Devils Vs Blaze - League - 22nd Dec 21
- Thread starter James
- Start date
Each to their own but personally I think a good captain, who’s chasing the league and playing at home shouldn’t wait till the last 5 minutes to get things going. Richie & Skalde just seem to accept laziness and the team are taking advantage of it.
Either the captain on the ice or the Coach on the bench needs to put a rocket up this team whilst playing. It’s pointless saying it in a interview after or maybe in the locker room but the points are already lost. It seems to fall on deaf ears and the same things happens the week after.
I don’t want to come across as bashing Richie as he’s a club legend and one of the better players this year, I just don’t think he should’ve been captain.
Either the captain on the ice or the Coach on the bench needs to put a rocket up this team whilst playing. It’s pointless saying it in a interview after or maybe in the locker room but the points are already lost. It seems to fall on deaf ears and the same things happens the week after.
I don’t want to come across as bashing Richie as he’s a club legend and one of the better players this year, I just don’t think he should’ve been captain.
Is anyone else starting to think that the team's form is just a plot by the Welsh Government to put us off attending matches ?
I can see it now.
At the end of the final home league game in April, Scooby Doo leads the gang on to the ice.
Shaggy heads to the bench, creeps up behind Coach Skalde and removes his mask to reveal Mark Drakeford underneath.
He would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those pesky kids.
You heard it here first...
I can see it now.
At the end of the final home league game in April, Scooby Doo leads the gang on to the ice.
Shaggy heads to the bench, creeps up behind Coach Skalde and removes his mask to reveal Mark Drakeford underneath.
He would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those pesky kids.
You heard it here first...
Well the one thing that’s glaringly obvious is that changing players is going to be needed for this too work. Maybe it’s financial this year, maybe it was Covid or maybe it’s management policy, but next season or further it’s going to need to change. It’s been commentated on here in previous seasons that players view Cardiff as a cosy secure place that some retire too knowing their season is guaranteed.
I myself think our style of play this season has been dull and almost unwatchable sometimes.
Two tactics, dump and chase, pass and pass again until a clear opening which is hardly ever, no fight, no grit, no passion.
I will say this though I'm just glad to see we still have a team after the lockdown we had and be able to watch a game (albeit boring) .
This season I was never that worried about as I knew it would be difficult, next season is a different story.
I may not be happy with the product on the ice but happy we still have a club.
Two tactics, dump and chase, pass and pass again until a clear opening which is hardly ever, no fight, no grit, no passion.
I will say this though I'm just glad to see we still have a team after the lockdown we had and be able to watch a game (albeit boring) .
This season I was never that worried about as I knew it would be difficult, next season is a different story.
I may not be happy with the product on the ice but happy we still have a club.
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I love this Club with all my heart but the current team is so inconsistent it makes me angry.
Individually, many of these players have great skills..... but they just seem incapable of playing together. There is no chemistry, no reaction, no strength of character. The game pattern has reverted to the standard template... go a goal down, recycling, shots from distance, start playing with intent in last 10 minutes, our goalie carrying the team. They almost need to go back to basics. No wonder they all look so tense and unhappy.
The team needs strong leadership... love Richie but presently we need the experience Dixon or Nikkelson to be Captain. . It needs collective determination, concentration and strength of character get the job done. It needs a combination of good fluid strategy, 'buying in' to ethos and tactics, and execution to get the result. We were completely spoilt with previous incarnations of this team over 5 years who knew each other well and understood Lord's ethos and tactics.
Rebuilding a team from a tiny remaining core (only 4 of our players are previously longterm) is always going to be challenging.
Granted that there is much more parity in the League. Teams need to win 80% of their games to be League champions. Devils could be looking at between 3rd and 5th place if season is completed.
I am afraid to say I am actually glad I didn't go last night and won't be able to on 27th. The team have lost every game I have attended this season, Think most of us can stomach that... can't stomach repetitive mistakes and lack of character. Rebuilding is a progressive process but it isn't translating to the ice.
