Pro - what everyone said
Cons - what everyone said except the bit about Kouta and handballing in the square.

I did notice at the breaks that the specialist coaches who normally look after an aspect of the team - mids, defenders, forwards weren't actually having a chat with their normal charges.

I noticed Crosisca talking to the forwards and Ratten talking to the mids.

It was interesting to note.

Did anyone else see it?

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

Yep, I think the same last week too. Maybe this might reflect a feeling that the previous set-up wasn't working, but it could just be that there was always an intention to rotate the coaches every 8 weeks (roughly a third of the year).

But there's no doubt that Ratten would be far better in the midfield coaching role than coaching forwards. Crosisca should be equally at home with forwards as defenders, as he should be well aware of the strategies and tactics forwards can use to lose their opponents.

Great win by the boys. I've missed our last couple of games but this was a good one to come back to.
Slowly but surely we are building a team here. I can see it unfolding and mark my words there will be teams aiming for a top eight spot in the second half of the year who will shit themsleves we they come up against us.

Before I get into the pros and cons I would like to make this plea to Dick and Greg...I beg you get us out of the deal we have at the dome. The MCG should be our home. It is where we play our best football, no doubt. Collo ...I love ya...and our best wishes go out to the Missus hope she is recovering well and gets back to full health soon...But Collo buddy...you screwed us big time with the Dome deal.

Pros:
-Carrazo. This game was a turning point for him as a gun midfielder.
-Bannister and Wiggins justified their selections. To win us over they have to be consistent. Do that and we say welcome aboard boys.
-Lappin. A magician in the forward line. Should always be played there.
-Walks in the middle/wing. Not half back. His apprenticeship in defence is well and truly over.
-I know we had goals kicked against us but I think we may be seeing an emerging of a settled back six. Not yet but soon. Its more a lack of midfield pressure that results in goals against us. A quality Tap ruckman will fix that problem quick smart.
-Kouta. I love him. In close there is no better in the comp. Don't care what anyone says.
-The Fish. A definite current and/or future All Australian across half forward.
-The team as a whole. Believed they could win and thats all it takes. Well done boys.

Cons:
-Fev. Discipline issues. Must be mature enough to forget about umpires. Its negative energy which only draws more negatives to him...i.e. getting no free kicks. Time to be positive and the rest will take care of itself.

-Lance. Best suited to a role where he can create yet cause little damage on the rebound. Not sure where though.

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" Koutoufides has taken the last quarter by the scruff of the neck..." Commentary Drew Morphett Last Qtr '99 Prelim. Pure Gold.

Thanks for the memories Kouta. You are and always will be a True Blue Carlton Legend. #43.

In addition to what I said before, a big Pro for mine had to be that the "clubman" types were the ones who gave the team strength and resolve: Saddington, Banno, Wiggo in particular. The sort of guys who put in every time they pull on the Navy Blue without the sort of plaudits or recognition that the "guns" get week to week.

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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.

100% agree with you, we were given a terrible deal with the move, I noticed that our social club area is behind the goals - it this the only area they get at the G'? Terrible arrangement

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

PROS -

Gibbs - Everyone has talked about his silky skills but what stood out to me was his body wok yesterday. Numerous times he outbodied bigger more experienced players,Akermanis especially. This shows footy smarts. I actually think he will become better than Murph.

Bannister - I have always been a fan and felt he gets a raw deal. He could be the answer for us on the small forwards that always kill us. He is tall and fast and does not lack courage. Didak, Medhurst, Johnson, Farmer all these little pricks that kill us, Jordon would be the right match up for them. His decision making at times can be off, but would you rather ave him or Houla minding tese type of players?

CONS - Lance...Terrible..We dropped Hartlett and Kennedy so we wouldnt be exposed for pace, yet we played our inspiring captain. Would have been the perfect week for him to "rest" his sore knee.

All these points are linked. When Banno was moved onto Johnson and he succeeded in keeping him goaless, it allowed Walker to play off the HBF which in-turn allowed Lappin to drift forward.

Like 5 years ago, Lappin is just so hard to match up on when he plays 25m out. He's a crumbing/leading/marking forward. If Wiggler, Banno and Saddo can keep their respective players under control, the opportunity that allows the forwards is huge!!

I would say that lance was responsible for at least 4 goals yesterday.
2 assists for lappin, 1 he kicked himself, and 1 he set up for fish I think it was. so not such a bad game for lance IMO. he is slow, but he does a few good things. at this point im prepared to back him as captain for the rest of the season. if he puts in some good/great performances for the rest of the season, i would suggest that we let him go round as captain next year too. he bleeds navy blue and has had a rough year so far outside footy.

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dane's trolling again

For all the crap that people lay on Lance, he had a pretty good match yesterday.

