God, or someone, please give me hope

[MagpieBat]

Not sure if it's quite hope, but here's some thoughts on the boys who played reserves yesterday...

http://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/viewtopic.php?p=1661004#1661004

[Achilles]

Thanks MagpieBat. Can't wait to see some of these guys back in the firsts.

[watt price tully]

Depressed?

What are talking about? We got free shock treatment at the same time.

Go Pies (even without Swan & Sidebottom)

[Piesnchess]

GOD is a concept, by which we measure our pain. - John Lennon.

[stui magpie]

[regan is true fullback]

I have put my ticket for last nights game in the compost bin, I was going to burn it, but I figured that food for snails and earwigs was more appropriate for the occasion...

I can understand those fans who cut up their Magpie jumper, or in my case, throw the VCR of the 2003 grand final into the street. Last night was too horrible even for blind rage, I've seen better and I've seen worse, just can't remember when...

There was a book about this, called "Keeping the Faith" by Steve Strevens. it is about the 2004 season, another shocker. I suggest people read it, to remind ourselves there is comfort in adversity.

[cityslick1]

Saturday was a shock to the system, but also a reality check.

Our backline was awful. Our midfield was made to look second rate. Going by that game, we don't have one of the best midfields in the league. But on paper, we should. So we need more time to see how things really sit.

The swans were primed, extremely well drilled, by a seasoned coach, on their home - and customised - playing pitch. Their leadership team were tough and brought their players together. Ours were and did none of these things. The drug story must have had an impact, but not 90 points worth.

The Witts experiment failed again. One of the tallest in the league, but never asserts himself on a contest. & makes terrible decisions. He must have serious issues if he continues to handball to players in trouble and kick to 2 on 1 contests, every time he is under pressure. Caff looked well underdone, and I still can't believe he was picked. Def some favouritism there. Pendles was soft and played nothing like one of the top three players in the league, whilst Cloke looks mentally scarred and a shadow of his former self, after 2 years of underperformance. We were slow to the contest, nervous, overwhelmed, and our skills were back in the gutter.

I feel terrible for Treloar, De Goey and Moore. All were trying to fly the flag, but as newbies, it was awful to watch the lack of support they had.

With all things being equal, I doubt we can win next week without Sidey, swan and varcoe, plus the 6 day break, but the tigers aren't exactly setting the world on fire atm. Will be a telling test of character, and one where a lot of players need to stand up... along with the coach.

[Mugwump]

In a spirit of "did that really happen?" I watched it again today. That game was about three things : the Swans dominance at clearances, especially midfield clearances ; the tiny, clotted and congested SCG which makes it nearly impossible to get out of the back line ; and their ability to break tackles with bigger bodies. Those three things easily account for 80-100 points.

The midfield clearance fiasco may be structural, or it may have been simply tactical on the part of the swans. We'll find out. But I am very confident that we will see a very different Pies unit on Friday at the MCG, which is the ground for which our team has been designed. We will suffer reverses this year because our youngsters are too light and we'll miss Swanny who is hard to take down. But we must keep the faith that we are building bodies and experience toward 2017, and we should expect a different level of competitiveness next week. The Ray of hope is that the SCG is an illusion of a footy ground.

[Mugwump]

Dp

[cityslick1]

^ you're missing the fact that they ran as ragged, always had players in space, whilst wearing our forwards like gloves. That must come down to desire, lack of structure, pace, and sheer ability. as there is no excuse for the lack of matching up, on forwards and mids, whilst their discipline never gave us any space, creating pressure and woeful delivery. Good coaching teams have no doubt worked us out..

[Mugwump]

^ maybe. But I reckon that's what happens when you have a really odd ground that one side knows how to play intimately, and the other doesn't. The tactical advantage is massive, and our game style was totally disrupted by it. I could be wrong, but this thread is about rays of hope, after all....

[Mossi]