Sheffield Steelers v Cardiff Devils - Sat 21 Oct 2017 - League - FO 7pm - Chat/Updates

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
Disappointing game against a Sheffield team that had a point to prove. We looked second best throughout an the only high spots were the away support..... excellent despite a poor performance and a few flashes from a number of players (Myers, Martin and Paris being the best of a poor selection tonight for MOM).

The major issues again looked to be special teams and a lack of confidence at the back. We are struggling to control the puck on the PP and are over committing leaving gaps. Paris is continually finding space on the PP but we seem reluctant to get the puck quickly to him whilst we are pinching far too much when we have the extra man, leaving gaps to be exploited.

At the back Hoth is not the same player without Ritchie alongside, he has to change his natural game and that didn’t help, in addition, Strachan was just feeling his way in and Fournier having one of his quieter games and so all in all our D looked less than perfect.

Disappointing stuff tonight and with key players presumably out again tomorrow, we need to dig deep and show character.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
The problem with success is that it raises expectations in the Club and the fanbase. It's totally natural to be ambitious but if expectations are not grounded then there is going to be disappointment and frustration.

Additional weight on the team being involved in the CHL, a competition where the Devils were virtual novices, and also expected to hit the ground running in domestic competitions.

The Panthers are the only team in the UK to be successful in Europe ( now and last season)....but they have only won the league once in decades. It is no coincidence that those UK teams that have competed in the CHL have had poor starts in domestic games in past years. And it is also no coincidence that teams who have won the league/the double/even the treble, have performed much lower than hoped the following season. This has happened to Giants, Panthers and the Devils.

Once in a while a special combination in ability, leadership, experience and winning mindset will happen (like last year and our World Record year). But it's rare.

The league has changed in style and speed this season. Several players with experience and winning mentality are no longer here. If anything, recent results are showing that every game is now a dogfight to progress in any competition. There is no easy route without the right mindset, physical strength and game plan. Injuries just exacerbate a struggling team.

Perhaps our expectations need to be reset for this season. Accept that there are much better teams in the league right now. The one that wins it is the one that finds consistency. What we should expect always is a battling, passionate, entertaining performance ...and the team needs to deliver that EVERY game. Then,if they get a good result, that's a bonus. That is what we might have to settle for this time around.

To progress in these competitions, a team has to keep winning. If it isn't performing up to that standard, injuries or not, then expectations need to lowered. Very disappointing and frustrating, but it is what it is.
 
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voth26

Well-Known Member
A loss at Sheffield isn't the end of the world.
No but getting your arse handed to you on a plate is, sorry but there's no fight, no passion, no grit, no confidence, in thus team!! As I've said before it's time for Lord to make some hard decisions regarding certain players before the decision making is taken out of his hands??. We take the piss out ogf Thommo but at least he had the balls to gas a player but the Devils clearly don't!! I remember years ago G put the entire squad on 2 wks notice amazingly the results changed dramatically, that's what nerds to happen now. If I was a player I'd be ashamed to hear my coach who put faith in signing me saying week after week it's his fault bullshit it is, so I'm calling every single CARDIFF DEVILS player and ask one question are you good enough to wear our shirt, if not time for you to leave!!
 
I don't believe it's the money I believe lord has got his d corps wrong this season and would love hotham back...

To many players here are cruising because lord is there friend and they know he won't do nothing to them.
I have said it for ages now it's a joke..

Also I find players are more worried about Richie's testimonial this Tuesday than this weekends games.
Don't get me wrong it's a big thing for Richie but everyone is on twitter taking pictures and fuss arsening round about that than the real stuff...

It's embarrassing right now tbh
Believe me it was the $$$$$$$$
 
People seem to have forgotten what a good job Culli did playing D when Scott Hotham and Mark Louis were out with injuries last season. He did a great job defensively, moved the puck well and didn't turn it over. As a left hand shot he was often asked to play Right D and handled that as well.
 

terry hunt

Well-Known Member
The problem with success is that it raises expectations. It's totally natural to be ambitious but if expectations are not grounded then there is going to be disappointment and frustration.

Additional weight on the team being involved in the CHL, a competition where the Devils were novices, and expected to hit the ground running in domestic competitions.

The Panthers are the only team in the UK to be successful in Europe ( now and last season)....but they have only won the league once in decades. It is no coincidence that those UK teams that have competed in the CHL have had poor starts in domestic games in past years. And it is also no coincidence that teams who have won the league/the double/even the treble, have performed lower than hoped the following season. This has happened to Giants, Panthers and the Devils.

Once in a while a special combination in ability, leadership, experience and winning mindset will happen (like last year and our World Record year). But it's rare.

