_________________
Patrick Smith - Just another reason to HATE Essendon*!

something that really stood out tonight for me was their superiority in leg speed "with the ball" ... mind speed ... and their hand speed

it was only 3 years ago that Essendon* were looking slow but their recruiters have addressed by gettting players that have speed "with the ball" ... I am emphasing the speed "with the ball" because it is what our recruiters have not addressed ... from where I sit our recruiters have placed too much emphasis on speed at draft camp trials ... indoor stadium, buzzer tells you went to start ... if a players speed suprises recruiters at a draft camp then that is an obvious sign that the speed was not apparent during football matches

and another thing ... I have played footy, coached footy and watched alot of footy ... something that I have noticed alot is that the first few goals in most games are "jagged" ... game hasn't wound up so you see alot of goals off the pack and off the ground ... that type of thing ... who springs to mind when you think which Carlton player is most typical to get this type of goal ... Eddie Betts ... last two games he started on the bench ... can't work this one out.

Not fast enough ... not fit enough ... not desperate enough.

GUTTED.

_________________
I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

All these years of having a go at Freo and the Saints and calling Hawthorn "pretty-boys" has come back to bite us on the bum. Karma - all that is different is the lack of blond tips.

_________________
Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

We're more like University than St Kilda, If we cant beat the Bombers we'll never win 26 spoons.

_________________
Lawrence Lawrence, The man who knows all the rackets and all the racketeers!

Sorry - slight posting error before - We got rid of captain Lance didn't we - a position in the team should not be based on what 'position' you hold - its contribution based surely

Let me try just a couple of stronger words than "Wasn't very good at all......." How about gutless, heartless, pathetic, overated, imsipid, piss-weak, lacking in any inspiration from the coaching panel, no imagination in coaches box, no game plan, no friggin idea - and these are the least offensive words i can think of.

Essendon* will win a 17th flag before we do


And, yes i am gutted and never been so disappointed in a carlton team since 2001. Worse than even during the pagan era when we didn't have the players.

_________________
one you knock back is one you never have

Garlett would have made zero difference.

Brendan Fevola you are officially the fool of the AFL, the way you showed the ball to Pears before you'd even kicked the goal and then missed and then stood and watched as he set up the momentum for the Bummers, you are a disgrace, Ratts you're even worse for not dragging him.

_________________
You want the flame? Give us the marbles!!

This kick it to Fev has to stop. There were heaps of occasions when he was double teamed BEFORE the ball was kicked.
Essendon* has a faster yeam than us. If we allowed it to become a footrace they were always going to win. So what dod we do? Try and handball instead of controlling the pace by short kicks to position. I have rarely seen such crap skills by hand under pressure.
Bower turned over the footy for about three.
Stevens played the worst game I have seen him play with more clangers than effective disposals.
Browne is gutsy but doesn't have the skill level.
Houlihan, whom I like as a player is a waste of time if he doesn't use the footy better when he gets it. Three shots at goal tonight for 0-2 and one OOB.
Our tackling is a joke and we should train with the Storm tackling coach or get one from Rugby or League.
Hampson got a few hitouts but hits towards the enemy goal and away from ours. He also needs to hold his marks.
We are officially their bitch. I hate that. If we manage to make the finals we will get slaughtered.

_________________
Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Was torture sitting at the G tonight. I was more stunned then angry.

Really not sure what went wrong - but I cant understand how we can be beaten like this against a team with key players out and one of their best midfielders (Watson) out for most of the game and thus less rotations.

Something wrong with both preparation, tactics and motivation. Not happy......


BTW: According to Ratten, Bower has a knee injury - scans tomorrow. Fast track 1AW into the team!

_________________
TC suffers from the social media illness - the death of respect and constructive discourse by keyboard.

You're showing your age, flip but I'll take your word for it.

_________________
Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

when they stuffed it up, they got it back - when we stuffed it up they would pick it up run down the field and kick a goal.

absolutely killed us. loopy handballs to nowhere *cough* stevens *cough*, kicking it high and long hoping for a kreuzer or someone else.
The total lack of movement. When we had the ball we held it up and kicked, or handballed to the third of 2 options.
Banno playing on Monfries and at one point Lucas?

just guttered.

If that is the case, then he has to go, sorry but no idea at all. Get Buckley ASAP!!!

_________________
one you knock back is one you never have

This just topped off a really bad week for the club. Just home from the game, what can i say. TERRIBLE.
We looked so slow and disinterested, any one else notice the players arguing between themselves in the last quarter.
We are simply not good enough and were outcoached again.
We cannot kick out from a behind and we couldnt handle the pressure put on us tonight. Some players are not up to it.
Hate Essendon* but they are miles ahead of us at the moment, i cant see a premiership with this group.
Embarrassing.

Forgot.
They scored four goals from having an unmanned player stroll down the right wing. You'd think our coach would learn from that. A zone defence only works if the players are actually zoning.
Better go man to man. At least that way all the possessions should be contested.

_________________
Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Ah, but Ratts said in presser that "unlike the Adelaide game, this was man on man all night, and they were just too good for us, which was really dissapointing".

I think some of you should re-read your posts in the Essendon* thread..........

Alan Richardson would have been a handy pick up.

_________________
Lawrence Lawrence, The man who knows all the rackets and all the racketeers!

Insipid effort by about 8 players tonight. Blame the tactics as much as you lioke but our inability to win one on one contests was telling. That's got nothing to do with coaching, it's all about the players having a dip and showing pride in their performance.
Too many passengers.

_________________
Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Care to name them BV ??