F*ck me stupid! Is this thing still alive??

I have always agreed with that. My issue is with joe blows getting on the web and the radio firing away at Ratten for having no game plan or a dumb gameplan when that is clearly not the case. Its more a case of the team not being switched on and applying no tackle pressure which is something both players and coaches have to share.

Ragging out the coach just seems an easy way to release frustration after a loss for some. That and ragging him out because you called it early that he cant coach and you are desperate to be proven right.

I think for most supporters the requirement for consistent intensity and effort goes without saying.

Up until the Essendon* game a lot of negative critiques were based on the lack of urgent attacking forward movement.
You'll remember Ratten in the preseason talking about a more patient methodical approach from defence was the go this year.
Quite clearly that theory has be adjusted significantly since the Essendon* game with a more urgent approach going forward putting pressure on our opponents, hence the negative critiques ceasing.

We wouldnt know what the plan in the Essendon* game was because we didnt put in any effort. No plan would work. For the 15 mins we did play well we turned on the tackle pressure , it appeared we had an urgent approch to going forward.
We learnt alot from that. Got the balance right in the backline, lifted the pressure, score alot off turnovers when the opposition defense is not set and now we look good providing we bring the effort and pressure.

When the oppostion defense is set we still use the more patient methodical approach from defence. Even last night as far as i could see.

Correct

You really thought he was crying

We are a young team and we will still have our downers, it just goes with the territory, but we know what we can do when everything clicks. Watch out when that consistency of effort kicks in.

Good to see that you resisted the urge to throw in any backhanders Ryan

Love it or hate it the "Hold the ball up and kick it backwards crap" is part of modern football. When done correctly it slows down the opposition's momentum when they are on a role, chews up time when you are infront etc, and gives your players a breather. It is damn tough to attack all the time especially as the defensive transition is so taxing.

I think we have actually become better at it, but are still far from perfect. FWIW I also think the signal sometimes means kick it long down the line depending on how they hold it above their heads Could be wrong on that though

I could so see Eddie Betts doing the John Barnes rap.

We should get Barney and Hooky out here to do a 2010 Carlton version.

'we ain't no Collingwood yobs
this ain't a football song
CFC on my chest
you know I can't go wrong'

Were playing for Carlton, CAARLTON.

It so works.

It took a change in philosophy and courageous team selection from the MC following the Essendon* game to get 'the balance right in the backline' as you say, and change the mindset. Those actions have initiated a far more 'confident' style of aggressive play that has confronted our opposition in 3 of the 4 subsequent games.

The only times we've played purely possession football since R.3 (holding the ball up) is for a minute or 2 at the end of each qtr in which we've had momentum. I have no problem with that.

This win just barely neutralises the loss to Ess in Rd 3 2009. We win 3 consecutive flags and I think I'll be ready to let go of the other two losses to the Scum since

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

Good to see you are keeping your sense of humour despite the pessimism

I think we use it more than you think Rexy. One of the more obvious examples has been half way through the second quarter against the Pies when we used it to successfully slow their momentum when they were murdering us. Helped us to at least be in with a shout at halftime.

100% correct B. We use it all the time. To me it looks like if the opposition are get set up behind the ball we are patient and methodical but if we win a clearance ,force a turnover or get a rebound 50 and the opposition are caught out of position then its attack with all guns blazing. Not really different to the way we were trying to play earlier in the season. The personal changes in team balance in the back half has allowed us to do it more effectively. Being switched on applying tackling pressure giving the opposition no space helps us win the ball with the oppostion out of position.


Thats how i see it anyway.

It's like the smoke monster on Lost, never dies, just lurks in the jungle.

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"I had to eat"

Fellas, you're getting away from the point, which is that we're no longer predominantly playing the static reactionary style of football that Ratts predicted during the preseason, which was what most of the criticisms were based on.
Results since the change of approach have been mainly positive. The balance has dramatically shifted from re-activeness to pro-activeness.
Don't let your need to protect Ratts blind you from the obvious.

No need to get snippy there Rexy

We are getting the balance right I'm not sure how that pointing out where I think that you are not quite right in your analysis is defending Ratten. If Gibbs didn't hold the ball over his head half way through the second quarter against the Pies, then you were right in your statement that we have only used that tactic at the end of quarters? So you don't agree that it helped slow their momentum when it looked like we were going to go in ten goals down at half time?

I don't disagree that we have been too static at times, but the frenetic attack that Essendon* has used at times is also unsustainable. I think we are getting the balance right, but you can't throw out legitimate tactics that work either, you just have to get better at using them at the right times and I think we are. I'm sure that in the future we will get the balance wrong again from either being too static or too offensive, because sometimes the coaches get it wrong as do the players.

I think Ratten has really showed he has arrived in coaching. Beating Cats and Saints is hard enough task in 3 weeks. And we just didn't beat them both, we beat them convincly. We can beat any team in the league, just gotta be switched on each game.

Ratten has made a game plan out of nothing really. Opposition teams now have the prospect of going small in the backline against us. I love it when i see Harry Taylor and Zac Dawson playing in their forward lines due to no match up.

After losing Fevola, 10/16 coaches in the league thought Carlton would go down the ladder. Only a good gameplan/strategy could put together two convincing wins against the cats and Saints.

Maybe back Ratten instead of calling for his head everytime we lose a game guys.

Ratten’s plan is starting to look OK and we should start to rest easy. Those with foresight already knew this.

Players like Russell, Houlihan (he is now using his body), Yarran, Gartlett, Betts have stepped up to support Murphy, Gibbs, Judd, Simpson, Scotland, Carazzo. You have to hand it to Ratten, while players like Wiggins are playing awesome football for the Bullants, Ratten has resisted to promote them and continue to play the kids. Same can be said for dropping Warnock, Waite and Thornton and instead going for White, Jacobs and Henderson in the past few weeks. Getting games into them is more important in 2011, 2012 and 2013 than this year. Waite eventually had to come back and he was really good last night. Thornton only returned because Bower is out again. Players like Grigg, Austin, Anderson, Browne, Warnock, Hammertime all need to smash the door down now to get a chance. We have not had depth and been in this position since 1995.

Carlton supporters use to go ape sh*t when we kept playing Russell, but now he has come on as a player and easily reflects his pick at number 7 in 2005. Ratten’s plan is starting to look OK. He made the hard decision to sack Fev which most Carlton supporters hated and he copped a lot of flack about it from the meida (where are carlton going to find 98 goals). But it is paying off. Sentanta is playing his best football and Ratten is getting a lot out of Gartlett, Betts, Yarran & Houlihan. They chase and run all game.

We beat Geelong and St.Kilda (last years finalists) I am happy with. Getting smashed by Essendon* and Collingwood still shows we have a long way to go but I believe the signs are there and Ratten is playing for the future and not now. I believe Ratten’s focus is getting games into the kids and I am having confidence in Ratten that he is the man after the last few weeks. He is not putting the best team on the field but rather a team for the future.

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

Rexy, I get the impression some on here are running with the "Ratten was a dud but since he is doing what i said he should be all along he is now ok" line. This is the rubbish that gets on my nerves.

I dont believe his plans have changed that much. He is just getting a better effort, has found a better mix, found the right team balance and the players are doing what he asked all along better. You may see it different. On that we will have to agree to disagree.

I'm sure we're both aware of numerous agendas that roll on here, club.