Our Pace..are we too slow?

[smasher]

I thought we were clearly out run by Collingwoods younger fleet of feet players.I don't think people realize just how much missing Kennelly depletes our team as he is probably the prime mover.
We are slow this year and on the wekend I heard what Rob Harvey had to say about the game.He said the pace had gone up a notch over the past few years but this year the game has become extremely quick and alot of adjustment has been needed.
Maybe this is our problem of late?

[Teasdale77]

I mentioned in another thread that we are getting beaten early almost every game not because a lack of intensity but because we don't have the skills, smarts or speed. If we manage to withstand the early onslaught from our opponents, we can get back into the game when fatigue evens things up.

For the most part, Collingwood out-read us, zoned us out in our F50 intercepting passes at will and always had numbers at the contest, and they often ran just about all 18 players over halfway in attack then back in defence.

Sydney has taught the rest of the league very well - opponents now use the elements that made us very good and add their own higher pace and skills.

The thing that bothers me the most about our team is the collective deficiency in reading the game. Collingwood was able to anticipate much better than us. They knew what we were going to do before we did. I think at one stage in the second half, we'd taken 14 marks without one quick play-on. Below is a link to an interesting American article (with references to the AIS) on learning anticipation. Roos needs to get the boys onto this program asap

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/15-06/ff_mindgames

[liz]

A bit of extra pace wouldn't go amiss but I'm not convinced it's the biggest problem. Most of the running players do is at far below their top speed and I think Collingwood (and a few teams before them) were just willing to run more than a good half a dozen of the Swans players.

[ScottH]

We lack skill.

[liz]

We lack skill.

Maybe. But did you notice how much crisper and more precise the skills were in the games against the Doggies and the Power? Both games in which the Swans players all ran hard all game. Indeed, it was against two teams that are, by reputation, a lot quicker and more skilful than the Swans, yet it wasn't apparent in those games.

[Snake]

We lack skill.

Agree, we lack skills more than running pace......

[ScottH]

Maybe. But did you notice how much crisper and more precise the skills were in the games against the Doggies and the Power? Both games in which the Swans players all ran hard all game. Indeed, it was against two teams that are, by reputation, a lot quicker and more skilful than the Swans, yet it wasn't apparent in those games.

I didn't see the Power game, but while our skills were better against the dogs than the last few games, they were terrific. Against the Dogs and the Hawks we just worked harder, not better.

[NMWBloods]

I think we lack skill and pace. I think we've always lacked skill and pace. I believe in the past we made up for it by intense hard work and a structured game plan. I think also that opponents have gradually worked out our weak spots and combined with a drop in intensity and confidence, our game plan has unravelled, as we saw in 2004. Again the issue of the balance between well-drilled v. talent becomes apparent.

[stellation]

I think we lack initiative. Whether that is just something naturally in the majority of the players or it is coached I do not know. I think our club puts too much emphasis on the idea that discipline equals success.

[NMWBloods]

Yep - that's pretty much the same idea as my well drilled v. talented argument.

[reigning premier]

And way down on confidence too....

Just not backing themselves when they should.

[Ludwig]

I think we lack skill and pace.

I remember that at the business end of the past 2 seasons how commentators were remarking that the Swans were the most skilful team in football. And when you can hit targets quickly, you look fast.

These are the same players that looked so skilful last year, but now look slow and fumbling. Collingwood are not particularly fast and have been error prone most of the year, as you might expect with so many young players, yet they were so switched on they seemed very skilful and quick indeed.

Maybe a few too many Swans are carrying injuries. Or maybe its mental.

The best thing the Swans can do right now is to play the fittest 22 and get switched on. And that's up to the coaches and the leadership group. I don't know if one of the Swans renown 'honesty' sessions will help, but this looks like the time to give it another go. The season is in the balance.

[NMWBloods]

I never agreed with the assessment that we were the most skillful team in the competition. Rather I think we had a regimented game plan that we stuck to and executed well. That game plan did not require a high degree of skill, but rather high degrees of intensity, discipline and reasonable skill.

[Industrial Fan]

To me, we have structural rather than pace issues. Certainly our backline is quick - and the rest of the list is based on endurance running.

I dont think you could say Kirk, OKeefe, Baz or Goodes were necessarily quick, but most opponents struggle to keep up with them.

Schneider, Buchanan and Davis look much quicker with the ball than without it too.

The holes that opened up for the Pies was more to do with workrate than out and out pace. Not enough players were prepared to run to cover their man.

[goswannie14]

I remember that at the business end of the past 2 seasons how commentators were remarking that the Swans were the most skilful team in football. And when you can hit targets quickly, you look fast.

I never thought we were the most skilful team, but I believe that we have been the most disciplined and hardest working.