I haven't seen anyone mention this, so please merge if this has been discussed.

But the forward line pressure last night was abysmal. How many times did the Cats just run off HB in numbers and just sweep it forward? Where was the pressure? The desperate attempt to keep the ball in? Where was the ferocity needed to force the Cats to make a mistake in their back half?

Completely absent. As much maligned as the midfield and defence has been, it's too hard when opposition start their attacking moves off HB and we do absolutely SQUAT ALL about it...

Betts tried last night but he was the only one. Fev tried in parts. Deluca was conspicuously absent. Waite tried but didn't exert enough forward pressure though was continually presenting as a psuedo CHF. Whoever else was playing HFF made themselves conspiculously absent for some reason. And the last two weeks have shown us what good attacking BP and HBF can do to a team with a malfunctioning forward structure.

Also, I am continually sick of players all gravitating to the same contest - creating far too many numbers at the fall of the ball. The opposition just grab the ball out of the confusion and set up an attacking thrust from behind the pack - whereas all our players are committed to the contest. Opposition HBF and BP always go for the switch across the ground and move it from one length of the ground to the other with no-one touching the ball from our side. Why? Because all our players have gone to ground at the contest leaving free opposition BP, HBF and midfielders pushing back to create long links that lead to an extremely open forward line. Little wonder we are getting butchered in defence. No-one can defend an open forward line like that.

So where's our open line? Where's our pressure? Our desire to win the one-on-one contests?

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

Carlton Clem - we only had three goalkickers on the night. That is abysmal.

Why don't we clear out the forward line of congestion - have just Fev in there from 35-40 metres out - no one else - and make all our forwards play in the midfield. Adelaide did this in the 98 grand final and it worked.

It will be a flood - but a midfield flood. We don't have enough good midfielders says Dennis - but with a midfield flood who cares?

OK, ok. Coach Ryan2000 will his hat on for a minute!

Forward line, WAY TOO CONGESTED! Get the **** out of the way! The posistion where Fev is leading to is fantastic work, but occasionaly, some idiot decides to lead there too (ie-Longmuier on Whitnall!)

Leave Fev to roam around the 30-50 mtr arc and mainly on the right side, he seems to kick better from that side.
Whitnall needs to play down forward, no questions asked. Put him in the goal square and say 'Oi............Don't you dare leave the 50mt arc~!'

DeLuca is crap and should be dropped.............so he aint in my forward line structure! GET OUT!

Eddie to roam within a 5 - 10 mtr diameter surrounding Fev. And that's it! That's my forward line.

Simple isn't it! But if you watch the Wizzard cup games, that was our forward line structure. Then all of a sudden the premiership season starts and half the frigin team is in the forward 50!

Midfield.................OHHHH Boy, i'm gonna get crapped on for this. Davies as a forward makes a great interchange player! IE-he aint a forward! Use him as an onballer. Hell, he's got #7, he could just be the next Ratten in my eyes. Knows where the ball is and knows how to get it! He's also got great pace!
Lappin, although i love him up forward, needs to go down back. He is too important down back.

I'd also like to see Houlihan play around the CHB possistion cause when he gets it, he's great at getting it through the centre.

And that's another thing, PLAY THROUGH THE CENTRE! We did it so often in the pre-season and it worked so well. The last couple of games we've been kicking long to a contest on the wing. ****ing boring and just plain dull!

Ahhhh, i could go on. But what do i know. I ain't no coach, i'm just an angry Carlton Supporter!

Ryan 2000 - I agree 100%. Our strengths in the forward line are
1) Fevola
2) Waite
3) Whitnall when he is playing somewhere near wizard cup form

so get the hell out of forward line - make it a wing/midfield flood for every one else. ie half forward flankers play on wing /up to 50 metres out.

I am thinking back to 98 g/f and adelaide actually wanted more forwards -cause their midfield was their strength. By clearing out the midfield and congesting their forward line it gave room for their midfielders to work.

We want the opposite. Fev is our strength so lets clear out room so he can kick those beautiful goals that spiral upwards of 50 metres.

Last night wasn't the only night where we had pathetic forward pressure allowing a team to carry a ball from HB to HF in the blink of an eye. It seems to be our biggest problem, and puts our backs, who are as we know undersized, overworked and out of position under massively more pressure than normal.

And yes, the 3 goalkickers for the night was apalling. That just added to ignominy of the situation.....

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Such a simple effective notion - the midfield flood and open forward line.

We can see it , Why can't Denis ?

Cos he sux ! Refuses to play to what little strength we have

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

I don't think Dennis sucks, i think the game has just evolved beyond him. Look, he's pushing 60 in a couple of years and what we need now is a long term plan, not a quick fix. That being the case, i don't think Dennis is the right man for the job.
We need a coach with a long term plan to be a serious contender within the next 5 years. Dennis just signed on for two! What then?????????