Lack Of Physicality

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bb1

Well-Known Member
#1
Thread starter #1
Can't understand why we have zero physicality lately... esp in games where we are behind by a few goals.
Surely that's when we need to try something new!?!? Get some energy and momentum back.

Is it something that Lord is influencing or are we carrying injuries....either way it's not working for us in quite a lot of the games we have witnessed both at home and away.

Last season we had a team of guys hardly anyone heard of...yet they played with physicality, intimidation, heart and grit...we nearly won league and beat the best team in their own back yard in CC....

Can't understand where this has gone considering the team is pretty much the same!
 
B

bb1

Well-Known Member
#3
Thread starter #3
Other team have plenty of new players who won't know what to expect. All I'm saying is that if we are down and struggling to impact the score board then we need to try a different approach. Someone should have been all over caps Hayes like a rash tonight. Try and put him off his game... We didn't and he scored 4 goals
 
jimmy snels

jimmy snels

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
Exactly what i think we have lost. Haddad is arguably our most "edgy" forward when at least three should be more so. I think we are not making hits and avoiding playing the body, we're the devils. People should HATE playing us.
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
I think we play our best when we start hitting from the get go, and it obviously gets the crowd involved. Would love to see us banging and taking the body more.
 
R

rolf

Active Member
#6
#6
This year's devils is a much smaller team than last year's. We have gained Doucet and Hervato at the expense of Clarkson, Mychan and Myers. Add them to Walton and Martin and you could struggle to get any of them on a scary ride at Alton Towers. Then throw in our Marquee signing of Leigh Salters becoming a pacifist and you can see where the wonder of our next fight comes. Looks like we have gone overboard on skill by losing the grit which allows them to play.
 
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Ivydrive

Member
#7
#7
Been wondering the same for weeks. So frustrating to watch us get out hit and at times bullied on our own ice and nobody looks remotely interested. I don't think it's the players choice, it must be a coaching instruction? Whatever it is, Euro hockeys not fun to watch.
I want physical Devils hockey back please.
It seems that's what the crowds want to see too. As soon as the physicality is upped the atmosphere immediately picks up. Unfortunately, the majority of games this season it's been as flat as a pancake & Todds been trying to get the excitement up over the mic.

I hate to say it and may well get flamed but... We may be winning games but its been pretty dull to watch at times this year.
 
DevilDom

DevilDom

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
We have definitely lost some grit and intensity from our game and whist we have been winning games I just feel like we have been playing within ourselves. Maybe this is a tactic, maybe we are saving a little back for the second half of the season after we petered out a little bit last season, I don't know but we are not the same team as last year and don't seem to have anything like the same chamoradorie and togetherness (yet) despite having most of the same players. Perhaps it's just perception but there doesn't seem to be the same buzz around the team this year.
 
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pjj365

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
DevilDom said:
We have definitely lost some grit and intensity from our game and whist we have been winning games I just feel like we have been playing within ourselves. Maybe this is a tactic, maybe we are saving a little back for the second half of the season after we petered out a little bit last season, I don't know but we are not the same team as last year and don't seem to have anything like the same chamoradorie and togetherness (yet) despite having most of the same players. Perhaps it's just perception but there doesn't seem to be the same buzz around the team this year.
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I suspect the change is that last year the whole organisation (including supporters) was embarked on a crusade - it was a bit like a Billy Graham gathering at times.- and great it was. That intensity could not be maintained and the fact things may have petered out may be evidence of this

This year it seems more like there is a job to be done - and it is, more or less, being done.

The fans job is to suport this by lifting a flat atmosphere (and yes it has been at times) regaining our role as the 5th line. Tonights sell out suggests this is happening but just as the team must maintain consistency and optimism in the face of set backs so must we..
 
F

fried egg

Active Member
#10
#10
I don't think I agree that we are not physical enough. I think we pretty much have it spot on. We are top of the Elite League and lead the league in fights, with 13.
People might have expected Giants to be bullying teams this year with Nickleson and Keffe on the roster, but their team has 6 fights between them. Maybe Lord thinks last season we took to many penalties which may have cost us some games and has told the players that if they are to go to the bin make sure they take someone with them. And who would have thought a Finnerty team would only have 3 fights at this stage of the season?

Now I know physicality is not all about fighting but I think Hervato and Haddad are doing a good job hitting and winding up whatever moves.
 
P

pjj365

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
Wannabe2 said:
4 fights tonight, looks like the club reads this ha ha. Come on you beauties all for one, and one for all.
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But it did not gain us a regulation win - physicality is not the same as fights. Personally i want the former not the later Also who knows the impact DoPS may have on the next game(s)
 
I

Ivydrive

Member
#18
#18
BBW said:
We are top of the league. What's the problem?
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Missing the point a bit...

Of course its great being sat at the top of the standings but i have left a lot of home games feeling frustrated at the performances (despite winning) and one of the main things lacking for me is forechecking & physicality (and that doesn't mean fighting).

Im a season ticket holder & go to games regardless but i know other new season ticket holders who admit they wouldn't be coming to every game if they hadn't bought a season ticket because the current style we're playing isn't great to watch. I know a couple from Swansea who haven't made the effort to get to many games this season because of the less physical style we've been playing. For many its not enjoyable to watch 'Euro hockey' and from my experience, that has to be hitting ticket sales?

Some people may be happy with wins regardless of how they come but i know a lot more people who watch the sport for its physicality.

I don't think this threads meant in negative way, Its a genuine question that i think a lot of regular fans are wondering and getting frustrated by in recent weeks.

If the on ice performance is right the crowd will respond and create a great atmosphere as has happened in the past. As great as it is to have things like Cameron Hughes coming to gee the crowd up this weekend, It's not whats needed to create atmosphere. The on ice product is the most important.
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#19
#19
If physicality is the only thing some people look forward to, we're going to struggle for crowds when we move to our big ice arena.
 
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