Forward 50 entries vs Scumpies

[Adam The God 30,617]

Now I had intended to write this up as soon as I got home on Monday evening, however I have stayed away from the board, nursing my anger from the QB clash. Upon my return I thought I'd share this.

Among many other frustrating aspects of our display against Collingwood, one dimension that really stood out for me was our forward 50 entries. I remember a fortnight earlier, Josh Mahoney had spoken on MFC website about our offensive entries being too shallow, and thus being repelled by the Carlton defence. So come the Essendon game we were kicking long to the square and what do you know...we had targets up there. You put the defenders under pressure and FFS you have a guy sitting in the goal square who's 7 foot 2. Kick on top of his head!

We seemed to have rectified our problems from that game, but then against Collingwood, reverted straight back to our shallow forward entries. Inexplicably, we seemed to attempt to hit up leads around 45 to 50 metres out (to Brad Green numerous times) time and again, rather than kicking to the top of the square. Interestingly, when we did kick to the top of the square an LJ would take a mark. Notice, most of Sylvia's goals (if not all) came from 40 to 50 metres out. Whereas, if you look at Cloke's most of his came from the goal square. Cloke is a very ordinary kick and if we'd prevented him from set shots in the goal square it may have been a little different.

Anyhow, in order to win this week (which frustratingly I believe we will - interstate team, following a pitiful performance), we must ensure that our forward entries are deep and that our will to keep the ball in there is far better stronger than it was on Monday. It was probably the most obvious and frustrating aspect of the game. We just kept idiotically trying to pin point passes, as though we'd been directed too. Surely that wouldn't have been the directive. Maxwell is ordinary at best when one on one, as is Shaw. Next time Melbourne, put their ordinary defenders under bloody pressure! Get the ball in quickly to the top of the square and you'll find a lot more will come of it.

[Adam The God 30,617]

Footy can sometimes be such an easy game. Today we kicked long to the top of the square and pretty much every time we scored. At the very least we put defenders under pressure. We overused the handball, obviously. Our midfield didn't run hard enough either. The majority of goals scored against us were so incredibly easy and were not the defenders fault. The midfield didn't press back hard enough. We need to utilise the long kick more often, as Geelong have. I'm sure there should be a team rule about kicking it as deep inside 50 as possible (but not too lose to the goal line to be spoiled through). We'd find scoring a whole lot easier.

Finally, Jones, Bartam and Morton do not kick across goal in our back half unless you know you'll hit a target. It's cost us goals consistently over the past two to three weeks.