Individually, many of these players have great skills..... but they just seem incapable of playing together. There is no chemistry, no reaction, no strength of character. The game pattern has reverted to the standard template... go a goal down, recycling, shots from distance, start playing with intent in last 10 minutes, our goalie carrying the team. They almost need to go back to basics. No wonder they all look so tense and unhappy.
The team needs strong leadership... love Richie but presently we need the experience Dixon or Nikkelson to be Captain. . It needs collective determination, concentration and strength of character get the job done. It needs a combination of good fluid strategy, 'buying in' to ethos and tactics, and execution to get the result. We were completely spoilt with previous incarnations of this team over 5 years who knew each other well and understood Lord's ethos and tactics.
Rebuilding a team from a tiny remaining core (only 4 of our players are previously longterm) is always going to be challenging.
Granted that there is much more parity in the League. Teams need to win 80% of their games to be League champions. Devils could be looking at between 3rd and 5th place if season is completed.
I am afraid to say I am actually glad I didn't go last night and won't be able to on 27th. The team have lost every game I have attended this season, Think most of us can stomach that... can't stomach repetitive mistakes and lack of character. Rebuilding is a progressive process but it isn't translating to the ice.
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Some aspects of that dire performance I can understand. With Dixon out the lines have had to shuffle again which can kill chemistry and it certainly did that. With 5 D, turnovers and errors are more likely. But I just don't understand the non contact hockey which seems to be a feature in this team. Even McNally has stopped checking.
When the team go one down, a good solid check can re-energise the crowd which previous teams have fed off. Birbraer, Voth and others could always be relied on to turn a game with a hit but not this team (apart from Dixon but he is out).
A few times our forwards tried to stick handle through the middle but the Coventry D just put in a shoulder and stopped them dead. When Blaze tried the same thing our D just waved their sticks about and let them straight through.
At the beginning of the season I disagreed with people complaining about the lack of hits. I thought this team is built on skill and speed not physicality but it can still be effective and entertaining to watch. But with the chemistry gone due to the ever changing lines the skill and speed mean nothing so some physicality is needed but its seems alien to this team.
When the team go one down, a good solid check can re-energise the crowd which previous teams have fed off. Birbraer, Voth and others could always be relied on to turn a game with a hit but not this team (apart from Dixon but he is out).
A few times our forwards tried to stick handle through the middle but the Coventry D just put in a shoulder and stopped them dead. When Blaze tried the same thing our D just waved their sticks about and let them straight through.
At the beginning of the season I disagreed with people complaining about the lack of hits. I thought this team is built on skill and speed not physicality but it can still be effective and entertaining to watch. But with the chemistry gone due to the ever changing lines the skill and speed mean nothing so some physicality is needed but its seems alien to this team.
Wow .... we are poor. I usually wait until post Christmas to start making comment but I think we've all seen enough.
Skalde has to go.
Appreciate he wont and it'll probably cost too much to do so but it starts and ends with him. The style of play just simply doesn't fit a league winning team. Cox, Samford, Crandall, Waller all great players in their own right but too similar in stature and style. We set up like an NHL Team with the mindset that we'll lose a few and win a few and make a good run in the playoffs. Not sure whether the magnitude of the league is understood by Skalde but we don't have a team or a style that will win games week in week out. The British game is predictable. Teams cycle the puck deep into the offensive zone to create plays or draw penalties. The team that does this the most effectively tends to win the game and the league. Skalde has tried to bring in a different style which when it works is great - it's unplayable at times - but it isn't conducive to a country where the league is king. Teams have figured us out. He simply hasn't adapted and it feels like the players aren't playing for him.
McNally is looking like he's made of glass so I can only assume he's carrying an injury at the moment. If you bring in an agitator and someone to play in peoples faces and they don't do this then they are just taking up line space.
No need to comment on Dupont, it's all been said. It can be seen by everyone but the coach. The concerning thing is that if BOC hadn't been moved on for disciplinary reasons (which I believe it was), he'd still be here now.
