Midfield is still more of a problem than the forward line...

[chinggis77]

Thats my read of it.

More marks inside 50 for us today. More shots on goal.

Our midfield though got pumped by a bunch of teens and when we did get the ball we butchered it because it was guys like bomb it high and long Crowley who got the ball. Doesn´t help that our three key planks of our future forward line in Fyfe, Hill and Morabito were not playing (Hill injured early).

Barlow was unsighted, Mundy is underdone, the clamps were on Mzungu. We relied on Crowley, Pearce and a bit of Pav.

Delivery to the forward line was shite for the most part.

We have relied so much on the class of Duffield and Mzungu providing us with the run and delivery through the middle in the first few games this year. Both had the clamps on them tonight so we had hacks with the ball in hand (Crowley) and not a lot of line breaking run that Duff and Mz provide.

Pearce made a few costly blunders but you can´t blame his effort. Another 29 possies, 14 contested and 4 clearances.

We really need our classy players playing in the middle instead of Crowley and these guys. Once we get a fit Mundy, with Fyfe, Hill, Mora, Mzungu, a bit of Ballas, Neale underneath - we will be a much better team. Therein lies the major problem.

People should remember that Mooney was an absolute crab who was made to look good by having a star studded midfield pumping the ball into him constantly with good delivery. We need our midfield fixed first and foremost.

On another note, at least some our guys in the WAFL can kick goals. Menagola with 4, Crozier with 3.

 

[ritz]

Agree. Just said the same th in another thread

 

[Mudd]

yep our core group of midfielders, barlow, mundy, mzungu, crowley have decent footskills but really poor legspeed and in general have average tackling skills.

 

[summerthebat]

I just ran the numbers on defense, and it's actually performing quite well. As of tomorrow West Coast would have conceded more scoring shots than we would have.

Our problem is we're not kicking straight couple with our opponents nailing a good percentage of their shots.

Fremantle
Goals: 71
Points: 67

51.5% accuracy

Opponent
Goals: 69
Points: 47

59.5% accuracy

 

[Freomaniac]

yep our core group of midfielders, barlow, mundy, mzungu, crowley have decent footskills but really poor legspeed and in general have average tackling skills.

which is why we need goddard than cloke

 

[Freeeoo]

Thought Barlow and Mundy were really poor today, losing Hill early hurt too.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Tonight we often got our hands on the ball first in the middle of the pack, but we couldn't feed it out. Gold Coast seemed to get hold of the ball on the outside of the pack and run away with it. Frustratingly they always seemed to have the next receiver waiting for the handpass, always one step ahead of their man. We got no clean ball around the packs.

 

[Ysaye]

Put Morabito, Hill and Fyfe around the ball and it will be a different story.

 

[Latro]

How can you group Mundy with the others he is the 2nd best kick in the team behind Hill.

 

[Lach72]

How can you group Mundy with the others he is the 2nd best kick in the team behind Hill.

He's not showing it

 

[Latro]

He is still playing his way into form. I would not be suprised if he struggles all year due to no preseason. Like Hill last season.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

I just dont think we have enough pace in there. Im not sure if that will matter in September, but teams with a fair bit of pace will trouble us.

 

[Lach72]

I just dont think we have enough pace in there. Im not sure if that will matter in September, but teams with a fair bit of pace will trouble us.

We're not clean anymore either.

Barlow has lost all crispness in his disposal by both hand and foot...Fluffing it everywhere

 

[theGav56]

I agree that we need more pace, and also agree that we are ordinary in the midfield at the moment. It damages us in other ways too, such as needing Ballantyne and Pavlich midfield, playing havoc with our forward structure.

But we do have some players on the list who will play midfield either after recovering from injuries, or developing to afl standard.

Very happy to see Neale settling. I thought Mundy was passable, which is enough for now.

Mayne did well didn't he. And I have to say that with our current gameplan i did like MacPharlin forward for spells more than i have in the past.

 

[floetry101]

Put Morabito, Hill and Fyfe around the ball and it will be a different story.

So are we still expecting all these players to just come back in and dominate the competition?

Can't even count the amount of times I've heard it. Fyfe and Hill won't carry a team that refuses to compete game-in, game-out.

 

[Arcassius]

I'm suprised Morabito isnt in Brownlow contention - the level of impact he is expected to have when he returns

 

[wild side]

What does Mark Stone do again at Freo ??

 

[PapaJ]

He's not showing it

If you can stand a replay, have a look at Mundy's first quarter and a bit. It still wasn't perfect, but you get a glimpse of where he can be if he had some serious match conditioning and not coming back from serious injury. In contrast he was a vague mobile traffic cone in the last 1/4. I don't know if it's going to get much better any time soon, but he'll get there.

Barlow is bit more of a worry. He's still getting the ball alright, and you can see that footy IQ knowing where to be out there, but his delivery is just not coming on at all.

 

[estibador]

It's a crying shame how much Barlow's form has dropped. I hope his first year form wasn't just a honeymoon wave of momentum.

How much preseason did his leg allow him to have this year? I'm hopeful that a full season of confidence in his leg and a proper preseason next year will see him back to his best.

 

[yakka man]

I'm just happy that Barlow is getting through full games without any issues. Blame not the midfielders that have a go, but instead the one's who don't have a go. Some of our young kids need to start stepping up.

 

[Memories]

Why do people keep throwing in Moras name for the midfield like he is a massive out? He was average there in his first year and is coming back from a knee. Get your hands off it.

The midfield is just too slow, we have plonkers in there, Mundy, Pierce, DeBoer, Crowley, Pavlich, Barlow. Can probably add Mora to that list now he's done his knee. It's that slow we use one of the better small forwards in the competition in there at times.

It's hard to know if it's all the midfielders fault or the forwards are just shit also. Chris "Fumbles" Mayne can't mark it, doesn't bring it forward, doesn't wait in front of a pack. Pavlich looks to collapse the second he feels pressure or contact trying to will a free kick, not exactly the sign of a real KPF.

An honorable mention goes to Ross Lyon with his consistent men behind the ball to ensure we are outnumbered 4 to 1 in the forward half. He has a lot of faith in those forwards! Haha.

 

[westy1]

lyons got to stop experimenting with ballas in the middle
he's a small fwd thats all he'll ever be, a burst player and a bloody good one
the fact that is ,lyons game plan does not seem to cater for a small crumber (although milne did okay) is evident so he is trying to make use of ballas more around the ground.

 

[tacopavlich]

Or maybe our players just had a bad game...

 

[Clay Davis]

If Freo are getting more marks inside 50 and inside 50s, then how can the midfield be the weakest link?

 

[yakka man]

If Freo are getting more marks inside 50 and inside 50s, then how can the midfield be the weakest link?

Quality over quantity. But yeah, our forward line is a hell of a lot weaker than our midfield. 14.3/14.10 suggests that yet again we are just not converting our opportunities. Midfield still needs to lift and get first hands on the ball.

Don't know where you pulled that stat from? We are 6th worst in the comp for marks inside 50 and inside 50's.