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Fair enough, and it concerns me that our list management is to the stage where we have to rely on such defensive measures also.
Having said that, ask yourself two questions:
1) If you had to choose between one option, out of the last 6 games, have Essendon* beat us or have we lost? Barring the last half of last year's flogging, I would say we've lost them all. We haven't paid the proper respect to certain players and underestimated their club's hatred of us, and ensuing capacity to lift for games against us despite being down in form (see: Lloyd about a dozen times in the last decade).
2) Who is a genuine matchwinner out of the 32 odd blokes on our list, that is likely to win us the game? I would even go as far to say that Judd is not a matchwinner, but rather a bloke who will keep us competitive rather than a blowout more often than not, and without support, that call is becoming less and less true. I would say Eddie Betts, Waite if he plays forward and maybe, Marc Murphy, which is becoming less and less likely over the past few weeks with the form he's been in. We're not going to win a shoot out against this mob. Going back to when we used to regularly beat this mob in the early part of the last decade, it would be put down to Fev kicking a bag more often than not. Could even go as far to say that if there is more than 30 goals kicked on the night, they win. If there is less, we do.
I'd drop Ellard and Johnson moreso for team balance and general lack of regard for form shown in junk time. Not quick enough, and don't offer enough versatility. Ellard was going to be dropped for Armfield anyway, Johnson had his moments, both good and bad. I'd drop Gibbs also if Judd were fit and Murph was in relatively decent form, but truth is, we can't afford to at this point.
1) I understand what you're saying, but in a team game I don't know how you'd distinguish between the two. I think that to some degree you play as well as your opponent lets you. Even with something seemingly obvious such as bad turnovers it can be argued that it was referred pressure from the opposition that caused the player to make the error.
An alternative theory to not respecting their better players enough is paying them too much respect, almost being somewhat in awe of them. It's conceivable that a player becomes so concerned about what his opponent might do that his own game is diminished. That's what I was thinking may be creeping in at Carlton and why I was wondering if perhaps it wouldn't be better just to "go for it" ourselves and not focus quite so much on stopping x, y, and z.
2) Another of my pet theories at the moment, (and lets face it we're all trying to come up with reasons why we're going so badly), is that perhaps we've got too many wannabe match winners. Even Judd, who does have the talent, seems at times to be trying to be inspirational rather than just doing the simple team thing. I think we've got enough blokes who want to make the big run down the ground or take a speccy*, but maybe not enough who are prepared to take up a blocking position so that a team-mate can take an easy grab.
* And WFT was Eddie trying to do on that wing? All he needed to do was to prop and put his hip into his opponent and he would've had an easy chest mark. Trying too hard to be a hero.
I'll just agree to disagree with Ellard and Johnson. I believe that if we put the time into these blokes, and let them play the roles they're good at, we'll be rewarded.
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