Devils Vs Panthers - League - 30th Oct 2021
- Thread starter James
- Start date
I am really shaking my head at some comments tonight. It's like the season is done already. Devils fans have gained a bit of a reputation in the league of massiely overreacting to results. And I'm agreeing with that more and more.
Tonight's performance was bad. The worst of the year. There's nothing wrong in saying that. Theres also nothing wrong in saying this player wasn't on his game tonight, or we're missing this sort of player in the line up, or we need to change this etc. That's what following a team and having discussions about hockey is about.
But it's the "embarrassing, spineless" comments, the who should get sacked comments, the "why am I wasting money on this" comments. And all of these after our first home loss of the year.
Panthers were terrible yesterday, beat us today. Belfast looked great against us then lost at Manchester. Fife look terrible all year then win 7-0 against Manchester. Sheffield beat us then lose to Coventry at home. Guildford tonight losing 7-0 to Dundee.
It happens to every team, and will happen to them and us many more times this year. We aren't special. That's sport. If as a fan you can't accept that your team will occasionally lose, will have bad nights, then maybe it isn't for you.
Tonight's performance was bad. The worst of the year. There's nothing wrong in saying that. Theres also nothing wrong in saying this player wasn't on his game tonight, or we're missing this sort of player in the line up, or we need to change this etc. That's what following a team and having discussions about hockey is about.
But it's the "embarrassing, spineless" comments, the who should get sacked comments, the "why am I wasting money on this" comments. And all of these after our first home loss of the year.
Panthers were terrible yesterday, beat us today. Belfast looked great against us then lost at Manchester. Fife look terrible all year then win 7-0 against Manchester. Sheffield beat us then lose to Coventry at home. Guildford tonight losing 7-0 to Dundee.
It happens to every team, and will happen to them and us many more times this year. We aren't special. That's sport. If as a fan you can't accept that your team will occasionally lose, will have bad nights, then maybe it isn't for you.
Still lost 2 points, just as we did - and I don’t really care about any other team! Someone needs to remind this team that dropping crucial league points with dire performances like that can come back and bite you on the arse in March. If you’re going to stink the place out, do it away from home, in the Challenge Cup, when you’ve already qualified.
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I think you’re being a bit harsh there Devil94. I agree that words like Spineless are a bit OTT but you have to take into context how shorthanded Nottingham were tonight. Yes we are going to lose games but they finished with 12 skaters and 2 kids tonight. If we lost 3-0 and bombarded carr with shot after shot then fair enough, those defeats can happen but he wasn’t really tested. That’s inexcusable against a depleted team. I’ve just watched Skalde’s interview, he’s furious. I would imagine he said worse things in the dressing room than anything you’ve read on here.
Excellent analysis of a poor night tonight, we had a very poor night at the office tonight, and guess what we ain’t excempt and like every other team we will have shit nights. Before going overboard about tonight let’s see how it goes from here, we don’t have a divine right to win trophies every year and thank god for that.We’re we poor tonight bet your sweet arse we were, but tomorrow is another day if we play like this for the next 3/4 games then we really do have a problem, but give the lads a bit of slack they know they didnt produce tonight, and hopefully respond the way they should.
Very poor performance and so frustrating to watch. Not going to call out any player in particular but suffice to say that 90% of our team should have a long look in the mirror tonight and be embarrassed at themselves. I’ve said before, Skalde is our coach and the team play to his orders and style of play. I don’t like his style of play, I don’t like his set up and I get the feeling neither do the players. Its a long season and I think we will win more than we lose, but dont think our style of play will result in winning trophies this season sadly.
Its down to the coach to pick players that fit his playing style. If the coach picks players that aren't accustomed to his style then those are poor selections. Regardless of playing style individual players need to show hustle and execution for 60 mins. The Devils showed very little of that today. They played like a tired team playing their third game of the week & like it was a dead rubber CC game. Well no, it was only they're second game and it was an important league game. Not to mention they should have been less tired than Nottingham who played yesterday
The team looked disheartened and lost, Carruth showing the frustration and anger of a player who was so hungry for a win only to be let down by his team.
Tomorrow might be just a challenge cup game but if we are going to turn it around tomorrow is the day to do it, I noticed a couple of players who looked like they really didn't want to be on the tonight one player having an off day can really effect the rest of the team.
They'll get it sorted.
