BigKev wrote:
1) We are NOT soft. Those saying that we lose because the players don't play hard enough should take a closer look. Players have different styles. Not all players are "crash and bash" types. Every club has a mix of types. No one at Carlton is "soft".
2) We do NOT stop trying. Anyone who thinks that the players "give up" or "can't be bothered" is wrong. Watch a replay.
3) We do NOT have a crap list. The list is fine. Could always have more depth etc, but at the moment we're almost at full strength and that's good enough to trouble anyone. (And by "trouble" I mean defeat).
4) The game plan is NOT rubbish. Ratten's was fine and so is Malthouses. There is no such thing as a "magic" game plan that's going to change everything.
5) Our skill level is NOT significantly worse than anyone elses. The ability clearly is there.
So why are we losing games?
Because too many players are finding themselves overwhelmed by a fear of failure. It is the fear of losing that is costing us the chance to win.
Exhibit One : Carlton Vs Essendon*.
Last quarter -- have a look how many of our guns missed straight-forward targets. Did they suddenly lose their ability? Uh-uh. They were sh*t scared of being the one to stuff it up. So inevitably this is what happened. There's heaps of other examples. Curnow running into goal 40m out goes for chip to McLean in the pocket instead of going for home. Lucas misses from 10m because he's wondering if he should handball it. And so on.
The players have to have the mental courage ... to dare to win. That, I believe, is all that's between us and 17. I don't think it matters if they're introverts or extroverts it's a matter of wanting to be a winner more than you fear being a loser. At the moment we're showing the world that we can tear strips of anyone, but then when it comes to icing the game no one wants the spotlight on them.
This is what, hopefully, Malthouse can improve. This is why I don't like a lot of team changes. Our players need confidence. As John Kennedy famously said, our players need to DO. They need to want to be the one to make things happen when the heat is on. To have the courage to run off your player so that if a team-mate gets lose they have a target. They need to know that it's better to try and fail than to just sit back and hope things work out.
Good post. I agree the glass is half full and we have a lot of good stuff.
The foot passing by our seniors was astonishing. Not that they can't but thet didn't.
Fatigue? Don't Dare to Dream? Injured? Lost form? Aged? Whatever.
We had the game by the nuts. Enough said.
WE didn't maintain the pressure because of mistakes. They can be fixed.
WE can't fix the past, but we can fix the future.
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