DARKNESS COMES EARLY

[Buzzy 992]

What a weird, soulless game. Our guys actually went in hard. However, the real toughness we needed was gut running to provide an option and to shut down theirs.

Bottom line was, they always had 4 or 5 players with the confidence and desire to run and present forward of the contest, 30 metres clear of their opponents and providing a safe option.

We handballed BACKWARDS to guys under pressure and then kicked long and scrappily to contests.

Awful.

In other news, I'm now watching my recording of the game on FOX FOOTY and it appears to not be in HD? Not even upscaled SD? Has anyone else mentioned or noticed this? Is it just happening to me? I recorded it remotely with my I-Phone through the Foxtel App, can't imagine why that would affect it though.

[DirtyDees DDC 176]

Let's see if i can understand our game plan.

If we get the ball (?) we then kick it as quickly as possible away from their goals and towards the boundary line. We take the quick option and we don't try to hit a target, so no one offers a lead.

Even if we are bombing the ball into our forward line, we still aim for the pocket rather than in front of the goal square. We also play a zone defence which means we must stay at least 5 metres away from an opposition player.

The problem is that everyone knows our plan, so they play man-on-man and bottle us up. We have to hope that someone like Howe or Clark can take a hanger over the pack, and that's a very low percentage game.

Now this plan might be OK if we win the majority of the stoppages and clearances, but not today - we got smashed.

So they get the ball, and they instantly have oodles of free targets. All they have to do is hit the targets and away they go.

And this mob was crap last year - we beat them!! Why have they suddenly become a 50 points better side than us?

Same with the game against Port two weeks ago. We watched this game plan in the NAB Cup. The MFC had the same tactics this afternoon, and it's a game plan that's been superseded by the great ball use of Geelong, Carlton and Hawthorn. Our guys are playing in fear of not following the plan, with no-one willing to take the game on.

It looks awful and it breaks my heart to watch it happen.

[_H_ 37]

The game plan can't be blamed for what happened today. Nor can the coaches be blamed. If the plan was any more than "predictable" I doubt this group could have even followed such a simple concept. It makes you wonder if perhaps Bailey did try to teach them a plan, but they were not capable of following it.

Have you seen the list? It could be possible that the game plan and the coaches have something to do with loosing. The players shouldn't be adapting to a simple minded PE teachers idea's, the coach should be adapting to the lists capabilities.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Overall, I am not nearly as bothered as many of you who saw the game.

Ahh......Ignorance is bliss.....

[Dee*ceiving 1,630]

ok...now that I've got that off my chest.

Ralphius Maximus makes a key point. The fact that Neeld tred lightly with the delistings when he arrived coupled with the activations of the 2 compo picks for this years draft means a couple of things:

1. He doesn't expect to finish lower 2013 - 2016 than we will this year

2. He wants quality draft picks available to replace the junk with some quality at the end of the year

Make no mistake, he will be brutal at year end, there were blokes out there today with hearts the size of peas and while they are being granted a game unconditionally week in week out we will not go forward.

[_H_ 37]

I was there. So were my kids. Son (16yo) says we have no forward strategy other than bomb long to a one on two. He also says we were killed at the centre clearances. Daughter (14yo) says we suck! I say they are right, given the final score (2nd half). However, we were in the game at half-time. If I were a coach I would dismiss all of the game analysis, other than the 3rd Qtr. I would go over the third Qtr with a fine tooth comb and leave it at that (one step at a time for toddlers!).

Centre clearance problem... Jamar hits it too close to himself for our set-up. Brisvegas read him better than MFC! He needs to have 3 options... 'at his feet' 'outside right' clearing pack... and 'pump it' 20M. Today he had one gear... PREDICTABLE!!!! Note: He scored 104 Supercoach points to oppositon 100. If we are not prepared to get the ball inside 50 into the hands of Watts, Green, Howe... we are STUPID!!!! They are finishers. The 'bomb it long' to a one on two option is so flawed that the players should simply ignore the coaches (every now and then). The coaching staff will soon forgive transgressions when goals ARE SCORED!!!! Umpiring followed its usual pattern for us. Marks that touched the ground... free kicks for Hollywood dives... play on for blatant run downs and incorrect disposal. IN Gysberts, Tapscott, Petterd OUT Moloney, Green, .... whoever!

'bomb long to a one on two'...says it all. What a game plan.

[Choko 493]

I said this in another thread, but it belongs here. I tell you what. I was annoyed enough with the performance, in particular the contested footy. But with a new game plan, and a known poor poor midfield, I was prepared to excuse.