Tomorrow might be just a challenge cup game but if we are going to turn it around tomorrow is the day to do it, I noticed a couple of players who looked like they really didn't want to be on the tonight one player having an off day can really effect the rest of the team.
They'll get it sorted.
Very poor result. Below standard expectation. Carruth's frustrations justified.
There's a big Martin-Haddad-Fournier shaped hole in the team when we have off nights, but trying to replace them is a huge task and Skalde has to work with what he has at his disposal.
Now the dust is settling it's becoming apparent that we lack a scorer and a good two-way puck moving defenceman, but I'm not sure what the team can be expected to do, in terms of addressing those needs, at this stage of the season. I certainly think they can work on power plays, looked particularly ineffective with the man advantage tonight.
There's a big Martin-Haddad-Fournier shaped hole in the team when we have off nights, but trying to replace them is a huge task and Skalde has to work with what he has at his disposal.
Now the dust is settling it's becoming apparent that we lack a scorer and a good two-way puck moving defenceman, but I'm not sure what the team can be expected to do, in terms of addressing those needs, at this stage of the season. I certainly think they can work on power plays, looked particularly ineffective with the man advantage tonight.
I don’t expect to win every game. I don’t expect to win the league every year either. I don’t expect to be royally entertained, although that would be nice! But I do expect, as a paying fan, to turn up to a game with the belief that my team will compete and try their best on any given night. We didn't do that tonight, as Skalde has already acknowledged. The only player that came out of that game with any credit was Mac Carruth, who kept us in it. I hope Skalde read them the riot act…..
Well I'm glad I didn't post my view on this evening when I was leaving the arena - have come home and had a chance to cool off. Some of the comments here however are over the top.
Worryingly we came into tonight having not hit our normal game - PP not firing as has been our signature in recent years, PK likewise. Defeat as usual in Nottingham, scraping a win in Guildford against the run of play...
No Du Pont (saw him in the gantry with his family) but basically like him not a single Devil showed up tonight as we know they can.
I'm not going to go overboard and start doubting the team or the organization - it's one loss, admittedly an awful one, and there's a long way to go yet! People need to calm down and stop flapping. Skalde will sort this as that's what Steve and the others employed him for.
A very nasty injury for the Panthers with his Achilles being cut accidentally. Carr wasn't troubled all night although a couple chances should have been taken.
Panthers defended very solidly and didn't let any of our lads settle or get time to find a pass to open things up. Which meant we were left with hoping we could get a tip in from a bullet from the blue line...didn't happen.
Mac was OK - had an eventful night, tripping/clashing with a forward before being hung out to dry once we conceded the first from a face off. Was almost as if Mac was trying to give us the impetus that someone like McNally adds.
On that point - whilst the arena wasn't exactly flat it was quite subdued, like the performance. Panthers fans were numerous and noisy which is easy on a Saturday night with the prospect of a great weekend in Gods own country!
There was very little urgency or physical play from us - we were continually muscled off the puck as soon as we made the Offensive Zone. In previous years we have needed a bit of magic from Joey Martin to unlock such games against the Panthers - but tonight we looked like we needed a big strong centre to throw himself about a bit and get under their skin. (I had thought recently that Martin would compliment the likes of Cox and Sandford well and he was exactly what we were missing.)
Was a very tight game as usual v Panthers until the first goal when we lost our heads. Having read the comments about the Panthers being short benched I'm disappointed we put in such a toothless performance.
The Duggan, Davies and Lammon/Valdix line was particularly ineffective tonight. Register and O'Connor were poor and I thought apart from Mac only Mikkelson could come away with any pride. Actually Waller was ok but not up to his recent high standards - things just didn't click for him tonight which could be said for the whole side. Is it just me who really wants Crandall to do well but it's just not happening for him?
I actually like the change in transition this year, we are much quicker to get the puck up the ice and into the forwards (which initially most sides had not expected and were getting caught out by, but now they expect us to come quick and we thus have more opportunities for a Fournier-type D-man to jump into the play rather than look for a pass) we do lack the ability to hold on to it around the boards though like Myers and Haddad have done for us recently.
On that point I was disappointed that the Devils didn't pay mention to Myers return for a competitive game since his departure - he was ignored in pre-season and O thought we would mention him tonight. Nothing big but something like Layne Ulmer got when he came back with the Storm.
Overall just one of those nights. Frustrating and toothless - but every team gets them. We definitely need McNally back and the energy he brings. We need to work on some new PP plays and the D need to provide Mac with a bit more protection in front of net.
