Woeful

[Go Swannies]

Thanks for that. No, I'd be surprised if we were able to cruise against either of these teams. Rather, I was trying to say that both teams are tough, physical teams (like the Bombers) that we have to be unrelenting to win. Last year we showed that our skills could beat Port. And they aren't playing as well this year. The Saints are both skillful and tough. Maybe we'll try the possession game we used vs the Lions but tough to hold that for 4 quarters?

[liz]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

We really should have blown them away in the first qtr, held them better in the second qtr, and had a comfortable lead going into half time.

I've just sat through the tape and it looks a bit different on a second viewing, especially when one isn't stressed about the result!

While accepting that it wasn't a consistently highly skilled game from either team, I don't think we were as outplayed in the 2nd and 4th quarters by as much as I thought "live". We could easily (and should) have scored a couple of goals early in the second. It would have been a better reflection on the relative possession / control that each team had in that term.

If this same game had been played under last season's "finishing" conditions, the team would have kicked 17 or so goals (just from the chances they actually created today), not the 11 they kicked today and it would have been a comfortable win.

And before anyone jumps on me, I'm not suggesting that the team's form is anything like good enough (yet) to challenge the better teams. But it's easy to forget that this team played some very up and down footy last year as well and were saved in a few matches by their excellent use of the ball up forward.

Another pleasing aspect of this game was that it was a far more even team performance than we have seen over the past month, where two or three players (especially Hall and O'Keefe) played out of their skins to keep the margin close. 18 or 19 of the players today made really important contributions. No-one played a blinder (apart from Leo, maybe) so it really was a case of the whole team putting in together.

[sharpie]

Lizz, I think you say this sort of thing every week. When you watch the replay, suddenly you dont think we played as bad. Dunno if this means anything.

My thoughts about momentum. We have started a terrible habbit this year that when we have had the momentum, often we have been unable to put it on the scoreboard. We also have a terrible habbit of only kikcing 1 goal in a quarter. Would love some stats about how many times we have kicked 0 or 1 goal in a quarter this year. Would be suprised if we've had many games where it hasnt happened.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by sharpie
We also have a terrible habbit of only kikcing 1 goal in a quarter. Would love some stats about how many times we have kicked 0 or 1 goal in a quarter this year. Would be suprised if we've had many games where it hasnt happened.

Rd 1 v Brisbane: 0 goals in 3rd qtr
Rd 2 v Fremantle: 2+ goals in each qtr
Rd 3 v Geelong: 0 goals in 3rd qtr
Rd 4 v Kangaroos: 2+ goals in each qtr
Rd 5 v Melbourne: 2+ goals in each qtr
Rd 6 v Essendon: 0 goals in 2nd qtr
Rd 7 v Richmond: 1 goal in each of 2nd, 3rd and 4th qtrs
Rd 8 v West Coast: 2+ goals in each qtr
Rd 9 v Hawthorn: 1 goal in each of 2nd and 4th qtrs

So, in 36 quarters of football, we've had 3 goalless quarters, plus another 5 where we have only kicked 1 goal. And of our 9 games played, in only 4 of them have we kicked 2+ goals in each quarter.

[liz]

Originally posted by sharpie
Lizz, I think you say this sort of thing every week. When you watch the replay, suddenly you dont think we played as bad. Dunno if this means anything.

What it means is that during the heat of the game I find it incredibly hard to be objective about what is going on out there, particularly at the ground where you miss a lot of the in close stuff. I would be surprised if most others don't find it equally as hard.

(My) Initial comments posted straight after the game tend to be based on those more coloured recollections of the game whereas after time to reflect (and watch it again) it often looks like a very different game.

[sharpie]

Yeah I know. What I think I am getting at, is that we have actually been bad for the last month. The way you said you dont think we were as bad when you watched the replay just made me think you were satisfied with their play each time, even when we've lost. But I'm still worried despite yesterdays win that we just dont look anything like the team from last year and it is still not a good performance.

[Diego]

It's all about the journey.

I am far from happy atm. We are playing crap football against crap sides which i cannot fathom how some of you think we are playing good footy.

Go watch a team like St Kilda live and you will realise.

But hey keep living the dream.

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by sharpie
Yeah I know. What I think I am getting at, is that we have actually been bad for the last month. The way you said you dont think we were as bad when you watched the replay just made me think you were satisfied with their play each time, even when we've lost. But I'm still worried despite yesterdays win that we just dont look anything like the team from last year and it is still not a good performance.

I'm kinda with Lizz on this. When I know the result and can study the intricacies of the game I tend to be more impressed by the players' efforts. Last year I thought it was ridiculous that other coaches hadn't analysed the Swans game to counter it. But looking back I think we got an easy run lots of times. This year the pressure has been much more intense and our players have to master how to overcome that. Either that or the entire team has simply forgotten how to pass and kick.

[ihamilto]

Happy to be here

Guys and girls remember 1992 how close did we come to
losing our club very close. I remember those dark years last 3 years in a row 25 matches without a win a good crowd was 6000
people. We should be very happy at least that red and white
spirit is still there and the crowds are good a win is a win.
cheers Ian