you will be dropped? Williams' disposal was disappointing at times yesterday, but compared to most of our midfield he worked his butt off. Didn't someone say last week that if you're down on form and/or confidence you can still do the things that you can control - ie work to get to contests, run, run, run. Maybe if some of Williams' team mates had worked as hard as he did yesterday he'd have had some more viable options to kick to.

One of the reasons Williams mistakes stood out yesterday, why he made more than most of his team mates, is that he got the ball more often. If you were looking to make a statement, wouldn't you first drop the guys who aren't even making it to contests?

[Diego]

Do you put a positive spin on everything Lizz??? He played crap and he is past his best. Stop trying to make a bunch of roses out of a pile of dog ****.

I was thinking the same, why is it every team we play we run them back into form?

The only team we have destroyed this yeah has been the kangerooos..but they are at the same level as us.

[anne]

just accept the fact that we are crap! Very few quality players and even less waiting to come on. Our recruiting has been appalling.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by anne
just accept the fact that we are crap! Very few quality players and even less waiting to come on. Our recruiting has been appalling.

Hall, Davis, Williams, Kennelly, O'Loughlin, Barry, Schauble, Kirk and Goodes aren't 'quality players'?

McVeigh, Bevan, Powell, Buchanan, James, Rogers haven't collectively shown much this season?

Goodes, O'Keefe, C Bolton, Fixter and Schneider aren't great late-draft pickups?

We have a pretty good mix. The problem is that the game plan hasn't been right, confidence has dropped and, as a result, we have talented players not playing to their ability.

2003 wasn't a fluke.

[Nico]

Sharp9 I haven't read so much Carp on the site for a long time.

William's disposal this year is the thing that has let him down a bit, but he has still been in our best in almost all games.

The likes of Jude Bolton and Kennelly are the ones they ought to give a rest. Bolton was in the midfield as usual yesterday as was Fosdike. Which one of those was responsible for Kerr (Cur) who was always by himself on the far HFF?

As for Kennelly he may as we be playing Gaelic Footy because he certainly stays a long way from his man, and since the whack in the ribs earlier in the season his desire to tackle seems to have deserted him. He did though show a bit more dash.

[madswan]

Originally posted by Nico
Sharp9 I haven't read so much Carp on the site for a long time.

William's disposal this year is the thing that has let him down a bit, but he has still been in our best in almost all games.

The likes of Jude Bolton and Kennelly are the ones they ought to give a rest. Bolton was in the midfield as usual yesterday as was Fosdike. Which one of those was responsible for Kerr (Cur) who was always by himself on the far HFF?

As for Kennelly he may as we be playing Gaelic Footy because he certainly stays a long way from his man, and since the whack in the ribs earlier in the season his desire to tackle seems to have deserted him. He did though show a bit more dash.

[swan_17]

Originally posted by Nico
The likes of Jude Bolton and Kennelly are the ones they ought to give a rest. Bolton was in the midfield as usual yesterday as was Fosdike. Which one of those was responsible for Kerr (Cur) who was always by himself on the far HFF?

As for Kennelly he may as we be playing Gaelic Footy because he certainly stays a long way from his man, and since the whack in the ribs earlier in the season his desire to tackle seems to have deserted him. He did though show a bit more dash.

Why am I not surpised that once again you are at Jude and Fozzy?

IMO they played well yesterday, remember Fozzy got 2 goals when needed and Jude's courage on the ball was terrific.

[Dpw]

Originally posted by swan_17

when needed and Jude's courage on the ball was terrific.

Just one point you do need to take possession of the footy as well as attack it, that he cleary has not been doing so far this year which was different to last year.

[madswan]

i can't believe that you guys are bagging williams. He has been named in our best players nearly every week. You can't criticise one player when nearly every player is down on form. He has won two best and fairests, been named all australian and you guys are ready to write him off. He is leading in disposals and while I don't always agree that a high disposal game means a good game his use of the ball has still been effective. He continually tries his guts out even when the team is down. I don't know what you guys look at out there but he has a great work and team ethic. It seems to me that he has been playing a differet role this year than that of the past 3 and while he isn't as explosive at the moment he is still one of our best.

[taurus]

Originally posted by swan_17

Why am I not surpised that once again you are at Jude and Fozzy?

IMO they played well yesterday, remember Fozzy got 2 goals when needed and Jude's courage on the ball was terrific.

I have always been neutral to Fozzy, but after that stupid handball that resulted in Cousins goal in 4Q, lost my faith.

[sharp9]

Originally posted by madswan
i can't believe that you guys are bagging williams. He has been named in our best players nearly every week.

Some complete idiots who don't watch the game and only look at the possession stats have named Willimas in the best.

He has been nowhere near our best in ANY game this season.

[liz]

Originally posted by sharp9
Some complete idiots who don't watch the game and only look at the possession stats have named Willimas in the best.

He has been nowhere near our best in ANY game this season.

Do you include Roos and Frawley amongst those idiots? He received the most votes for a Sydney player from the coaches last week (C7 Coaches Award).

[boroboy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sharp9
[B]Some complete idiots who don't watch the game and only look at the possession stats have named Willimas in the best. He has been nowhere near our best in ANY game this season.


No he hasn't - but at least he's looking for the ball and is prepared to stand up and counted. Some (most?) of his disposals into the 50 have been atrocious, but at least he's getting his hands on the footy and trying to influence the game. You want to knock players?- there's half a dozen who deserve far more stick than Williams who should be hanging their heads in shame for their performances recently. So you're right - he's not our best, but by no means is he our worst.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Yes, Williams has been down. He is at his best when he is running straight to goal. As has been the case for much of this year, he has been a victim of over-using the pill. When your confidence is down and there are several members of the midfield either retired,missing, injured or in poor form it is quite obvious that he isn't going to be as good as he could have been. But he did show us something yesterday and in my view (not having seen a tape of the game) deserves to be in the list of our best players.

As I keep saying, we are missing key players in key areas. We DID put in yesterday. But their team's confidence is shot to bits, hence the wrong option is being taken, players are leaping against each other in marking contests and we are dropping marks or disposing the pill in a way that only leads to us losing it.

Will we turn things around against Hawthorn; well I can't say I'm confident. But the whinging on this site over the last couple of days is pathetic guys. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and stick things out when they aren't going your way.

JF