It'll be ok - but it will take a lot of hard work
Worryingly we came into tonight having not hit our normal game - PP not firing as has been our signature in recent years, PK likewise. Defeat as usual in Nottingham, scraping a win in Guildford against the run of play...
No Du Pont (saw him in the gantry with his family) but basically like him not a single Devil showed up tonight as we know they can.
I'm not going to go overboard and start doubting the team or the organization - it's one loss, admittedly an awful one, and there's a long way to go yet! People need to calm down and stop flapping. Skalde will sort this as that's what Steve and the others employed him for.
A very nasty injury for the Panthers with his Achilles being cut accidentally. Carr wasn't troubled all night although a couple chances should have been taken.
Panthers defended very solidly and didn't let any of our lads settle or get time to find a pass to open things up. Which meant we were left with hoping we could get a tip in from a bullet from the blue line...didn't happen.
Mac was OK - had an eventful night, tripping/clashing with a forward before being hung out to dry once we conceded the first from a face off. Was almost as if Mac was trying to give us the impetus that someone like McNally adds.
On that point - whilst the arena wasn't exactly flat it was quite subdued, like the performance. Panthers fans were numerous and noisy which is easy on a Saturday night with the prospect of a great weekend in Gods own country!
There was very little urgency or physical play from us - we were continually muscled off the puck as soon as we made the Offensive Zone. In previous years we have needed a bit of magic from Joey Martin to unlock such games against the Panthers - but tonight we looked like we needed a big strong centre to throw himself about a bit and get under their skin. (I had thought recently that Martin would compliment the likes of Cox and Sandford well and he was exactly what we were missing.)
Was a very tight game as usual v Panthers until the first goal when we lost our heads. Having read the comments about the Panthers being short benched I'm disappointed we put in such a toothless performance.
The Duggan, Davies and Lammon/Valdix line was particularly ineffective tonight. Register and O'Connor were poor and I thought apart from Mac only Mikkelson could come away with any pride. Actually Waller was ok but not up to his recent high standards - things just didn't click for him tonight which could be said for the whole side. Is it just me who really wants Crandall to do well but it's just not happening for him?
I actually like the change in transition this year, we are much quicker to get the puck up the ice and into the forwards (which initially most sides had not expected and were getting caught out by, but now they expect us to come quick and we thus have more opportunities for a Fournier-type D-man to jump into the play rather than look for a pass) we do lack the ability to hold on to it around the boards though like Myers and Haddad have done for us recently.
On that point I was disappointed that the Devils didn't pay mention to Myers return for a competitive game since his departure - he was ignored in pre-season and O thought we would mention him tonight. Nothing big but something like Layne Ulmer got when he came back with the Storm.
Overall just one of those nights. Frustrating and toothless - but every team gets them. We definitely need McNally back and the energy he brings. We need to work on some new PP plays and the D need to provide Mac with a bit more protection in front of net.
It'll be ok - but it will take a lot of hard work
Cant comment on the game as I had other commitments, but reading all the posts it seems like a terrible game against a depleted Panthers, a while ago i posted sanford and cox had not scored a goal between them in a run of 9 games, the writing has been on the wall since then, we are crying out for a top goalscorer but seems to have fallen on deaf ears in the Devils org for some reason, I firmly believe a player will be gassed this week especially after that result and performence, the team need a kick up the arse and start playing to their strengths...
I didn't see the game last night, so I can't comment on that directly, but reading some of the comments here is quite enlightening.
Firstly there's some criticism of the power play, but according to the eihl website before the weekend it was >30% which is highly impressive. In some of the games I have seen, our puck movement was looking very good. I don't understand this apparent disconnect with people's comments.
Secondly comments on individual players. Comments on valdix have consistently been that he's contributing nothing. O'Connor has consistently been criticised for no look passes and lack of defensive awareness. Before being injured Dupont, although improved of late, was making nothing like the offensive contribution that was expected.
We're now two months into the season and I no longer think the "give them time" excuse holds water. There are simply too many deficiencies in this team. I doubt we'll get rid of anyone, and the rumoured new October recruit seems to have been a pipe dream. The rebuild was always going to be difficult. Yes, we have bright spots among the new recruits (carruth, kozun, Reid, Waller, Cox and sanford) and with our reliable returnees, but this seems like a work in progress.
Firstly there's some criticism of the power play, but according to the eihl website before the weekend it was >30% which is highly impressive. In some of the games I have seen, our puck movement was looking very good. I don't understand this apparent disconnect with people's comments.
