G is "embarassed"

timetoplaythegame · Mar 9, 2009

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/ice ... -23096176/

Article says G called the guys in at 8am this morning for a review of the match.
Lets see if any lessons are learned from the travesty that was this weekend. I think G is aware that the finger is turning towards him, so I hope for his sake that this is the wake up call they needed and something can be salvaged from an otherwise dissapointing season.

Burgy · Mar 9, 2009

I have never been a big "Coach" G fan. I dont like this dump and chase hockey that we constantly play. We never seem to have that guy in front of net as we spend most of the time working behind the net and the corners leaving the d men on the blue line to shoot the puck.

But with that noted, calling the guys in at 8am is fantastic. Personally i would have had them doing line sprints after last night and working on there faults just like in Miracle the film.

They need this kick up the backside as Wed/Thurs are two important games against Manchester and Hull will be a battle on Saturday also.

Well done G

TheStub · Mar 9, 2009

I wonder how much of this "dump and chase" is actually his game plan. I can't remember G being a dump and chase player, so can't imagine him pushing that play - it is what players who don't want to hold onto the puck do. Throw it in and hope someone wins the battle.

We have put on convincing performances this season, and then we have carried the puck, got the shots in and used our size to get guys in the crease. Hopefully, that is what G wants his guys to be doing every match.

I hope they are all walking like John Wayne about now.

kingmo19.1 · Mar 9, 2009

I haven't been down the rink for a few months - lost a bit of interest in the sport to be honest, but popped down again last night to take a look. It must be said, that the Devils performance was pretty dire and I don't think I've been missing much.

Distribution from the back was aweful and apart from Ben Davies & Jay, I thought the forwards were woeful. Prpich looked like he couldn't be bothered and Silverthorn didn't look too interested either.

Steffrishen (sp) seemed to be able to take a few liberties with our players with no response from Voth or McIver (who seemed to spend most of the time on the floor after slipping).

I hope we get some better quality imports next year like Hurbutise as he looked really sharp and a million miles better than what we've got at the moment.

To draw the crowds in, the Devils will need to up the performance significantly - no wonder the place looked half empty.

Finny · Mar 9, 2009

We have been a dump-and-chase team and I would be suprised if it wasn't G's decision.

With our lower wagecap Adams IMO went for a team that would be physical at the loss of the skill we have had in previous years.
We signed a big defence and a top netminder which along with a strong checking line of forwards would keep the GAA down.

Obviously with a less skillful forward line-up it meant we wouldn't have enough players to cross the blueline every time, and so we would have to resort to dump and chase.

The defensive plan has for me definately worked and been a success. I think we have the 2nd best defensive record in the league after the Steelers?

The problem has been scoring. With our pace and willingness to check I think the Dump and Chase has been pretty succesful in retaining posession in the offensive zone most of the time. Of course, this tactic doesn't work when you are on the PP as the opposition can just ice the puck - and it's only now we have Elich carrying the puck in that our PP has started looking better.

The main problem for me has been that our goalscoring has been a bit too much hit and miss this season (no pun intended). Sometimes all our players have clicked and we look like world beaters. Other times we've looked like we wouldn't score if we played til the following morning.

TheStub · Mar 9, 2009

That has been our biggest problem all season. We are getting pucks to the net, but no-one is tapping them home. That has to change. Not sure if that needs just different personalities or a more natural (and expensive) goal scorer.

But, we have been out shooting teams 2 to 1 or better, and still not winning games. When we get bodies into the slot, we've been getting those rebounds, and winning comfortably. Just, most the time that body in the slot has be either AWOL or DOA

august04 · Mar 9, 2009

TheStub said:

Adams was always a gritty winger, very much suited to the "dump and chase" style of game. Not the most skilled player but he always tried hard, stuck the puck in deep and got after it. This team is very much in his mould. Nice to see Adams blaming his captain and assistant captains in that article! In my view, leadership begins with the coach. A good coach consistently gets the best out of his players. We haven't seen that at all this year, our performances have been up and down like a yo-yo! What I find worrying is the number of posters who have been following the Devils for years, saying they're not bothered if they miss games anymore. That is very sad, given the off ice improvements we've seen this year. Even when we haven't had trophy winning seasons, the Devils have by and large played an exciting brand of hockey throughout their history. It's been like watching paint dry this season. Very rarely this year have I left a game thinking it was a cracker. It used to be the norm for me. Big changes in personnel are needed in the summer, in my opinion.