As Dane said, kicked a goal, and assisted in a few others. Was caught out a few times thought he match, but given the frantic pace, who wasn't?

Lance was in the Pro column for me yesterday.

A Con I just remembered is the way that when we made attacking drives forward, our crumbing still isn't terribly good, and far too many of our guys go up in a pack situation, only for the ball to spill to one of their many now free defenders. Either it's a confidence thing, or a communication thing. It has to be sorted before we'll make a serious challenge.

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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.

Yep, and he blocked magnificently. One of Skinny's marks was essentially uncontested as Lance kept his opponent behind him as well as knosking McMahon to the ground in the course of "leading" just short of Skinny. I reckon that wasn't the only one either.

That's one of the areas in which his footy intelligence comes to the fore. He's always refining his tricks to outsmart his opponents and the umpires in marking contests.

Agreed.

I'm not the biggest Lance fan, but twice he got in the road of Bulldogs defenders allowing Lappin to take easy marks on the edge of the goal square.

That stuff doesn't show up in stats.

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NOW YOU'RE JUST SOME CLUB THAT I USED TO KNOW.

Now there's some people showing they understand the game. Lance didn't have a ton of possies, but the possies he did have were quality (kicks to Fev and Waite) and the work off the ball to allow others to take marks were very important

Pros:
- What everyone has said

Cons:
- We weren't competitive in the ruck
- The PP is slipping away

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There is no footy god

F the PP... to say we won't be successfull without it is pathetic. We have plenty of talent and will get some more by finishing near the bottom this year. It's now time to jump on board and enjoy the development of a winning team. The best player on the ground yesterday was a rookie - a guy unwanted by 15 other clubs.

Pros:
- Carrotts awesome - Has taken a step up to be a quality midfielder.
- vintage Kouta - played half a game for 20 odd possies and 10 clearances. Agro and Synbad, where are you now????
- Banno and Wiggler - the 24 years olds we needed. They free up the youngsters
- Fisher - This kid is good. Showing he will be a great footballer not just a solid footballer.
- Match winners - we have so many in our side now that we are a very dangerous team. It's funny that it was the guys that are not match winners that come into the team (Banno, Wiggler, Carrots) to allow the true match winners (Lappin, Waite, Fish) to do their stuff.

Cons:
- Fev playing selfish footy. I found it disturbing at 3 quarter time that as he was walking off the field he walked up to J Waite and told him off for not sheparding on the goal line after he had a shot at goal. Anyone else see that?

Highlights for me were:-

Setanta's goal and his work prior to get it. Boy was he pumped when it went thru - tears in the eyes stuff.

Mr. Murphy's goal late in the last, under huge pressure, on a difficult angle -slotted it through. Just reward for the three free kicks he wasn't paid initially.

Kouta's strength and experience in the 4th, steadying the team and getting us out of trouble.

Lappo's 3rd quarter explosion

Walker, when on the ball

PROS:

Four quarter high quality performance, obviously better in the 3rd, not so good in the last, but withstood the pressure.

Creative coaching

Great individual performances (but in a team sense) by most of the players, no real weak links. Agree with others that Red made a valuable contribution, albeit too subtle for some.

And as it turned out, the selectors made the right choices.

Collected $300 off the bookies.

CONS:

At least four goals to Doggies as a result of free kicks by our backs - and those frees were there. Need to work on this aspect with the coaches

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No Guts, No Glory

NYT -

Re Fev and your quote above, Jarrad Waite said Fev sacrificed his game for the team.

Seemed that way to me too.

Agree though he spat the dummy a few times

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No Guts, No Glory

One of the biggest PRO's for me was how we controlled possession in the last 2.5 minutes of the game. I think we only conceded possession once in that period of time, in the last few seconds. The boys made space, made sure of their marks and kicks, and ensured the win. T-Bird was a huge factor in this process.

I've had enough of seeing other teams do that to us & it's good tio be in that position ourselves.

I noticed Fev shepherd through a Waite goal, I noticed Fev being double teamed allowing Waite and Fisher easier access to the ball - did not notice anything selfish about that, perhaps I was not noticing carefully enough.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

No matter how many times I read this sort of stuff on footy forums it always cracks me up.

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I agree with all the pros and cons so far, in addition;
Con - 1
Acland in the first half didn't get enough clearances
Pro -1
Rectified in the second half - well done!

Pro - 2 Kouta was levelled headed and just kept it together. How much longer can he play on?????? What an inspiration!

Pro - 3
1AW - played a well measured second half

Pro- 4
Clearly one man wearing the 44 STINKS! No one paid him any resepct when he got the ball and then when he did, he seemed to have an endless amount of time to dispose of it!

Pro -5
Fev didn't even hurt the scoreboard, and we still kicked 20 goals, how good is that!

Overall, a great game. They attacked at all opportunties, did not flood and played a fair and uncompromising game!