The "Over Reliance on Midfield" Thread

[saintsRrising]

Can we now say that we've rolled the dice over the past 18 months by building a game plan based around our midfield?

We won the Collingwood Game off their boots.

We won 27 of the last 30 odd games off their efforts. They zone back and press forward when the opposition have the ball in our forward line.

When they are bad we lose games. That's a damming stat.

Many still blame poor conversion, or lack of forwards, or no Roo. It was the inability of our midfield in games that have killed us.

Now fast forward to this year, and I think it's fair to say we're labouring and look completely lost without a dominating, or at least competitive midfield.

Two lossses and our midfield beaten in each of those games.

Does anyone agree? Have we made a major mistake by putting all our eggs in one midfield basket?

And if so, can we fix it this year before it's too late?

[markp]

We miss Luke Ball.

[saintsRrising]

And if so, can we fix it this year before it's too late?

No I think the midfield can still be a key strength and the basis for success.

IMO dropping of Armo was a mistake as Lenny needs another grunt play to share the midfield load.

Gram should be better for the run against the Blues and I cannot believe that Dal will play that badly again anytime soon.

Peake while not starring certainly provided good run when he was in and consideration should be made into beinging him back.

[saintsRrising]

We miss Luke Ball.

Or rather a player playing his role. Last year Ball came on to spell Lenny.

Armo IMO had been fulfulling this role reasonabally well.

[bobmurray]

How many forward 50's are we having in these games...the ball is still getting down there but there isn't the quality to keep it there...

thats why there there is such reliance on the midfield,they are required to get the ball and then spoon feed the forwards or else the ball will be coming right back at them.....

the midfield is under pressure but it must get tiring pumping it in there hoping one of the forward line players can actually do his bit for the team....

blaming the midfield is excusing a poor forward half...so....answer this.....

how many of StKilda's forward line players would be targeted by Richmond during the next trade period , if all were out of contract.....?

[Spinner]

Can we now say that we've rolled the dice over the past 18 months by building a game plan based around our midfield?

We won the Collingwood Game off their boots.

We won 27 of the last 30 odd games off their efforts. They zone back and press forward when the opposition have the ball in our forward line.

When they are bad we lose games. That's a damming stat.

Many still blame poor conversion, or lack of forwards, or no Roo. It was the inability of our midfield in games that have killed us.

Now fast forward to this year, and I think it's fair to say we're labouring and look completely lost without a dominating, or at least competitive midfield.

Two lossses and our midfield beaten in each of those games.

Does anyone agree? Have we made a major mistake by putting all our eggs in one midfield basket?

And if so, can we fix it this year before it's too late?

Good post.


Coming into this year I had worries about our midfield.

Missing Ball and Lovett is a concern.


Dal, Joey, BJ and Lenny

Jones and Gram

Then we fall away pretty quickly.



What might have been if Ball stayed, and Lovett behaved.

[Zippy]

On the bright side, the midfield's very, very good despite our need for it.

Also,while our half-forward line breaks down if we lose one key player, our midfielder still functions.

And who really wins much when their midfield's getting beaten?

[spert]

We would have missed Ball in 2004 if he was out or traded then - in 2010 I would rather have Armo, with superior disposal. When Dal and Monty are not influencing the game, you can be sure it was a team issue against Carlton -we took it too easy.

[rodgerfox]

Our midfield had a great GF last year.

We lost.


Our midfield was so-so against the Dogs - Roo was brilliant. We won.


The list goes on.

[bigcarl]

IMO dropping of Armo was a mistake as Lenny needs another grunt play to share the midfield load.

agree. he's a big, strong unit and his tackles hurt. he's also more dangerous on goal than ball.

he needs to lift his workrate and get the ball more though.

[Spinner]

Our midfield had a great GF last year.

We lost.


Our midfield was so-so against the Dogs - Roo was brilliant. We won.


The list goes on.

That has got to be one of the worst analysis's ive seen on this site.


You seriously think if Riewoldt had played let alone play well on Monday night, that we would have won? If thats the thinking of anyone at the club - i'd be having real worries....

Monday nite - analysing the game solely on the game - we lost because we could not get the pill. And when we did, we butchered it.

[SainterK]

The midfield contributed with goals the first 3 rounds, still need the likes of Dal and Joey to kick a few themselves.

[saintsRrising]

Our midfield had a great GF last year.

We lost.

.

The GF I watched our midfield dominated the first half and provided many opportunities to a diverse number of players to kick in the main quite easy goals, who unfortunately kick.

As the game went one Thompson tagged Hayes who was awesome in the first half with Bartel and Garry Ablett who had been held by Jones started to dominate the game and particualrly in the last quarter.

Gram was good throughout.

The main realtive scoring opportunities of both teams coincided with when their teams midfield groups were on top.

[saintsRrising]

The midfield contributed with goals the first 3 rounds, still need the likes of Dal and Joey to kick a few themselves.

My view too.

Our accuracy was good too.

Then the midfields goal output dried up.

Roo is clearly missed as well.

[rexy]

To be honest, I would have thought that modern football, last 15 years or so relies on good midfield. Like you said, defensive teams rely on mids flooding back, attacking teams rely on mids streaming forward, really good teams rely on them to do both, even freaks like Roo and Carey rely on midfield delivery.

Dont think we rely on ours more than anyone else.

Have wondered for some time if it is deep enough though, I think we play 7 genuine defenders every week and only one Baker could go into the middle for a quick spurt, also wonder whether our small forwards who can run in the middle occasionally should be mids who can rest forward, at least one of them anyway?

Do we have enough, genuine, centre square mids or do we have to many flankers and medium defenders?