When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

[1eyedog]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

You have raised some good points there.

What I will say is that if we get our skills back to our normal levels, continue to win the contested ball count and see improvement in our out of form/ underdone players we should be able to win more than half of our games at ES.

I agree we have struggled against the zone, but this hasn't been help by our inability to keep possession of the ball under little or no pressure which is criminal.

Another thing, at the start of the year it was thought that the competition was going to get more even and that perhaps just 13 or 14 wins would see you gain a top 4 position. This may well be the case.

It probably goes without saying but this paragraph sums it up in a nutshell. An improvement in these areas and the continuation of breaking even or winning the contested ball will see us back in the upper echelon regardless of where we play.

[Jasper]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Well ES, before the season started I thought we'd have trouble with zones and in the pre-season a handful of us here were concerned about our skills.

Perhaps we're wrong (I hope so) but IMO we haven't really played well this year and the whole team seems out of sorts on all sorts of levels.

I suppose the questions are why and how we can rectify it. I hope it doesn't turn out that other coaches have figured us out and we simply can't handle these new zones well applied.

I agree with this. We have been a long way off our best all season and the football we are playing won't sustain a genuine finals spot or finals campaign.
It seems strange that the football players are held accountable by so many here and yet the Football department isn't challenged. The football dept set the direction and the style of play so given we haven't hit our straps what is the actual problem?

[AndrewP6]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Top four is not a total failure, however, at the start of the season, we would have thought a GF berth is minimum.

Would have loved that, but did we really think we'd improved THAT much over summer? Not sure about that.

[CJ09]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

There is definitely a range of issues starting to emerge after the recent losses. Injuries aren't that significant when you compare them to some other teams, so that is probably disappointing as we are struggling even without a huge amount of injuries. I think that list of out of form and young players is what is leading to inconsistency and also means we will battle against the top 4-6 sides. We still have the potential and a fairly good/diverse list but we are going to have to be at out top level to have any chance against the top four.

[GVGjr]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

There is definitely a range of issues starting to emerge after the recent losses. Injuries aren't that significant when you compare them to some other teams, so that is probably disappointing as we are struggling even without a huge amount of injuries. I think that list of out of form and young players is what is leading to inconsistency and also means we will battle against the top 4-6 sides. We still have the potential and a fairly good/diverse list but we are going to have to be at out top level to have any chance against the top four.

Terrific first up post. Welcome to WOOF

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

There is definitely a range of issues starting to emerge after the recent losses. Injuries aren't that significant when you compare them to some other teams, so that is probably disappointing as we are struggling even without a huge amount of injuries. I think that list of out of form and young players is what is leading to inconsistency and also means we will battle against the top 4-6 sides. We still have the potential and a fairly good/diverse list but we are going to have to be at out top level to have any chance against the top four.

Nice work CJ09.

I'm also looking at the fact we have had the highest number of goals kicked against us from our turnovers in the league, by a fair way. 39 in fact. The next worst are the West Coast Eagles on 25.

Is this players out of form who are not following instruction? Or is there something inherently wrong with the strategy underpinning their instructions?

I would hope that both players and coaches are looking at this facet of our game, as that is a huge problem, and no doubt an area other coaches will be looking at when devising a strategy to play us. Adelaide will be a big test as they are well versed in playing a pressurised zoning game.

[LostDoggy]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Top four is not a total failure, however, at the start of the season, we would have thought a GF berth is minimum.

The season is long, say if we copped a number of major injuries(touch wood). Then I'd be happy with just finals experience with an outlook to next year.

[GVGjr]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

The season is long, say if we copped a number of major injuries(touch wood). Then I'd be happy with just finals experience with an outlook to next year.

I get the feeling you are really writing down expectations for this season but based on last seasons effort we shouldn't be. We already wrote down the NAB cup campaign because supposedly the main season was the primary focus and now it appears we are giving the football department a few get out of jail free cards in case we fail to deliver this year.
I don't agree with moving the goal posts for them.

[Mantis]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

I get the feeling you are really writing down expectations for this season but based on last seasons effort we shouldn't be. We already wrote down the NAB cup campaign because supposedly the main season was the primary focus and now it appears we are giving the football department a few get out of jail free cards in case we fail to deliver this year.

I don't agree with moving the goal posts for them.

But were last years performances a bit of a fluke? Looking closely through our first 15 games where we were 13-1-1 we were bloody lucky to win atleast 3 or 4 of these games. We really could have finished about 6th or 8th which would have been probably about right.

The expectations within the footy department I think are a bit lower than the expectations of most of our fans.

[GVGjr]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

But were last years performances a bit of a fluke? Looking closely through our first 15 games where we were 13-1-1 we were bloody lucky to win atleast 3 or 4 of these games. We really could have finished about 6th or 8th which would have been probably about right.

