I attended my first Melbourne game of the year on the weekend but have watched at least 7 matches over the past two weeks.

What I noticed sitting behind the goals on the weekend was that when we try to awitch, no-one is running to present or even be an option.. hence why we kick to packs or to one on two contests, etc...

we just do not do the simple things and do them well enough to be a good team... this gut running that we heard so much about last year and over the preseason is just fiction!!

just really disappointed with what I deem to be selfishness of most players... a good team is that, a team and at the moment we are playing as a team of individuals...

the number of times i counted finger pointing in the midfield and backline was ridiculous!!

also, when we kicked goals in the first quarter there appeared to be a genuine lack of excitement from the players but when watching other teams, many of the players get their to encourage!!

I for one want to see the little things done well first and play as a team.

what are the MelbourneFC known for - is it disciplined footy, hard running footy, defensive minded, attacking, etc....

ahh oh wise one ..yo have spotted our flaw !! we're static.. unbeleivably so I feel. Behind the goals you would have noticed that both ends of our ( what passes for a team ) dont move !! they don tlead.. they dont present.. they dont second guess where the play is going and so set up a link move. No when they do decide to move..after a cuppa nd some scones it seems they all amble off holding hands !! They are that close that any handball is counterproductive or any kick a furphy !

You see they have to point fingers...as they have all been struck down mute !!

ahh oh wise one ..yo have spotted our flaw !! we're static.. unbeleivably so I feel. Behind the goals you would have noticed that both ends of our ( what passes for a team ) dont move !! they don tlead.. they dont present.. they dont second guess where the play is going and so set up a link move. No when they do decide to move..after a cuppa nd some scones it seems they all amble off holding hands !! They are that close that any handball is counterproductive or any kick a furphy !

You see they have to point fingers...as they have all been struck down mute !!

WOW how easy is it to spot!! The Doggies and Hawks players (not just forwards) all moved well through the leading zone (50-60m in front of a player with the ball).

They would lead then got out of the leading zone to allow another player/s to lead through it or players broke off for a switch.. Melb just stand there and point. It is so frustrating to see our basic level of footy smarts is so low and that our fitness levels are so low as to not allow the players to make ANY leads after half time lead alone a player leading multiple times in one play.

Talk, blocking, sheperds, leads, not running into traffic all basic's of footy the MFC really has struggled with this year. How can an AFL side not do this, we even get trained to do these things at local footy...

Shepherds ???I saw Benny lay more on in a coupleoof quarters yesterday than the whole of Melbourne in two weeks !!

Right you are, We do not lead, we jog, we never sheprad, just stand 1-2 meters away calling for the ball, we never run the lines, how often do you see a player start a play at half back and get the ball again at half forward? or even see them run the lines with the play?

Right you are, We do not lead, we jog, we never sheprad, just stand 1-2 meters away calling for the ball, we never run the lines, how often do you see a player start a play at half back and get the ball again at half forward? or even see them run the lines with the play?

Is this a trick question ?? :D

Right you are, We do not lead, we jog, we never sheprad, just stand 1-2 meters away calling for the ball, we never run the lines, how often do you see a player start a play at half back and get the ball again at half forward? or even see them run the lines with the play?

Cale Morton did that...ended up giving it to Robbo, who missed the chance to flip it back to Cale to run into an open goal.

As it happened Robbo took the low % shot at goal and kicked it.

Reminded me of Charlie's line in TOP GUN, "in this instance the move worked but I think we can all use it as a demonstration of what not to do"

Cale Morton did that...ended up giving it to Robbo, who missed the chance to flip it back to Cale to run into an open goal.

As it happened Robbo took the low % shot at goal and kicked it.

Reminded me of Charlie's line in TOP GUN, "in this instance the move worked but I think we can all use it as a demonstration of what not to do"

You are so NOT alone in this.. Very lucky ( and good on him I suppsoe ) for kicking it...but had he not I think half the stand i was in was ready to jump down and pull him arse though this ears for that!!

Was deplorable..and thats being kind.

And yet again..there was hardly anyone in the offence. Hoestly you could set up picnic table and play cricket down there at the moment..its barrren !!

Cale has a good head.. and nice weighted kicking... ffs sign this kid up ..!!

Shepherds ???I saw Benny lay more on in a coupleoof quarters yesterday than the whole of Melbourne in two weeks !!

Benny?

I recall at one point I saw Greeny (not known for his team orientated play) ran next to a MFC player 3 times during one qtr clapping his hands or calling for a hand off, it was over a long meter or two mind, whilst a pack of doggies (pun intended) chased, harrassed and either tackled the stricken MFC player or put enough inffered pressure for the MFC player to turn it over. It was another frustration of a frustrating 2 days of play so far.

Bails speaks of basics but we have not seen any basics played by us as yet... I though you learnt this stuff at junior footy but then again half he players now days have not touched a footy until a couple of years ago playing soccer and b-ball where they learn to run next to each other.

Ben Holland at Sandy !!

shepherding a team mate - that would be team orientated and a 1 %er!

yes, robbo had to kick the goal because the members would have been looking for a public stoning!!

cale morton does a lot of things right... stands his feet most occassions, has excellent vision - the pass to Jones, good evasive skills and his feet skills appear to be too good to play for melbourne!!

how bad are we going when this kid shows the others how footy should be played....

miller moving to centre half forward and providing a target made a difference and players actually ran by because they knew they would be rewarded... miller leads up the ground yes but he does something not many can do and that is present!!

i am all for the game plan but without the basics as listed, we may as well play old 80's footy - stationery kick to kick....

