Skuit

I'm pretty sure you won't be getting a job at Cambridge Analytica any time soon if that's how you've you've pegged my profile.

Just to be clear - I was commenting solely on Red and Blue Forever's suggestion that the game was somehow not that bad. It was. It was in fact atrocious, and a complete blight on the footballing calendar to the point where I derive no joy from being slightly less [censored] than the opposition due to an extra day's break and probably didn't even notice Slalom having a good one. That said, I'm chuffed we get a free W each year and hope we can somehow regain some confidence from it - because while we have massive fundamental issues, we've shown that we're not actually bad at times so far during the year - and I think our game relies on a fair degree of swagger. I have concerns however that the footy dept. might buy into the win like some on here. #optimistprime

Match Summary: See 2017 vs. Essendon.

I just let my morning alarm clock serve as a rough guide.

I didn't see the match so can't make an informed comment on who 'deserves' to be dropped. But, our win-loss record since 2016 now stands at; 16-10 with Pedo in the team 8-15 without him. I'm not stupid, and recognise Pedo's limitations, but we structure up better with him out there - and however outlandish, he does have the (proven) capacity to help turn a close match. I'm perplexed by his continued sidelining by our past two coaches at the first opportunity. Whatever his deficiencies, deal with it - the same way half the 'developing' team are given a pass for theirs.

'We have looked at the game as an opportunity to improve all all aspects of how we go about things, including how we can better communicate key messages to our players when the opposition gets a run on. It is easy to forget how young our list is and we have two key leaders in TMac and Jack out so this week we are going to have Macca, who is definitely in no way disaffected and is really happy about the move and he and Goody get on better than ever and have a fantastic working relationship, you could even say a personal relationship, if you consider that time Macca went round to Goody's house for a BBQ, go back to his role that he played so brilliantly for the last 3 years as a key person communicating directly to players on the bench and conveying messages from the box. Which he is happy about.

Was vaguely concerned after reading the general thrust of this thread. Not so now. Thanks for sharing Cards. While there may be a kernel of truth somewhere in the story, it's a shame modern journos feel the need to sensationalise - whether it be internal media pressure, pandering to a mindless audience, or plain simple ego to break something big. I'll be taking a grain of salt with that kernel. And if there are a few minor internal problems, it's clear then that the club is moving to address them. A modern workplace.

It's fairly clear that Jones has already left based on his absence from that picture.

Simon is too wooden. Max says too much. There's no characters left in footy. Max is a clown. The MFC is irrelevant. I wish the players would stay out of the media and just concentrate on their footy . . . Can the expert public relation detractors here perhaps provide a sample draft of what they would consider the perfect response to every cliched footy-press question? I'll get the ball rolling. Q: [insert MFC interviewee], how will the club be approaching the upcoming match against Richmond? A: ?

Missing a 20m shot at goals means you are a [censored] kick for goals from 20 metres out. It doesn't mean you lack leadership qualities. If Max had missed a rove and snap on the siren would he be trashed as a leader? Leadership equals effort and drive from the front. He hauled his arse down the field to be in the right position after rucking all day. He was also reportedly out alone practicing his set-shots from the failed range during training this week. That is leadership - not some extraordinary natural skill-set.

Go to work. Come home. More threads.

This. The 'brave' CFC over our same wretched period: 2018: 18th . . . 2017: 16th 2016: 14th 2015: 18th 2014: 13th 2013: (9th) 2012: 10th

World War motif adjacent to a Swiss financial company logo seems a tad . . . unsavoury? (Please note however that Zurich has, on the surface at least, taken corporate responsibility seriously in recent times and has also previously led initiatives in the insurance sector for holocaust reparations).

I've been mostly concerned over the past couple years re. his capacity to gain clean possession off the deck. The weekend wasn't a time to judge but was again his biggest problem. Got to the right spots but fumbled or overran.