The expectations within the footy department I think are a bit lower than the expectations of most of our fans.

First up, last season should not be regarded as a fluke.
Regarding the expectations, well the club has repeatedly said we are a top 4 side and that they weren't happy with last years result meaning that we are still aiming high. Both Rodney and David still believe we are a genuine contender and have recently confirmed that.

If you are indicating that we overachieved last year, then it's not exactly a great endorsement for Eade.

2005 - 9th
2006 - 8th
2007 - 13th
2008 - 3rd (written it down to more like 6th or 8th)
2009 - ??? (after 6 rounds we are hosing down expectations)

If Eade backs up again with a 7th or 8th position this season then wouldn't he need a bit of luck to get a contract extension?

On a more positive note, I hear the players are far from happy with their performances and are very keyed up to make amends over at Adelaide this weekend. They still rate their chances.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

I get the feeling you are really writing down expectations for this season but based on last seasons effort we shouldn't be. We already wrote down the NAB cup campaign because supposedly the main season was the primary focus and now it appears we are giving the football department a few get out of jail free cards in case we fail to deliver this year.
I don't agree with moving the goal posts for them.

I agree.

I don't see why expectations should be hosed down to protect the football department. We can't afford to continue the trend of having one bad season, one good season. The aim is to continually improve - if we don't, then it's not good enough. The amount of talent on our list is better than the majority, and for that reason, the last three games have been extremely disappointing.

But were last years performances a bit of a fluke? Looking closely through our first 15 games where we were 13-1-1 we were bloody lucky to win atleast 3 or 4 of these games. We really could have finished about 6th or 8th which would have been probably about right.

The expectations within the footy department I think are a bit lower than the expectations of most of our fans.

Whilst you need a bit of luck, for the most part in football - you make your own luck. Last year for the first 15 rounds we were bold, skillful and team orientated. So far this season we've been the complete opposite. Skills are bad, we're playing hesitant football and we're not team orientated at all. How many blocks etc. have there been in the past three weeks? Hardly any. The hospital handpasses, the unaccountability, the severe lack of relentless pressure - the overall team play has been poor.

We were 13-1-1 because we played very good football.

We've lost the last three because we've played very poorly. The younger types are struggling to have any real impact and the senior players are horribly out of form.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

If you are indicating that we overachieved last year, then it's not exactly a great endorsement for Eade.

2005 - 9th
2006 - 8th
2007 - 13th
2008 - 3rd (written it down to more like 6th or 8th)
2009 - ??? (after 6 rounds we are hosing down expectations)

If Eade backs up again with a 7th or 8th position this season then wouldn't he need a bit of luck to get a contract extension?

It's a good call, G.

There's no doubt that Eade's contract extension rests heavily on our positioning this year. He's done a good job to date but things can turn pretty quickly. '05 we came home with a bang after a terrible 03/04. In 06 we were crippled with injuries but still made finals and defeated Collingwood in the EF. '07 was a serious disaster, but we came back strongly in '08. The thing is though, as good a season as we had last year, a lot of people still remember the last 7-8 weeks where we were pretty poor. That's why it makes this season pivotal - if we fall out of the Top 4/5, I think Eade would be in trouble and TBH - rightfully so.

[Bornadog]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

It's a good call, G.

There's no doubt that Eade's contract extension rests heavily on our positioning this year. He's done a good job to date but things can turn pretty quickly. '05 we came home with a bang after a terrible 03/04. In 06 we were crippled with injuries but still made finals and defeated Collingwood in the EF. '07 was a serious disaster, but we came back strongly in '08. The thing is though, as good a season as we had last year, a lot of people still remember the last 7-8 weeks where we were pretty poor. That's why it makes this season pivotal - if we fall out of the Top 4/5, I think Eade would be in trouble and TBH - rightfully so.

Its going to be an interesting next few weeks. Lets hope we can carry the momentum of the last quarter on Sunday into next week.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Lots of interesting issues bubbling away

My expectations pre-season were that we should be aiming to make the grand final. And certainly the top 4, but that I could live with a slightly lower finish (top 6) provided a) we were investing the time in players who can improve our structure (i.e key forwards, midfield), and b) the group performed in September.

However the list is still a bit of a concern with the key forward options still raw (Grant, Boumann, Stack?) or super raw (Jones, Cordy). And question marks over the speed of the next crew of midfielders.

[Rocket Science]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

The expectations within the footy department I think are a bit lower than the expectations of most of our fans.

If accurate, frankly I'm inclined to agree, primarily due to personnel/structure issues.

The extent to which this may be true raises some interesting questions, namely if and when in 2009 we plan on getting game time into the kids being pegged as future regulars in the next 2-3 yrs.