But when I heard Jack Trengove on AW say that the effort wasn't there, I was, and am still, fuming. These guys can get stuffed. They have no professional pride. I personally didn't think it was effort, especially with the tackle count early, but if Lloydy and Jack T think so, then I accept that.

I am not one to shoot off on here, but seriously, if the MFC players genuinely believe that the effort wasn't there, then they are dishonest, no-hoper spineless footballers basking in a terrible culture.

After Jimmy's death, first game of the year, new coach, all I think anyone expected was 100% hell for leather effort. To not get that makes me ill.

By the way, those that are bagging Neeld, it is way too early to bag the game plan. We haven't had time to learn it yet.

[daisycutter 29,343]

I am actually worried about where we go from here as a club. Never felt this deeply concerned.

Wholsesale changes need to made for next week to send out a message that this kind of performance is in no way, shape or form acceptable.

Plus if we persist with this gameplan we are sealing our fate to be bottom 3 this season.

Mark this one down as Wake Up Call #57 from the past 4 years.

I say forget f...ing game plan and just play the rest of the year man-to-man

[Hannibal 5,814]

It may have been mentioned, but I heard a snippet of Neeld's post match. I thought he was fantastic. This guy doesn't know how to spin. He'll sort the crud out in time.

[Jaded No More 67,822]

It may have been mentioned, but I heard a snippet of Neeld's post match. I thought he was fantastic. This guy doesn't know how to spin. He'll sort the crud out in time.

He'll sort the crud out with what?

He has nothing to work with.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

I am still confident that Neeld is the man we need. The PLAYERS are the problem, this is the third coach now we are seeing the same problems with.

"are the same 22 going to travel to Perth? Not on your life" was my favourite line from the presser.

[BIG JIM 508]

I just saw the neeld interview and it was very raw he was very angry and even looked like he had a tear in his eyes. He made it clear that this club has a long way to go and that there will be alot of change at this club with the players while he is in the drivers seat. i think he said other then watts and magner everyone was crap. He will have a big broom at the end of the year i have no dobt.

[Jaded No More 67,822]

"are the same 22 going to travel to Perth? Not on your life" was my favourite line from the presser.

Neeld has done a lot of talking, a lot of tough talking, but today has was responsible for leading 22 players and in his own words, 18 failed miserably.

He has a lot to do before I give a crap about his tough press conferences. The easiest thing to do is talk tough. I want to see whether that actually translates to tough on field performances this century.

I'm glad he won't put blind faith in players, but unfortunately for him, he doesn't have an unlimited selection of good players. He has a short list of proven capable players, a longer list of unknowns, and a very long list of crap players who are past their use by date, or who were never any bloody good.

If he thinks that dropping Davey and bringing Dunn in is going to solve our problems, he's delusional, but he claims that he's a realist, so who knows.

He might want to find some magical talent elves this week, or we will get bent over hard by West Coast.

[gOLLy 401]

Overreaction.

You don't change a culture that permitted a 186 point loss overnight.

Assess after 10 rounds, not 1.

Imagine we played Hawthorn today..........

[Striker475 696]

A couple of reflective points.

1) the zone is 95%

2) The seniors should be demoted.

3) we desperately need a crumber in the fwd50

[64was2longago 6]

Reflecting on the game - absolulety pathetic. Magner was the positive well done. As for the rest a rabble. Second half was country league stuff. Bomb it long and hope for the best.

Very concerned about the game plan. Neeld says it will take time to adjust but what are we adjusting too?

Also what about the fitness. We have recruited a high performance coach very well credentialed in Misson and our guys were out on their legs EARLY in the third quarter. Why is this?

Remember Brisbane are a very ordinary team but made us look second rate and ran our legs off.

Concur with the other posters in that I can't recall a smooth passage of play for a major.

I decided to stay to the end to watch the team walk off. An apology would have been good!!

[maximum bob 462]

Here's Melbourne today. Kick to a contest - ten to twelve players ready to contest the spoils. Or have clean possession and kick to a two/three on one. Or keep hugging the boundary line and kick it into what used to be called the 'dead pocket' where scoring is made extra difficult and defenders have an easy job.

We lacked skill, imagination, confidence and flair today.

I admired the Lions who weren't constrained by some pre-ordained game plan. I don't care if we don't learn ours - it's a crock on todays showing.

Long bombs and boundary lines make for losses and very boring footy.

The Lions took risks and actually moved the ball into the centre corridor! Heaven forbid. Create space, open up the goal-mouth and take it from there. As they say, look at the scoreboard.

