Yep, me too.

So we're playing crap.

But, we're playing crap and winning.

It might even be something as silly as the players being a little lacklustre in their application against teams which are considered in the press and public as "shoo-ins", and will pull out their best for the better teams.

I'm certainly hoping that's the case next Friday, that's for sure.

But, either way, we're one win closer to September action. I'd even be happy with the intensity and concentration increasing each week until then. Might get the guys physically and mentally in great shape for the finals.

I'm not thrilled with the way we're playing at the moment, by a long shot, but we're still in the 8, and we're still winning.

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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.

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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.

Is it a coincidence that from our kick-ins tonight we did a little kick to ourselves.....just like what Collingwood did to us last week?

Is Ratten copying?

Does he have any clear ideas of his own....that he wants to implement?

Seems like we are taking a little piece of the more successful teams this year...

Zone = Hawthorn

Defensive mindset = StKilda

Kick ins = Collingwood

Goal kicking Midfielders = Geelong

I'm starting to get a little concerned....only a little because I can't be sure.....I'm just a supporter.

Then again! perhaps in 3 or 4 years we'll be the most diverse and adaptable team in the universe...maybe this is the stepping stone to the true awesomeness that awaits us.

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The problem will be made. for the solution to be sold, to your face before your eyes, tolerance is now the new danger

Yep, no successful coaches ever take parts of other gameplans.

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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.

Ok so you're in the awesomeness camp.

But week to week like that?

You'd think....that after a year or more you'd have developed something that works for your own team...and their strengths.

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The problem will be made. for the solution to be sold, to your face before your eyes, tolerance is now the new danger

We've won 4 of the last 5 matches apparently with no gameplan. We MUST be awesome!

Maybe it's not so much those little things you've seen, but more that you've noticed them.

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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.

Bad call, ridiculous call (again), incredibly simplistic and disingenuous call. In case you really have been asleep the last 8 years, we haven't had a team with anything like the talent needed to make finals.

Pagan failed badly, but compare his best team (2004) to 2009. [edit] would say Ratten's coaching genius has taken CFC to the brink of finals.

Brittain got us to a prelim and a semi-final in successive years - I'd have thought he'd be your hero (Parkin has revealed that Britts effectively coached the team in 2000 - actually gave him the credit for 1999 too FWIW). He had the team playing hard tough footy with a lot of scrappers in 01. It fell apart in 02 with injuries and a list of old crocks.

I reckon Ratts's gameplan is becoming clearer....it seems to be play to instruction in the first half....then when the expected happens it becomes please guys ignore me in the second half.... ...reckon its workable too if we can be within a goal or two by half time....

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

So by ignoring him, they're actually following his instructions?

DEEP.

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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.

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The problem will be made. for the solution to be sold, to your face before your eyes, tolerance is now the new danger

Spot on. We have been pretty dismal since the St Kilda game. That's a looooong time ago now. If we sneak into the finals with one more win with similar form wow can you think of a less impressive finals team in recent times?

Hey I said it was becoming clearer didnt say anything about it making sense...

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Results do not occur in a vacuum. We now have a reasonable list of players. We didn't when we were finishing bottom 2 for 5/6 seasons. The progress has been "organic" as Synbad would say. We have the makings of a good team for the first time in AGES. Is the coach making progress???

Ratts should replace the Giesch! The unpires dept changes interpretations and emphasis only every three weeks - Ratts could take it to another level!

Shit competition.

How a club can win when you cant kick. or know what to do is just a reflection on how poor the competition is not how good we are.
Simpson had 20+ touches on one leg last night....on his farewell game.

Were struggling to be capable of playing footabll

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Don't, for god's sake use the word 'sneak' as there are people on this site that will take it verbatim and then you'll need another 2 pages to get them to understand.
BTW. Shithouse performance last night, yes we won, yes they lost it, yes we're still in the 8, but another shithouse performance.

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

the only progress he is making is toward the end of his contract

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

The way Riley was having a crack at the midfielders on the TV at half time (fair spray by the looks of it) suggests to me we weren't playing to instructions. Amazing that in the third straight after that spray the midfielders really wanted to play on quick and put some serious defensive pressure on. Strange that.

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"I will rejoice in their anguish, delight in their failure and revel in our success"

We are Carlton, @#$%&! the rest !!!!!!

So beating teams like Sydney and North, who we haven't previously beaten for years, isn't progress?

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

No need to reinvent the wheel TBM. It's a simple game really. You have the footy, you don't or it's in dispute.

Firstly we have to win more of the ball than our opponents i.e Geelong. If they have it we have to pressure them more i.e StKilda. If it's in dispute we have to have the leg speed to get to it 1st i.e Hawks. Finally once we have it we have to use it properly i.e Those in the top 4.

We are stuggling in all three areas at various times during games. Consistency of physical effort, experience, luck with injuries and simply the addition of 2 or 3 better players are what we are after.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”