Secondly comments on individual players. Comments on valdix have consistently been that he's contributing nothing. O'Connor has consistently been criticised for no look passes and lack of defensive awareness. Before being injured Dupont, although improved of late, was making nothing like the offensive contribution that was expected.
We're now two months into the season and I no longer think the "give them time" excuse holds water. There are simply too many deficiencies in this team. I doubt we'll get rid of anyone, and the rumoured new October recruit seems to have been a pipe dream. The rebuild was always going to be difficult. Yes, we have bright spots among the new recruits (carruth, kozun, Reid, Waller, Cox and sanford) and with our reliable returnees, but this seems like a work in progress.
A work in progress is exactly what it is. Rebuilds take a few years. Our team( which included a large core who had played together for 5 years) was decimated by lockdown. New Eihl and budgetary restrictions limit additions and movement on the roster. We have a new coach adjusting to this league.... and he can only play the team he's got.
It's damn frustrating to see performances like last night. We know that some players previously( in other seasons, some on other teams) have been so much better than that. We are confounded why some players are not contributing, why specialists like Myers and Mosey were not re-signed, and are now using their skills on other teams.
We don't know the background or restrictions to the recruitment situation. A rebuilding team that hits the ground is very rare..... Giants have shown they are settling down and the Devils will too. Consistency is the key, very difficult to achieve when so many players are new here.
If we keep our expectations realistic this season, the losses won't hurt so much. But I do agree most definitely that, win or lose, the fans should expect to see their team playing with the same pride, passion and effort every game.
It's damn frustrating to see performances like last night. We know that some players previously( in other seasons, some on other teams) have been so much better than that. We are confounded why some players are not contributing, why specialists like Myers and Mosey were not re-signed, and are now using their skills on other teams.
We don't know the background or restrictions to the recruitment situation. A rebuilding team that hits the ground is very rare..... Giants have shown they are settling down and the Devils will too. Consistency is the key, very difficult to achieve when so many players are new here.
If we keep our expectations realistic this season, the losses won't hurt so much. But I do agree most definitely that, win or lose, the fans should expect to see their team playing with the same pride, passion and effort every game.
You're partly spot on.
It’s early in the season after a period of never been seen before circumstances. I said at the beginning l didn’t think we’d win the league, compete maybe and it would be a rollercoaster ride. Some people need perspective, Lord played here, coached and understood the style, for that l give him credit, he did well. That doesn’t mean he’s an amazing coach, for me he’s got to be tested harder than the cozy number he was in with great owners and organisation. Skalde is in a position Lord wasn’t, for that he needs time, is he better than Lord, with his CV so far yes, does that mean he will bring the same success or more than Lord, who knows, we’ve seen Ex NHL coaches here do nothing, which suggests both leagues require different coaching skills. What is needed is time, we’ve not blown teams out, but we’ve also not lost any titles either. If as a fan you believe buying a ticket guarantees success, well wake up, there’s always a loser, sometimes that’s your team. This conversation was also taking place pre Covid under Lord, not just by me, he was criticised on here for boring, not having a plan B and not being physical and not gassing players. It’s the nature of sport, maybe some should stick to football, not Cardiff, that’ll just depress them. Maybe the path of happiness for certain fans here is to pick a team that always wins....l.l
It’s early in the season after a period of never been seen before circumstances. I said at the beginning l didn’t think we’d win the league, compete maybe and it would be a rollercoaster ride. Some people need perspective, Lord played here, coached and understood the style, for that l give him credit, he did well. That doesn’t mean he’s an amazing coach, for me he’s got to be tested harder than the cozy number he was in with great owners and organisation. Skalde is in a position Lord wasn’t, for that he needs time, is he better than Lord, with his CV so far yes, does that mean he will bring the same success or more than Lord, who knows, we’ve seen Ex NHL coaches here do nothing, which suggests both leagues require different coaching skills. What is needed is time, we’ve not blown teams out, but we’ve also not lost any titles either. If as a fan you believe buying a ticket guarantees success, well wake up, there’s always a loser, sometimes that’s your team. This conversation was also taking place pre Covid under Lord, not just by me, he was criticised on here for boring, not having a plan B and not being physical and not gassing players. It’s the nature of sport, maybe some should stick to football, not Cardiff, that’ll just depress them. Maybe the path of happiness for certain fans here is to pick a team that always wins....l.l
