Storm Vs Devils - League - 6th Jan 24 - FO 19:00
- Thread starter James
- Start date
Sometimes a team can on play what's in front of them and to win they have to play ugly. May have been no need for overt aggression, forechecking etc against the Storm. Maybe conserving a bit of something for tonight at home.,The crowd need a lift, the Giants will also be playing with a big chip on their shoulder. This won't be pretty, in a different sort of way.
Ok.
My opinion is that after three straight losses, the most important thing was to win. And preferably to win comfortably.
We did that after 40 minutes. 4-1 up and then killed the game off without any issues in the 3rd.
Manchester play on a small ice pad and are better built for physical hockey. If we’d started throwing hits around it would have been playing into their hands and playing the type of game they wanted.
Russell said after the last game that we weren‘t doing the small things right. I could be wrong but I took that to mean things like sticks in the right place, soft-interference to slow down the opposition etc. The type of things that would stop Storm from playing the type of game they want.
I couldn't care less if the game was boring. We were away from home, it’s not our job to entertain. We’re still in a run where we average a game every other day. Players are going to be tired. A checking style of game would make that worse.
My opinion is that after three straight losses, the most important thing was to win. And preferably to win comfortably.
We did that after 40 minutes. 4-1 up and then killed the game off without any issues in the 3rd.
Manchester play on a small ice pad and are better built for physical hockey. If we’d started throwing hits around it would have been playing into their hands and playing the type of game they wanted.
Russell said after the last game that we weren‘t doing the small things right. I could be wrong but I took that to mean things like sticks in the right place, soft-interference to slow down the opposition etc. The type of things that would stop Storm from playing the type of game they want.
I couldn't care less if the game was boring. We were away from home, it’s not our job to entertain. We’re still in a run where we average a game every other day. Players are going to be tired. A checking style of game would make that worse.
Thank you for a more considered response. Much more useful for a Forum than your previous attempt to determine if I understood checking.
Whilst I’m in agreement with what you’ve written to an extent… “not their job to entertain” would go against the feeling of most of this forum. I do want to be entertained. PR even referenced people leaving with 20mins to go against Sheffield and having nothing to shout about, The point I’m making above all else was… PR wasn’t happy with the physicality. He made that point. He was passionate about that point. I bought the stream expecting to see a response to that physicality challenge early on, I didn’t see it - other’s may have. In my opinion, it wasn’t there, it wasn’t a particularly entertaining game (that doesn’t rest solely on Cardiff’s shoulders) but naturally I’m pleased with 2 points. Once the game is over and won after 40 mins I don’t expect stupidity but I expected something in first 10 mins. Not a grumble. An observation. A debate.
Why would we save the physicality for tonight?…. Because we’re at home and PR does what to entertain???
Can I asked if you actually watched this game? Just to put your comment in to context. Reason for asking is that if I’m following a game on X or via Diablo, I don’t care about entertainment or physicality either.
Thank you
Whilst I’m in agreement with what you’ve written to an extent… “not their job to entertain” would go against the feeling of most of this forum. I do want to be entertained. PR even referenced people leaving with 20mins to go against Sheffield and having nothing to shout about, The point I’m making above all else was… PR wasn’t happy with the physicality. He made that point. He was passionate about that point. I bought the stream expecting to see a response to that physicality challenge early on, I didn’t see it - other’s may have. In my opinion, it wasn’t there, it wasn’t a particularly entertaining game (that doesn’t rest solely on Cardiff’s shoulders) but naturally I’m pleased with 2 points. Once the game is over and won after 40 mins I don’t expect stupidity but I expected something in first 10 mins. Not a grumble. An observation. A debate.
Why would we save the physicality for tonight?…. Because we’re at home and PR does what to entertain???
Can I asked if you actually watched this game? Just to put your comment in to context. Reason for asking is that if I’m following a game on X or via Diablo, I don’t care about entertainment or physicality either.
Thank you
I kept thinking about the 'small things' the entire game and also started counting how many battles on the boards we were winning and it was a significant majority. I also looked at how many times a D man was covered when moving forward, which was almost always so for me, this was one of the most disciplined performances of the season.
Another really interesting point was the number of times we nudged Weninger (who looked understandably rusty) or put up a screen, it was all little niggles and it was great to see as it constantly put the Storm off their game. This contrasted with what we were doing for a fair bit of December.
We had the game where we wanted it very early on so for me, we really had no need to change our plan and start hitting. Tonight is a different test but ..... that was as comfortable a win as you can have yesterday.
Another really interesting point was the number of times we nudged Weninger (who looked understandably rusty) or put up a screen, it was all little niggles and it was great to see as it constantly put the Storm off their game. This contrasted with what we were doing for a fair bit of December.
We had the game where we wanted it very early on so for me, we really had no need to change our plan and start hitting. Tonight is a different test but ..... that was as comfortable a win as you can have yesterday.
