Diamond_Jim

That second half of the Belgium v Japan game was amazing. I had a long hot day (power outage included) in Tbilisi so after a boring first half I followed the second half on the Guardian blog before going back for what I thought was sure to be extra time. How wrong can one be.. five goals in a half and the winner with 8 seconds to go. On a different note the penalty taking is not subject to VAR so early movement by the keeper is not monitored. Wonder if this will change

There's no magic bullet at VFL level as we all know. The answer is the game plan and getting players to perform to their potential. We have a decent list and now is the time. Sure do a little trading and try some other players at the right time but make no mistake this is a coaching department issue.

Yep time to slowly head back ... (might have been a bit quicker if the Dees had been on a roll) Four weeks in Russia was enough... great experience.. saw 5 games. The tickets get much harder to obtain from the quarter final stage and quite expensive. Quarter final tickets are US$320 for example and the accomodation costs are very high during the WC period. Mind you the food and drink is very cheap and top quality. I am now in Tbilisi Georgia. The travel people call it the new Prague. Great old city with good food and wine plus it's very cheap. For example I'm in a two bedroom airbnb and out of the large number I have stayed in over the years this is up at the top. The price... $40 a night. If only it wasn't so hot ... may have to return outside the summer months. It's a big weekend getaway spot for all the expats in the Middle East.

A past player that I think we all admired in how he stuck with it... such bad luck

Well I can tell you the old Soviet apartment blocks in Kazan are rumbling with the cheers of the locals after that win !!! Off to Georgia tonight on the 4:30am flight

Yep they do like their food here ! Now we are off to Penalty Lotto Old Vlad must be upset that he didn't drop in for this one

one has to wonder what can be done to make VFL matches more useful other than exercise.

I'd have no problem playing four or five at Casey next week for the purpose of avoiding Darwin. As you say every game is a must win and we need to look towards the remainder of the season. If we cannot beat Freo with a few players out we are stuffed anyway which after today is probably right.

Lewis and Vince will go when someone from Casey forces them out. So far there really haven't been any standout players in that regard. Hunt injured and the perennial Wagner doesn't instil much confidence that a change will come soon. Playing Petty on the back of a few reasonable games smacked of desperation

ok. I see where you're coming from.. but a player needs to do more than be a relieving ruckman. By playing Pedersen in the backline at VFL level I think the coaching staff have officially removed him from consideration at least for the present.

maybe ....I'd go TSmith instead of Pedersen... Pedersen just doesn't gel with the other two forwards. Petty was too early and an unnecessary selection ... I would like to think we will be tactical about Darwin and think of the following week. Perhaps TomMac has a rest for example. Would be interested to hear more about Jetta... he did not look himself today.

I think we need to revisit the idea of playing the third tall in the forward line together with tallish players such as Melksham and Hannan. T Smith may not be the answer but we look so much better when he is the mix and the same goes for Spargo. Garlett has done nothing at VFL level but I'm desperate enough to try him but how his breakaway plays can work in a crowded forward line I cannot see. To state the obvious the key is Hogan returning to 20 plus possession games. Let's be honest we are now at that stage of the season where the coach needs to do some rethinking as we're not going anywhere with this gameplan.

no as someone posted earlier... we don't do comebacks

the game and the season are slipping away ... so familiar

to say we need the next couple of goals is an understatement

from the AFL site ... states the obvious but also shows how our game plan can so easily be picked apart: St Kilda has retained possession from 73 percent of its inside 50 entries, compared to Melbourne 53 percent. The Saints have retained possession from only 42 percent of their kicks into the forward 50 this season, which is ranked second last.

needs some structural rethinking perhaps ...it's been much the same for three weeks now

Saints have their kicking boots on today. IIRC they kicked themselves out of it last time we played

Then that means they are too easily breaking the press as we should have three outriders who should not be allowing the ball out. The real problem is that the game plan requires strong forward play and when it's not working ... it's horrible

yep ..the forward press also known as the overcrowded forward line has certainly been worked out by the opposition. Now even the cellar dwellers know how to beat it.

Hogan, Petracca and T McDonald with 9 possessions in total between them....our forward structure needs a shake up

Could this be the day McCartin emerges as a full forward. We can be very obliging the way we play teams and players into form.

Good kick to handball ratio so far ... 24:16

Perhaps not a game for the ages but the break away speed France was at sometimes breathtaking. I noticed it in the early stages of the game against Australia but tonight it went for almost the whole match. France were unlucky not to score another two or three whereas Argentina's goals were against the run of play. Argentina's fans of which there were many are certainly noisy but as they left the various vuvuzele at home I rank them above the Colombians.

sensible suggestion.. sometimes we get too concerned about winning at VFL level and forget what that team is really about ie experimentation