AFL Rd 13 2023 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Essendon

[Baggers]

This sounds both stupid and obvious but we have to find a way to score goals. The players need to get their mind around that being their sole focus. Win the footy, get it forward and score doesn't matter who, just score. Take on in the responsibility. We have to do better than 6 or 7 goals from 50-60 entries. We seem to have tried Charlie further up the ground and H closer to home, it seems to me to be the wrong combo, the other way around seems to work slightly better for us. Thoughts?

Sad eh GTC old son when we feel stupid or stating the bloomin' obvious re simply kicking more goals! But it's true. 100% true. How embarrassing. 2 Coleman Medal winners over the past 2 seasons and we can't kick goals in 2023, not helped by ineffectual small/medium forwards. Crikey, Owies looked a million bucks on his return, then fell into the defensive mire and got lost.

Very briefly (ever so toooooo briefly) in Friday night's game we saw the blokes take on the game through the middle and goals resulted. Doesn't seem that hard to achieve... if you take on the game, take risks, be bold, don't fear failure, be creative, enjoy your footy, think 'offensive' rather than being glued to a defensive mind-set, shots on goal result. I guess that when confidence is lower than shark shizen you're second guessing yourself all the time... unsure of what to do next - play safe.

This defensive, unsure, safe, fearful mind-set seems to start with the MC and their rigid selections. They've gotta start getting creative, take some risks... sheesh, it took a swathe of injuries for them to give some blokes a gig.

FM, the blokes don't even look like they're enjoying their footy... and how can they with such a conservative, defensive mind-set locked into their every move. But heck, some of them sure do have a good laugh after the game/another loss :o

Holy mackerel... over the last 7 or so years we've been bipolar - all defensive (BB & now Vossy) or all out offensive and zero respect for defence (The TT).

It's so very obvious -- kicking more goals -- yet, we make hard work of it when the answer really is very, seemingly, simple... speed on the ball, take it fast and through the middle, hit up any forward who has made the best position and give it to him lace out. No more bombs and hope.

If fear of making a mistake is front of mind, guess what... you'll do nothing or make lots of mistakes - especially poor offensive decisions and disposal skills.