Shepherding is one of the ( to me ) most valuable skills and abilities of a player. I remember as a kid being taught by some little known folk ( lol ) from Hawthorn and the lessons stayed with me .

Guard the man with the ball.. !! Let him run..let him kick.. stop the opposition! Shepherd..Shepherd.. Shepherd.. Put your body in the way..slow the bastards down ( well they didnt say that exactly...but thats what they meant )

What do we do now.. we play Hot Potato Hot potato. we play cough up handballs.. we play kick to disadvantage.

Anyone notice the run by Ablett the other week.. yes he has skills...but he has protection!! they laid that path for him..if you dont beleive me go watch it again!! Sometimes shepherding is just runnng the path the opposition would want..not even contact !!

We NEVER do this

how about our tackling - cannot remember the number of missed tackles or tackles that dropped off but it was far too many from a professional team!!

Ben Holland at Sandy !!

Holland.... as in B Holland... fark off!!!!! Well good for him to bad he is out for a month with a back injury now!

Anyone notice the run by Ablett the other week.. yes he has skills...but he has protection!! they laid that path for him..if you dont beleive me go watch it again!! Sometimes shepherding is just runnng the path the opposition would want..not even contact !!

We NEVER do this

I saw littl Stokes from Geelong lay a great sheperd on a much bigger Dons player. he got laid out but they got a goal from it!!! We would never see that from a MFC player which is frightening

how about our tackling - cannot remember the number of missed tackles or tackles that dropped off but it was far too many from a professional team!!

From another thread I wrote:

I have also never seen a team escort opposing players with the ball the way MFC players do. The doggies and Hawks both smashed us in tackles executed (effective tackles) we so often escort the ball carrier for ten metres before trying to apply pressure allowing them ample space and time to find a target.

We also can't tackle for sh!t, how many times did the doggies break tackles or were able to get arms free to handball to advantage and find a target!! We'd finally corral the player, and they'd slip out a cheeky handball to a player running past, whilst we would turn it over, bang goal!!

So many basics to work on

I think quite simply the players have been drilled to not kick to a contest and as we aren't leading well we have no option but to handball in circles

You know what caused a big difference? Our lack to use the corrider and mess with it round in the wings!! In 2006 when we where a domainant force we owned the corrider, it was ours. Using the corridor makes it easier for forwards as they don't have to trend as much water and don't have to lead and head back (as mentioned earlier), down the corridor simple footy that is quick harder to defend against and attacking!!

I saw the dogs do this a hundred times rebounding from our forwardline, while when we did it we chipped it out to the wings and then handball...handball...almost tackle...fumble...handball...big kick to an incredibly crowded forward. The wings take longer resulting in the opposition to be able to have more men back, Our forward line was swamped with bulldogs and hawks players the past weeks the opposition coaches have obvisously learnt that you just flood our foward line and take out our big forwards.

Also i believe this game is called football!! not HANDball!!

Shepherding is one of the ( to me ) most valuable skills and abilities of a player. I remember as a kid being taught by some little known folk ( lol ) from Hawthorn and the lessons stayed with me .

Guard the man with the ball.. !! Let him run..let him kick.. stop the opposition! Shepherd..Shepherd.. Shepherd.. Put your body in the way..slow the bastards down ( well they didnt say that exactly...but thats what they meant )

What do we do now.. we play Hot Potato Hot potato. we play cough up handballs.. we play kick to disadvantage.

Anyone notice the run by Ablett the other week.. yes he has skills...but he has protection!! they laid that path for him..if you dont beleive me go watch it again!! Sometimes shepherding is just runnng the path the opposition would want..not even contact !!

We NEVER do this

Exactly, If you shepherd the ball carrier he can run his full distance, settle and pick a target, over hand balling only leads to a greater % of turnign the ball over or fumbling, So frustrating to watch, I have given up screaming "shepherd him" as I now know that will not happen.

Lack of genuine excitement for a goal has been an issue for a long time. I remember watching games late in

David Schwatzs career where he would kick goals and stand alone trying to pump up teammates while they just walked back to the centre. How often do we see David Neitz have to go running to other players for any returned enthusiasm after kicking goals?

The lack of passion an excitement is the biggest issue facing the club at this point, and until a coach, leader, or president for that matter can be found to instill this not much is going to change...

One of ur big problems is at clearances, we have two many players trying to win the footy. Sounds strange but Mclean, Jones, Mcdonald and co all want the footy and dont assist he other player who has it. West Coast, Geelong, Hawks all protect the player with the ball and create a path for them to break clear and have an effective clearance. Everytime we get the ball at stopages we are tackled and can't get clean possesions. Help you team mate out but we are playing like 22 individuals and that won't make you competitive.

One of ur big problems is at clearances, we have two many players trying to win the footy. Sounds strange but Mclean, Jones, Mcdonald and co all want the footy and dont assist he other player who has it. West Coast, Geelong, Hawks all protect the player with the ball and create a path for them to break clear and have an effective clearance. Everytime we get the ball at stopages we are tackled and can't get clean possesions. Help you team mate out but we are playing like 22 individuals and that won't make you competitive.

Actually a non-Melbourne friend of mine made the exact same observation regarding our inside midfielders. Hopefully the teamwork thing is being straightened out.