Where are we at

[Guest Gotzy15]

Hi guys. Must admit i was extremely dissapointed with tonights performance but in particular the lack of leadership, effort and application. I am a very proud and passionate Melbourne fan and i go to the games every single week with my mates. I havent felt like this in a long time about my team and i honestly believe i have a reasonable amount of perspective on my side however i was ashamed to wear my jumper home from the game this evening. I honestly think it is time for us to stop rationalising and comforting ourselves with the fact that were a young developing side with inexperience and start being a little harder on our players and football dept for insipid performances like the one we produced tonight. I dont know about you guys but im sick of being 'competitive', focusing on improvement and constantly speculating about the year we will eventually become a serious top 4 threat. I thought we made some real progress last year and i cant see anything so far to suggest we can expect a continuation of that this year. I seem to have a lot of questions and not many answers atm and am wondering what you guys think:

- Nathan Jones is not up to it. The guy has been in the system for 5 years now and he offers very little. Remember these guys are paid handsomely to be full time professional footballers and dedicate their lives to it yet im not seeing any improvement in his football. he is way too slow,way too top heavy, has poor disposal, poor awareness and offers little in terms of leadership on the ground.He is keeping someone as good as Jordan Gysberts who is still young and raw but played 2 blinders last year against classy opposition in his first 2 games out of the side.

- Every single one of our forwards need to apply at least triple the amount of defensive pressure they currently are. Teams seem to waltz out of defense in numbers against us and move the ball through the middle with ease. If these guys arent prepared to harass chase and intimidate then dont play them.

- The leaders of our football club dont do enough. Senior players like Davey,Green,Sylvia,jones and Moloney get no where near as much of the ball as they should with a ruckman as good as jamar and again arent prepared to do the really hard yards to force contests and slow the game down when the opposition have momentum (which is what occured in the 3rd quarter tonight)

- Jack Grimes needs a stern talking to. He costs us numerous goals each week due to poor decision making in critical situations. When under pressure instead of trying to thread 25 metre passes on his left foot across goal he should kick up the line towards the boundary to try and force a stoppage.

- Dean Bailey is not tough enough on our players. These boys need a good kick up the backside sometimes and although he is a good teacher i honestly dont think he can give us the old fashioned spray when we really deserve it and need to lift our intensity.

- Thank goodness Luke Tapscott is a gun. Even the senior guys need to take a leaf out of his book when it comes to intensity, footy smarts, courage, and awareness. He is a beauty.

I really hope im not overeacting to a bad loss and that this is not a knee jerk reaction. Just wanted to get some points out there and see if theres some consensus with my opinions. Feedback is welcome

[agent_orange 0]

Hi guys. Must admit i was extremely dissapointed with tonights performance but in particular the lack of leadership, effort and application. I am a very proud and passionate Melbourne fan and i go to the games every single week with my mates. I havent felt like this in a long time about my team and i honestly believe i have a reasonable amount of perspective on my side however i was ashamed to wear my jumper home from the game this evening. I honestly think it is time for us to stop rationalising and comforting ourselves with the fact that were a young developing side with inexperience and start being a little harder on our players and football dept for insipid performances like the one we produced tonight. I dont know about you guys but im sick of being 'competitive', focusing on improvement and constantly speculating about the year we will eventually become a serious top 4 threat. I thought we made some real progress last year and i cant see anything so far to suggest we can expect a continuation of that this year. I seem to have a lot of questions and not many answers atm and am wondering what you guys think:

- Nathan Jones is not up to it. The guy has been in the system for 5 years now and he offers very little. Remember these guys are paid handsomely to be full time professional footballers and dedicate their lives to it yet im not seeing any improvement in his football. he is way too slow,way too top heavy, has poor disposal, poor awareness and offers little in terms of leadership on the ground.He is keeping someone as good as Jordan Gysberts who is still young and raw but played 2 blinders last year against classy opposition in his first 2 games out of the side.

- Every single one of our forwards need to apply at least triple the amount of defensive pressure they currently are. Teams seem to waltz out of defense in numbers against us and move the ball through the middle with ease. If these guys arent prepared to harass chase and intimidate then dont play them.

- The leaders of our football club dont do enough. Senior players like Davey,Green,Sylvia,jones and Moloney get no where near as much of the ball as they should with a ruckman as good as jamar and again arent prepared to do the really hard yards to force contests and slow the game down when the opposition have momentum (which is what occured in the 3rd quarter tonight)

- Jack Grimes needs a stern talking to. He costs us numerous goals each week due to poor decision making in critical situations. When under pressure instead of trying to thread 25 metre passes on his left foot across goal he should kick up the line towards the boundary to try and force a stoppage.

- Dean Bailey is not tough enough on our players. These boys need a good kick up the backside sometimes and although he is a good teacher i honestly dont think he can give us the old fashioned spray when we really deserve it and need to lift our intensity.

- Thank goodness Luke Tapscott is a gun. Even the senior guys need to take a leaf out of his book when it comes to intensity, footy smarts, courage, and awareness. He is a beauty.

I really hope im not overeacting to a bad loss and that this is not a knee jerk reaction. Just wanted to get some points out there and see if theres some consensus with my opinions. Feedback is welcome

I thought we were at base camp, but we haven't left the carpark yet.

[Samsara 65]

Keep playing like this, and I wouldn't blame Scully for leaving.

[Striker475 696]

I thought we were at base camp, but we haven't left the carpark yet.

The carpark? We're the poor bastards who tried to go to the Prom the day after all those rains.

[Felix 92]

Sooo, Jones out of the side and Gysberts to replace him for the final 20 odd rounds, Bailey out and Todd Viney to coach until the seasons end and Mick Malthouse to take over the side for 2012, at seasons end sack the leadership group and give it to the top 5 possession takers, and trade Jack Grime to Brisbane for another pick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Luke Tapscott to run for PM.

[Fork 'em 6,983]

Just not hard enough . Looked good when allowed to run but absolutely %hit themselves when the Dawks got serious in the 3rd .

Midfield smashed again . Rivers celebrating while walking off at half time .

Davey just cannot for the life of him shake a hard tag and we lose all drive .

God help us if he breaks down . Got no-one else that can step up to provide something when this happens .

Lol ... Sturmman , summed up nicely .

Edited April 3, 2011 by Fork 'em

[Range Rover 1,935]

It pains me to say this ... but if Davey can't cop a tag and goes to water every time pressure is applied to him ... his worth to the team has to come into question.

I mean, wouldn't it better to add someone to the mix who can compete for four quarters as an on-baller, even if they are less talented?

[Sir Why You Little 36,987]

It pains me to say this ... but if Davey can't cop a tag and goes to water every time pressure is applied to him ... his worth to the team has to come into question.

I mean, wouldn't it better to add someone to the mix who can compete for four quarters as an on-baller, even if they are less talented?

No it is better to recruit a player who can help Davey- He is a runner not a Grunt player, our Backline need to get stronger. That i hope is addressed in the Gym and inside the Skull.