Unfortunately the bottom line was they had better skilled players and some idea of how to play instinctive footy.

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

This week Mark Neeld will have to be savage with this lot....If our senior players do not like it....Tough.

This whole club is right at the crossroads...for all the work done off field if the on field is really as bad as i saw today then the MFC is in huge trouble.

Moloney Green & Davey should all be sent to Casey next week...they are more harm to our young list than good...

The Gold Coast would have beaten us today..on our own turf.

Jack Watts had a real crack Particularly in the first half....Magner was our best player....that says a lot..as did the Green & Davey goals in junk time.

"Moloney Bleeds Red & Blue"....No he doesn't...Talk is cheap.

Jim Stynes Bled Red & Blue....Moloney will never make it.

[BIG JIM 508]

Im going to give neeld the year to show what he has because if we dont win more then lastyear we have failed and all the great work jimmy has done for this club could very quickly be gone. So lets hope our board and co have got the right man not just the man who says the right things. Today was the worst loss i have seen at the M.C.G after so much hope and building to be beat by a team who should be well below us is a shocking result. All player should have a good hard look at themself. We made this club look like crap in 2010. What has gone wrong?

[Hannibal 5,814]

Neeld has done a lot of talking, a lot of tough talking, but today has was responsible for leading 22 players and in his own words, 18 failed miserably.

He has a lot to do before I give a crap about his tough press conferences. The easiest thing to do is talk tough. I want to see whether that actually translates to tough on field performances this century.

I'm glad he won't put blind faith in players, but unfortunately for him, he doesn't have an unlimited selection of good players. He has a short list of proven capable players, a longer list of unknowns, and a very long list of crap players who are past their use by date, or who were never any bloody good.

If he thinks that dropping Davey and bringing Dunn in is going to solve our problems, he's delusional, but he claims that he's a realist, so who knows.

He might want to find some magical talent elves this week, or we will get bent over hard by West Coast.

And Hawthorn supporters wanted Alistair Clarkson's head two years in. Neeld isn't the problem.

I can't be effed expanding more tonight, but I'll revisit this thread tomorrow.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

What was it Neeld said.?

Football was now like going to University.

It just shows you what a bunch of D..Heads we have these days.

E=Mc2 for the uni boffins

1 + 1 = 3 for the MFC

Edited March 31, 2012 by Chippy

[Jaded No More 67,822]

And Hawthorn supporters wanted Alistair Clarkson's head two years in. Neeld isn't the problem.

I can't be effed expanding more tonight, but I'll revisit this thread tomorrow.

Alistair Clarkson had bucket loads of talent to work with. He was blessed with a club that bottomed out and lucked out in the draft. Hodge, Franklin, Roughead, Rioli. Did you watch Hawthorn last night? even their 22nd player can hit a target FFS!

We bottomed out and got Morton, Watts, Scumbucket Scully and Trengove.

One is rotting in the VFL, one is still not sure what position he should play, one is a deadset [censored] who left for more cash, and one is a 20 year old trying to be a captain.

Good luck to Neeld. I hope he succeeds in instilling some toughness into this club, because he can't rely on talent alone.

[BIG JIM 508]

I just feel like crap i have always gone in for the dees but i now am starting to feel like this club stands for nothing.

The media have said we stand for nothing for years as a club. Then big jim brings back some life to the club he loves and the team come and play like this today. Im really worried were we will go over the next few years.

[Adam The God 29,433]

Sorry to just dig into one player, but I thought Jamar was absolutely pitiful today. He won two taps for the entire game from memory, although he did set up Watts' goal with a good bit of scramble.

Meanwhile, Stef was winning at least a line share of his taps, but wasn't in there long enough to make an impact. Jamar doesn't provide enough up forward and once beaten in the ruck, offers very little anywhere else. The midfield group is to blame too, but Jamar had a very poor game today. Worse almost than the old Jamar. I just hope he is under-done, otherwise he's lost it again.

[Choko 493]

Sorry to just dig into one player, but I thought Jamar was absolutely pitiful today. He won two taps for the entire game from memory, although he did set up Watts' goal with a good bit of scramble.

Meanwhile, Stef was winning at least a line share of his taps, but wasn't in there long enough to make an impact. Jamar doesn't provide enough up forward and once beaten in the ruck, offers very little anywhere else. The midfield group is to blame too, but Jamar had a very poor game today. Worse almost than the old Jamar. I just hope he is under-done, otherwise he's lost it again.

He had a shocker, but I think we can forgive him one. And he also had friends.