Re: Post Game Analysis: AFL 2020 Rd 2: Carlton vs Melbourne
Reply #56 –
Two words - wasted opportunity.
For mine, any blame lies firmly at the feet of the midfield/midfield coach (ultimately, the senior coach). It was very evident from the get-go that Gawn was the dominant ruck yet there was no midfield smarts to understand, adjust and CHANGE. Had the midfield used their brains and adjusted (did the midfield coach give them a plan B?), then things would likely have been very, very different. The same old lament... poor on-field leadership, especially initiative and boldness to alter the tide - IN GAME, too often it takes a rocket/adjustment from the coaching staff at the break to affect change... FFS.
For Gawn, that first qtr was a picnic, nothing more than a training drill, he repeated the same things, which, strategically, met no opposition, over and over and they resulted in goal after goal. There should be no blame on Pitts... he gave his all and did his best.
I believe the club knows this, hence such vigor in trying to secure grade A mids to the club... and have failed, dismally to achieve this.
The midfield coach should be asking himself how come he didn't have the engine room ready to blast out of the blocks and be equipped with a plan B should Gawn dominate (a likely scenario). Rather, the mids started with a whimper and seemed clueless for on-field initiative to adapt and adjust. On-field, this is squarely at the feet of Cripps, Murphy and Curnow. Gibbons showed them how it was done by sharking/roving to Gawn at times and our first goal (I think) came from him knowing what Gawn was going to do and sharked the tap out... initiative/on-field footy smarts.
We lost this game above the shoulders.
The midfield coach needs to go as he is an imbecile. I was listening to some one on radio the other day, a past great of the game, I cant for the life of me remember who. He made the comment that its always been a simple game, you need to win the ball and get it forward and that is now, its too complicated by over the top tactics and game plans. A coach who can peel it back and simply the game will be very successful I reckon. Its almost like kids come into the game knowing how to play football and one year into the system, they are lobotomised and forget how to play. Then again, maybe thats only applicable to Carlton players.