I’m not saying the powerplay is the only problem but we’re second in the league and we don’t have a powerplay. Sort the powerplay out and confidence will grow. It’s become increasingly difficult to score goals 5 on 5 so if you don’t have a powerplay it’s demoralising. It’s such a momentum shifter in games.
Agree that the powerplay is not the only a problem but it is a problem, Jenks. Bang on there mate. It's embarrassing. It's predictable and void of ideas, to the point where I'd opt to not have it (obviously I'm joking). We look more like conceding than scroring. Mislaid passes, trouble entering the zone and then when we are in the zone the quality of passing doesn't allow for a one timer. At times we are just static in the zone not making the Shuff nettie move at all and without any screen. What concerns me is that PR has had a week to address this without any midweek game but week in and week out it is the same one dimensional powerplay. It that the players or is that the coach?
Last season I was questioning our identity because we didn't seem to have one. This season, I see what we are and I see how PR wants to play and I am concerned. Yes, we're second in the league but we have more chance of moving down the league than up it if we continue to play the way we are. You can see the thinking behind Wilde and how he fits what PR wants but I just can't help but think that we don't need him. Yes, by all means replace someone like River with Wilde but the concern and focus has to be offensively.
We're just back from making the journey up there having stayed overnight. Much of what has been said you could have said without watching the game. That's not being critical of posters, the depressing thing is that they are right. We've become predictably dull. Yes the Clan was exciting due to the scrapping but when you strip that away, as I said after the game, you are left with what Sheffield had to contend with. A team that's lacking in some key areas. I love Wilde but he isn't what we need in my opinion. We need a first line that will scare the wotsits out of any team. The reality is, we don't even know what our 1st line is. We just don't have out and out first line players or we have first line players that are woefully underperforming. In the League, Sanford is 8th in Goals, the next person after him is Alderson in 20th. Our top points scorer is Crawford in 16th. You could argue that our goals are spread out across the lines but where is our firing first line.
I love Joey but he isn't the answer. Cox isn't playing like a first line player. Arniel comes in and can't find the target from clear cut opportunities. Our most exciting and noticeable lines are the 3rd and 4th. That won't win you a trophy.
On the flip side.... we lost 4-0 to the top of the league team. A superb team in great form. 4-0 on the face of it is a good result. It could have and should have been worse. Defensively we are dire, Crawfords high risk plays just cost us time and time again, whether it's an actual goal or more often than not placing us under pressure. It was men against boys as pointed out and all focus seems to be on Batch but where's Alderson? He should be tearing around like Borderleau/Voth dominating games. He pulls out of checks like Brittain used to. Brandt has reined in the physicality. Both him and Chad look like they are playing within themselves. It's almost like they are being asked to play a different game. A game that would match the Devils identity of old. Physical, chip on your shoulder type games. We look light weight.
We seem to favour flair and speed over grit and pressure. I don't think we have the players to play the former. I don't like this teams identity and if I'm being really inflammatory, I don't see huge steps forward from last season. I believe in PR. I back PR but surely he must be thinking changes need to be made.
Sort out our lines and fix our powerplay.