The league has changed in style and speed this season. Several players with experience and winning mentality are no longer here. If anything, recent results are showing that every game is now a dogfight to progress in any competition. There is no easy route without the right mindset, physical strength and game plan. Injuries just exacerbate below par performances.

Perhaps our expectations need to be reset for this season. Accept that there are much better teams in the league right now. The one that wins it is the one that finds consistency. What we should expect always is a battling, passionate, entertaining performance.....and if they get a good result, that's a bonus. That is what we might have to settle for this time.

To progress in these competitions, a team has to keep winning. If it isn't performing up to that standard, injuries or not, then expectations need to lowered. Very disappointing and frustrating, but it is what it is.
I am sorry to say after watching last nights game against a below par Steelers i agree 100%
 
Sport can be a difficult and un predictable mistress, the highs the lows, although we are going through a low patch we have survived worst. Nobody goes to work do a bad job and I believe our players still have the fight within them to win, sadly with lots of thing going badly injuries and strong options in the locker room - these guys are at rock bottom. We as "the best fans in the EIHL" need to rally around the guys. We will win again but not by bashing these guys when they are down. We are the Cardiff Devils and we never ever ever give up, no matter what, win, lose never give up just like us the fans keep believing. No surrender. Do everything to best of your ability do the maximum we care so should you........



Live to play, love to win.............
 
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pjj365

Well-Known Member
Sport can be a difficult and un predictable mistress, the highs the lows, although we are going through a low patch we have survived worst. Nobody goes to work odd a bad job and I believe our players still have the fight within them to win, sadly with lots of thing going badly injuries and strong options in the locker room - these guys are at rock bottom. We as "the best fans in the EIHL" need to rally around the guys. We will win again but not by bashing these guys when they are down. We are the Cardiff Devils and we never ever ever give up, no matter what, win, lose never give up just like us the fans keep believing. No surrender. Do everything to best of your ability do the maximum we care so should you........



Live to play, love to win.............
Well said
 
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bb1

Well-Known Member
Our d arent the main problem.....our forwards are really struggling and seem lost. We don't seem to have an effective physical forecheck to worry any oppositions defence. Plus the fact we never crash the net or go direct is so predictable for the opposition as we are kept wide very easily.

Our d are the only ones who look like scoring from the point yet a lot of those plays are leaving is exposed at the back when a pass goes astray etc...

I pray Lordo can sort this out otherwise he will have to make more changes or we will just fall behind. C'mon boys!
 
That's the league done imo already!!
Sad to say so early on but we ain't got it in us to win 5 games in a row never mind 10/15..

Usually teams who under perform in the league win the playoffs so let's hope we can do that hey :)
It's October for Christ sake. If you think anyone has won or lost the league at this stage you are deluded.
 

pjj365

Well-Known Member
It's October for Christ sake. If you think anyone has won or lost the league at this stage you are deluded.
Agreed

Look at the table, look at games in hand, look at number of games to go, look at the length of time to season end

Look at ourselves

It is time for support not time to indulge in doom and gloom and negative fatalism despite not being happy bunnies
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
I've been away so haven't seen a game for a few weeks, I thought it was a bit of over exaggeration on here to be honest.

But having watched last night's game I think people have a point. The problem we have is that we are missing a lot of key players at the moment. We have spare players so we aren't playing too short in terms of numbers; however Haddad, Assellin, Fayrna and Richie are fairly irreplaceable on this roster. Unfortunately we are relying on players who we shouldn't and cant rely on.

One thing I noticed though, Josh Batch and Craig Moore. Both were outstanding, not just the effort but their hockey IQ and positioning is excellent. They have to play more, we seem to want to persevere with Crowder and Morisette on our 3rd line and PP but for me you play the form players and those two have earned more ice time.

We've seemed to have lost our way.
 
we can't win a game right now so how do you think we will win the league? by the time we find our feet Sheffield panthers and maybe storm will be 8 wins ahead of us..
We will need to win at least 10 in a row can u see that happening with this squad? Don't think so.
 

pjj365

Well-Known Member
we can't win a game right now so how do you think we will win the league? by the time we find our feet Sheffield panthers and maybe storm will be 8 wins ahead of us..
We will need to win at least 10 in a row can u see that happening with this squad? Don't think so.
Who knows We are all presuming other teams won't have a melt down, injuries etc.

Yes it is about us winning but we are not the only players around here
 

august04

Well-Known Member
You can’t win the league in October but you can lose it and we're making it very difficult for ourselves. If we don’t get out of this slump quickly, it could almost be over for us in a few weeks time. To get back in contention, we're going to need to go on a run of wins. That looks a million miles away right now. And I’m not deluded.
Agree with Ocko too, Batch and Moore should be playing way more than they are at the moment, especially when the effort/effectiveness levels of others are so questionable.
 
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