Reid isn't particularly mobile as far as a top line forward goes. He's never going to open up a defence with blistering pace and skill but he's a sharp shooter. He needs a puck fired to his stick and he'll do the rest. Whilst we aren't cycling the puck and creating those chances for him he'll struggle to reach his full potential - most of his goals are powerplay type situations where he is in space and pulls the trigger, usually a one timer off a face off. Yes, he's near the top of the scoring charts but look at the goals he's scored and from where. Not knocking him at all as he's pulled us through sometimes but I do wonder how effective he can really be with this style of play. I guess my point is... we can't rely on that. The secondary scoring needs to come in to play and we struggle here.
I've said before, when you combine our lightweight style of play against the boards and our inability to cycle the puck added to our aggressive offence with the one D man joining the rush, we are susceptible to so many 2 on 1s. It's a high risk strategy that hasn't worked for us, yet we don't change it. We keep doing the same thing and expecting a better out come. How many 2 v 1s are there in any one game? Both shorthanded and 5 v 5.
We simply shouldn't have our brilliant Brits leading the way in terms of energy and effectiveness. Batch has been superb, Waller unplayable at times and Davies grinding away each and every game.
We're a cup team, a playoff team and I don't begrudge that at all. It just means it comes with the ups and downs of supporting a team like that. My issue is that this isn't a team that is losing well. They aren't unlucky. They are out played, out fought and more worryingly out thought. That's not a lot fun to watch. We are a blunt instrument repeatedly trying carve our way into games. This starts and ends with Skalde. How long before he wakes up and see what's in front of him. Shuffling a pack constantly but playing the same style still means you are playing the same style with the same players - which isn't working.
Skalde goes for me.
Skalde has to go.
Appreciate he wont and it'll probably cost too much to do so but it starts and ends with him. The style of play just simply doesn't fit a league winning team. Cox, Samford, Crandall, Waller all great players in their own right but too similar in stature and style. We set up like an NHL Team with the mindset that we'll lose a few and win a few and make a good run in the playoffs. Not sure whether the magnitude of the league is understood by Skalde but we don't have a team or a style that will win games week in week out. The British game is predictable. Teams cycle the puck deep into the offensive zone to create plays or draw penalties. The team that does this the most effectively tends to win the game and the league. Skalde has tried to bring in a different style which when it works is great - it's unplayable at times - but it isn't conducive to a country where the league is king. Teams have figured us out. He simply hasn't adapted and it feels like the players aren't playing for him.
McNally is looking like he's made of glass so I can only assume he's carrying an injury at the moment. If you bring in an agitator and someone to play in peoples faces and they don't do this then they are just taking up line space.
No need to comment on Dupont, it's all been said. It can be seen by everyone but the coach. The concerning thing is that if BOC hadn't been moved on for disciplinary reasons (which I believe it was), he'd still be here now.
Reid isn't particularly mobile as far as a top line forward goes. He's never going to open up a defence with blistering pace and skill but he's a sharp shooter. He needs a puck fired to his stick and he'll do the rest. Whilst we aren't cycling the puck and creating those chances for him he'll struggle to reach his full potential - most of his goals are powerplay type situations where he is in space and pulls the trigger, usually a one timer off a face off. Yes, he's near the top of the scoring charts but look at the goals he's scored and from where. Not knocking him at all as he's pulled us through sometimes but I do wonder how effective he can really be with this style of play. I guess my point is... we can't rely on that. The secondary scoring needs to come in to play and we struggle here.
I've said before, when you combine our lightweight style of play against the boards and our inability to cycle the puck added to our aggressive offence with the one D man joining the rush, we are susceptible to so many 2 on 1s. It's a high risk strategy that hasn't worked for us, yet we don't change it. We keep doing the same thing and expecting a better out come. How many 2 v 1s are there in any one game? Both shorthanded and 5 v 5.
We simply shouldn't have our brilliant Brits leading the way in terms of energy and effectiveness. Batch has been superb, Waller unplayable at times and Davies grinding away each and every game.
