The roles of Cross & Boyd

[mjp]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

If we would stop turning the ball over on the half-fowrward line (or worse, through the centre) with poor disposal and some even poorer decision making, I think things would be a lot, lot, lot better.

Midfield players have to work both ways in order for us to play effective footy - both Boyd and Cross will win their share of it and provide some link-up running...as WELL as covering an opponent. But it has gotten to the stage where even Gilbee is unable to meet the 'hit water when falling out of boat' challenge and we are being slaughtered on the turnover.

All that said, I still think we would be better off with Boyd playing back in the Callan/Addison role and Callan/Addison used as depth only...the reason is that they simply turn it over/kick to 50-50's far too often. Cross is a bit slow but also a bit too 'see ball-get ball' to play in the back half long term. Having Boyd there would address my main issue with our structure - with Lake, Morris and Callan all in the back half, that is 3 players who I dont trust with the footy and puts enormous pressure on Gilbee and Shaggy to do all the delivery of the footy out of there. To me, Boyd could fill the breach and make us a stronger side. 1-2 stints through the midfield per half should keep him happy enough...

[hujsh]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

All that said, I still think we would be better off with Boyd playing back in the Callan/Addison role and Callan/Addison used as depth only...the reason is that they simply turn it over/kick to 50-50's far too often. Cross is a bit slow but also a bit too 'see ball-get ball' to play in the back half long term. Having Boyd there would address my main issue with our structure - with Lake, Morris and Callan all in the back half, that is 3 players who I dont trust with the footy and puts enormous pressure on Gilbee and Shaggy to do all the delivery of the footy out of there. To me, Boyd could fill the breach and make us a stronger side. 1-2 stints through the midfield per half should keep him happy enough...

I like the idea. I wonder if he'd be beaten in the air too often though?

[mjp]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Boyd is OK overhead...I guess Callan is strong in that area, but is it really what we need from the role? Boyd is brave like the other two and will do the same thing in terms of cutting off leads etc that they are prepared to do...

[dog town]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Boyd could easily do what you suggest MJP but I worry about where that leaves the midfield. I certainly wouldn't be throwing Boyd and Cross out of the midfield in a hurry at this point. Boyd played down back a bit under Rohde but was a bit slow. He has worked that hard that he is now quick enough and has enough confidence to play almost anywhere. Its a good option to have and he would address some of our deficiencies but I dont think the midfield can afford to lose him. Our lack of runners is certainly coming back to hurt us a bit at times.

[Bornadog]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Boyd could easily do what you suggest MJP but I worry about where that leaves the midfield. I certainly wouldn't be throwing Boyd and Cross out of the midfield in a hurry at this point. Boyd played down back a bit under Rohde but was a bit slow. He has worked that hard that he is now quick enough and has enough confidence to play almost anywhere. Its a good option to have and he would address some of our deficiencies but I dont think the midfield can afford to lose him. Our lack of runners is certainly coming back to hurt us a bit at times.

Boyd could be replaced with Higgins and Ward in the future. We also have OKeefe and Reid for years to come.

[Mantis]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

I have worked out what there roles are:

1/ Be unaccountable, they tried to play lock down roles last night, but failed in these tasks.
2/ Turn the ball over when you get possession by either using your poor foot skills or handballing to guys under the pump.....But pick up 25+ touches in the process.
3/ Miss easy shots on goal.

I'm really at a miss as to what we do with these 2.

[GVGjr]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Two things that I have noticed with these two over the last few weeks is their different styles of handball which isn't anywhere near as effective as it should be.
Boyd has a tendency to lob the ball over the top which often puts his teammates under a lot of pressure whilst Cross often handballs too quickly and more often than not he handballs behind the player running forward rather than out in front of them. This causes a few more turnovers than we need.

For guys without great skills they both need to fix this as their game is often more about distributing the ball cleanly to the more skillful teammates than kicking it themselves.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

They are both great work horses but their skills let us down in crucial situations. They both freeze light rabbits in the headlights round the goals, they're terrified of having a shot.

I think Cross is.......... (here goes) a player we should trade. This is not a punitive call but I think he's at the height of his value and I think we can thrive without him. I'm not saying "GET RID OF CROSS HE'S USELESS' I just think it would be an astute trade. It probably won't happen and I know he puts in every week but if you were a cold hearted strategist that would be the best value trade we could make.

[ledge]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Your observation of kicking with Cross is a good one, last Friday he had it so easy I am sure most of us would have kicked that goal but he froze.
Seems to me we have always had one centre player who is instructed or tuned to handball all the time.
eg West, Hudson, Wynd, Libba, Cross is this generation.
Why cant we train them as Judds, Kerrs or Mitchells, I mean Cross has got double letters in his name too.
Not hard, your within range have a go!
Boyd is not anywhere as bad but just a little more of the eyes lighting up in front of goals would be good.

[GetDimmaBack]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

They are both great work horses but their skills let us down in crucial situations. They both freeze light rabbits in the headlights round the goals, they're terrified of having a shot.

I think Cross is.......... (here goes) a player we should trade. This is not a punitive call but I think he's at the height of his value and I think we can thrive without him. I'm not saying "GET RID OF CROSS HE'S USELESS' I just think it would be an astute trade. It probably won't happen and I know he puts in every week but if you were a cold hearted strategist that would be the best value trade we could make.

Will only happen if they want to rip the heart out of the club.

Sometimes trades look good on paper, but the losses quickly outweigh the gains.
Footballers are still human and clubs can do massive damage with ruthless trading.
When you think of it, most clubs aren't that savage, are they?

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Your observation of kicking with Cross is a good one, last Friday he had it so easy I am sure most of us would have kicked that goal but he froze.
Seems to me we have always had one centre player who is instructed or tuned to handball all the time.
eg West, Hudson, Wynd, Libba, Cross is this generation.
Why cant we train them as Judds, Kerrs or Mitchells, I mean Cross has got double letters in his name too.
Not hard, your within range have a go!
Boyd is not anywhere as bad but just a little more of the eyes lighting up in front of goals would be good.

Simon Atkins and even Plough. Does it go back that far??????
Do we need to break the cycle?

Voss. Black. Power.
Cousins. Judd. Kerr.
Cooney. Griffen. ????????? Who's the missing piece?

[ledge]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Rischatelli??

[Mofra]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Voss. Black. Power.
Cousins. Judd. Kerr.
Cooney. Griffen. ????????? Who's the missing piece?

Higgins if you're talking about smarts & finishing.
Ward is a chance.

The real smokey is Reid. Liked what I've seen of him, will be a solid-type midfielder.

[Mantis]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Higgins if you're talking about smarts & finishing.
Ward is a chance.

The real smokey is Reid. Liked what I've seen of him, will be a solid-type midfielder.

For GC17?

[Mantis]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Rischatelli??

How do you propose we get Rischitelli?