Boring Football

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I hate to say it, but watching Melbourne play is boring. Not just because the team is losing, but the way they are playing. I understand that the defensive mentality of the team may not have been great in the past, but there is almost no attacking mentality at all now.

No wonder membership hasn't grown from last season, the club and players need to give supporters a reason to come to the footy, other than the fact that they are Melbourne supporters. Where's the entertainment in watching a team do the same thing (hug the boundary line, play for a throw in) over and over? We too often rely on a piece of individual brilliance from a player like Clark just to get within scoring range.

Melbourne has one of the smallest supporter bases and struggles to get kids to follow the team. Why would anyone want to watch what Melbourne has served up this year?

We can deal with losing (most of us are accustomed to it by now), but I am really struggling to deal with the boring.

[Guest José Mourinho]

Losing is boring.

When we kick goals and win it is not boring.

You're trying to overthink it, but it's that simple.

[Fork 'em 6,975]

Losing is boring.

When we kick goals and win it is not boring.

You're trying to overthink it, but it's that simple.

Bulltish . Bizkit is spot on.

[simma02 53]

Losing is boring.

When we kick goals and win it is not boring.

You're trying to overthink it, but it's that simple.

Are you serious? Have you watched Melbourne play recently... We don't kick goals and we sure as [censored] don't win.. Nothing to overthink here - we are a very boring team, amongst other things!.

[Guest José Mourinho]

Are you serious? Have you watched Melbourne play recently... We don't kick goals and we sure as [censored] don't win.. Nothing to overthink here - we are a very boring team, amongst other things!.

I've been to every game at the G, and watched the rest on tv.

I don't have an issue with the aesthetic of our style of play.

[Nasher 33,607]

Losing is boring.

When we kick goals and win it is not boring.

You're trying to overthink it, but it's that simple.

That's exactly what I thought too.

Are you serious? Have you watched Melbourne play recently... We don't kick goals and we sure as [censored] don't win.. Nothing to overthink here - we are a very boring team, amongst other things!.

I'm not sure you read what he said.

[Fork 'em 6,975]

Remind me when our last win was when all this goal kicking was going on.

[Nasher 33,607]

Remind me when our last win was when all this goal kicking was going on.

Another battler in the reading comprehension stakes.

[Fork 'em 6,975]

That was a genuine question .

I couldn't be bothered checking.

You obviously battle in the football comprehension stakes tho'.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Fork 'em

[P-man 13,366]

I don't have an issue with the aesthetic of our style of play.

What is it you like best about the brand of footy that we are producing? Genuine question.

[Guest José Mourinho]

What is it you like best about the brand of footy that we are producing? Genuine question.

Long kicking to a contest, to advantage.

Defensive structure to limit the bleeding - when it is working as intended.

Contested footy.

The fact that if we continue to do it, we will eventually master these aspects, and they are the keys to winning finals footy.

[Fork 'em 6,975]

Long kicking to a contest, to advantage.

Pfft ..... I'd be wrapped if they did .

[Guest José Mourinho]

Pfft ..... I'd be wrapped if they did .

Me too, but it's the idea.

It looks good when it does happen.

Under pressure it began to fall apart.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

To me the team looks as if they are playing with no instinct, flair or dare. The players look to be so focused on sticking to the structures that they have forgotten how to play football. The irony is that they don't seem to be sticking to the structures all that well either.

[The Chazz 4,077]

What frustrates me is that I can sit there and watch the Gold Coast play, and could imagine that some of their supporters would get excited during some of their losses. They generally put in 100%, and from a team you support, you can't ask for any more than that.

There were times during the St Kilda game where I was excited about how we were playing. Can't remember the last time before that where I have been excited about what I have seen us do (even our last win - against the Suns at the G last year was a boring and terrible game).

[Gouga 562]

Last night I am pretty sure I watched some Melbourne players guarding dead space and others chasing Hawthorn players that had the ball.

I'll comment on our style when we eventually get it.

[Pipefitter 2,144]

I watched the replay. The players are so focussed on their opponent, often when the ball spills free they are trying to bump their opponent. They need to see the ball and grab it. To neeld, this not the way you play footy. Until you let the boys have a fair crack we will get belted every week. I'm not sure what this game plan is achieving other than losing, and probably losing members.

[btdemon 482]

I watched the replay. The players are so focussed on their opponent, often when the ball spills free they are trying to bump their opponent. They need to see the ball and grab it. To neeld, this not the way you play footy. Until you let the boys have a fair crack we will get belted every week. I'm not sure what this game plan is achieving other than losing, and probably losing members.

I said the same after watching the first NAB cup game this year

[btdemon 482]

Contested footy is good to watch when it is not just about stopping the opponent. I don't mind 'winning ugly', but like the swans or Northey's Demons, not that horrible game that the saints played.

[demonique 314]

I love the Demons, have done so for 58 years, but I hate this team and it's wretched style. Also I find the game far too scrappy now, too many players around the ball. Like school yard stuff of my youth!!

[Guest Jackie]

At the moment we play like the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters. Entertainment value and comic relief for oposition supporters.

[Biffen 12,939]

Last nights game was one of the ugliest games ever played in wet or dry .

I really cant see to many victories this year .

Is there any point in having a runner that cant kick? Bail , Morton and Bennell were useless or worse.

Meanwhile Watts and Jurrah are in the 2's.

I'm having a break-time to go skiing .

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I watched the replay. The players are so focussed on their opponent, often when the ball spills free they are trying to bump their opponent.

That is a huge frustration of mine, Trengove and Davey do that a lot.

[Little Richard 6,219]

Maybe Mick Malthouse will feel sorry for his former assistant by the end of the season and join the club as a 'Director of Operations' or something of the like

[Waltham33 475]

I said a few weeks ago I was not sure what was worse, losing or the basic, predictable game style. So many times last night we had the opportunity to go down the corridor but instead we dedicated to bomb it high in the air and to the boundary line.

You need a strong defence to be successful – no question, but you need a far more fluent offence that what we are shiwing as well. Get back to taking risks Dees, at least it gives people more incentive to get to games.