We're a cup team, a playoff team and I don't begrudge that at all. It just means it comes with the ups and downs of supporting a team like that. My issue is that this isn't a team that is losing well. They aren't unlucky. They are out played, out fought and more worryingly out thought. That's not a lot fun to watch. We are a blunt instrument repeatedly trying carve our way into games. This starts and ends with Skalde. How long before he wakes up and see what's in front of him. Shuffling a pack constantly but playing the same style still means you are playing the same style with the same players - which isn't working.
Skalde goes for me.
Some very good observations here. Am I ready to say Skalde is definitely not the man to take us forward? No but I’m probably 90% there. Put it this way if the league is cancelled in a couple of weeks I don’t think Skalde will be our coach if and when we have a 2022/23 season. People are clearly right when they say it was never going to be easy but I was still expecting much, much better than this. I can forgive losses but to me this doesn’t look like a group of players that are playing for the coach. When you throw in average recruitment and the wrong playing style for this league then what you’ve got is a bit of a mess.
Understandably Todd might be stubborn as there was such a song and dance about Skalde’s appointment but I think Steve King has had enough. I genuinely don’t think his lack of activity on here is down to him disagreeing with what he’s reading, he’s had enough with this coach and team and he’s probably worried about saying something unprofessional.
Understandably Todd might be stubborn as there was such a song and dance about Skalde’s appointment but I think Steve King has had enough. I genuinely don’t think his lack of activity on here is down to him disagreeing with what he’s reading, he’s had enough with this coach and team and he’s probably worried about saying something unprofessional.
A quote from Andrew Lord when joining the Greeville Swanp Rabbits
I want to see a relentless team, a hard-working team with solid structure. We're going to be very prepared, and we're going to play together." Lord said. "We will close time and space without the puck, and we will play aggressive defensively."
Hopefully next seasons recruiting will on point.
Skalde interview is to blame the players again, he takes no responsibility yet he is the gaffer. It’s going to be very difficult and hard not to play in front of 4`,000 fans ???,but not so hard and difficult as it is to watch this lot. The Clan coach has said this is going to stop, and it’s going to stop now and shows anger and passion at their situation, we get the players ain’t doing it, but there’s always next week, then next week, If there’s one thing that’s blazingly obvious to me, it’s that there’s many players who don’t want to be here, the direction isn’t forthcoming, the passion is non existence, no one seems content, and we seem to be wandering in La La land. The coach sounds as boring and uninterested as the players, so who’s leading who. It gives no one on here pleasure to have a dig at this boring situation, and losing games isn’t the problem it’s about the way we lose, go down fighting and we go with you, but try raising the roof, try being the extra man, try making some noise when your dropping off to sleep, or bored shitless, try showing passion when your catching playeritous. Sorry for ranting on, but it’s because we care, Devils fans care unlike the shambles on the ice. Unhappy Hockey Days.
First off…Coventry deserved the win. Someone posted they weren’t that good, a bit unfair I think but it has also to be said that they didn’t have to be that good to beat our underperforming lot last night. It’s hard to judge from watching a stream game but the impression I got last night was of players just not putting the usual effort in that we have come to expect from our team. As for Skalde…well he can get as irate as he wants during an interview, but I hold him totally responsible for the on ice effort we have witnessed from the start of season until now. He just does not inspire me as a fan and I don’t think the players - many of whom have shown they can play a bit - believe in his tactics / game plans etc.
give me some of the old style no nonsense D men who opponents used to be wary of, we just don’t have that at this time.
It won’t happen, but I wouldn’t be unhappy if Skalde’s contract was terminated and we hand the reins over to Franny for the rest of the season, he certainly couldn’t do any worse, it would save money and I would imagine the players would then respond accordingly and put in what we all want to see, a 100% effort from everyone in every game, win or lose that would satisfy me.
give me some of the old style no nonsense D men who opponents used to be wary of, we just don’t have that at this time.
It won’t happen, but I wouldn’t be unhappy if Skalde’s contract was terminated and we hand the reins over to Franny for the rest of the season, he certainly couldn’t do any worse, it would save money and I would imagine the players would then respond accordingly and put in what we all want to see, a 100% effort from everyone in every game, win or lose that would satisfy me.