How many of those 25 games has Melbourne won under Goodwin Older Demon and how many would have we won if we'd backed off on the all-out attack? No one knows. But a positive win-loss coaching record is hardly a damning stat. In the last year of the Roos' tenure we recorded 1991 points against. And last year we conceded ten goals less for a total of 1934 (while, for the record, in 2016 we scored 1994 points across the season which lifted to 2035 last year). We may be the easiest team to score against at times but that doesn't equate to greater scores against. I know the majority of players have matured since, but if we go further back to 2015 in Roos' second year, before Goodwin was rumoured to be partially in charge of the game-plan, the figures were 1573 for and 2044 against. Many quietly bemoaned the appointment of Roos because of his defense-first approach and the potential for boring footy. The footy world has also moved on since then to favour a more aggressive form of attack. Should we retreat and head back down that defensive path of yore so that we don't have to sweat the unsettling run-ons? Most would say it's a matter of balance - but Goody is attempting to crack the code and lift us above the middle.

Yes, Hogan must be furious that he's been made to run around collecting 25 touches due to Goodwin's evil game-plan - while at Fremantle he'll surely get to kick back in the forward-line and not be bothered about ever having to see the ball.

In my opinion we have some small problems with personnel in the forward and back-lines - mostly class up front (and in the middle as to delivery) and balance down back. But they are what they are for now. As to these individual areas, while there are some problems in each, they are for the most part a manifestation of the whole. Our mammoth inside-50 count, our lack of inside-50s against, and the difference in forward and defensive efficiencies are all the same thing. You don't get one without the others. The footy department are banking on the our forward potency outweighing the defensive sacrifice - in the hope that just some small improvements up for and down back can tip the balance. The question is whether this is possible with the aforementioned issues we have with personnel. But it all hinges on winning the contested and clearance battle - and when we fall apart here, and drop the tackle count like yesterday - the system will completely break down and get ugly. As to the three up at once factor - this I think is a result of our drive to win this battle: see ball get ball. They want the players to compete fiercely for every ball - such that it will equal a lack of composure at times. I don't know the remedy. We don't have the foot-skills to revert to a possession plan and when we eased the press last year we looked impotent at times. I would suggest slowing it up just a fraction going forward out of the centre - we're creating our own outnumbered flood and disorganisation on the opposition rebound. E.g. - a little less bombing it forward the second we get it. I don't know if our game-plan gamble will come off yet. For me it's too early to tell. But it will continue to get ugly at times until we get better, and we will continue to leak goals and be involved in close matches where we dominate possession. Goody was ahead of the curve in the style, but he's also pushing it beyond its current limits.

If you're going to make an amendment Werridee you need to provide the whole team-sheet afresh. Otherwise it's too hard to get a true sense of the changes with just a couple of names floating in space.

Spargo. The fact that I'm partially serious about debuting a 170cm forward in the back-line against the premiers on our biggest stage of the year is either a huge concern for my mental health or the state of our defensive unit - although the subjects are somewhat interrelated. We need speed and tenacity down back, and he strikes me as kid you could give a specific job to against one of their smalls and he would go about it with a determined, singular focus. If not, at least he might bop Riewoldt upside the head. Please note: I've only had one beer, but I've also never actually seen a second of wee Charlie play in my life.

We should have never attempted to turn him into a serious footballer. It was way more fun when he was a sideshow dishing out the irrits.

While it's not uncommon, Adelaide applied the tactic heavily against us in Darwin last year as well. Does it have something to do with the way we set up defensively down the line ? Like leaving the boundary side open?

Can someone who attends fill me in on Harmes' role this year? He was slowing improving last year after settling forward somewhat. But now seems to be mostly in contests around the wing. Marking is well down as well. I wonder if we can move him to whatever it is Melksham is supposed to be doing and then give Harmes' role to Hunt? Also, turnovers or not, we still need more (Tyson) experience in the midfield and Bernie and Lewis are past it. Then we have the problems with our defense and the specific Richmond forward set-up. I usually don't resort to discussing the psychology of footballers but I'm concerned about the effect the flak will have on player and team if we were to demote Lever. Still, he has to come out to relieve the pressure and find some touch. And at least we can find out if Hibberd and Jetta are a form or a structural issue. In: Pedo. Tyson. Hunt. Out: Melksham. Bugg. Lever.

Clarkson is such a coaching mastermind that he managed to induce a collective PTSD by plonking Frawley in Melbourne's defensive 50.

I'm concerned by SWYL's absence. Can someone pop around his place and check that his blood vessels haven't exploded?