Wannabe2 · Mar 9, 2009

Two things that have peeved me off.
1st. To use a tennis term-unforced errors, we get the puck and waste it time after time, wether it is passing it to the opposition, or passing it into no-mans land. When you have the puck you can score, when you dont you cant.
2.Since we lost Ian Cooper we have never had a player in the goalies face, being a pest and being there for any rebounds, this is something that other teams play.

TheStub · Mar 9, 2009

Wannabe2 said:

I had hoped that Hill was taking on that sort of role. Screening the netminder, and making a pain of himself in the crease. There is hope yet :lol:

What I would love to see is a player like Zach Parise of the NJ Devils (or even Richards from the Fliers). Players that move the puck well, get into the crease and create chances. Obviously, we could get NHL stars, but a player in that mould. Someone who forechecks hard, gets into position and makes or finishes plays. To me, they are better players than the likes of Alex Ovechkin.

If Matt wanted to work something out to get Alex O and Parise for Cardiff, I wouldn't complain :lol:

E.D.S. · Mar 9, 2009

the 8am call is a panic shout in my opinion. Get them in at 5, 6 or 7am it doesn't make a difference. It's a good way to get the team to realise that as a coach he is p-eed off right now but its a tad late to be stamping his authority! These guys need to be out on the ice repeating drill after drill after drill. Our special teams are poor, the pp is anyway the pk is pretty good but when you've had the practice at it that we have then you're bound to be good at it!
He needs to start changing behaviours - I want fines for stupid penalties, stupid needless turnovers and failing to do their job properly such as clearing the crease for Aubs!

Get these guys in running drills, practising stretching the opposition and playing to our strengths. sadly we're not a team of skillful players like Cov and Sheff. we're grafters! A big strong team that need to pull sides apart. The dump and chase will only work if all the forwards are committed to it. time and again I see Towe heading for the boards and about to take a body hit only to win the puck and have no support. Dump and chase can work at times, not all the time and it shouldn't be our only play in the playbook!!

G still has my total support

Burgy · Mar 9, 2009

It was also noticable last night how Ben Davies played again. He was very good once again. He does what other dont. He makes him self available for a pass and a shot. He works in well and keep moving to create himself some space.

Elich moved fast and carrys the puck well as we know but no one ever seems to keep up with him and as soon as he needs to pass for a shot on goal you find he needs to stop and work back. Ben kept up with him and So Elich would look out for him but now he is not on the same line.

Af ew seasons ago Ed Patterson stood on the bench at an away game due to an injury and was shocked at what he saw. Straight away he stopped the dump and chase for the next game and we started holding the puck more and playing a better game of hockey. Adams needs to see this, it may be too late now for changes in our game but as he is back next season it would be somethingto look at and sign a team that wont dump and chase.

It may work in the bigger rinks where out faster players can challenge for the puck but in our rink we need to work the puck more as away teams know we are going to dump it in the corners.

I once read that Maxwell would have his players skating, running or on the bikes everyday to keep them at a fitness level to rival the bigger teams such as Belfast and Coventry who do have a lot of fast paced skaters. We could do with that for next seasons team.

ASHIPP · Mar 9, 2009

E.D.S. said:

And mine too. He was right to mention his captain and assistant captains. He's not apportioning all the blame on them.... reading between the lines, he sounds like he's more than aware of his own accountability... but he is saying these guys are accountable as well. G can't do it all on his own. He needs to be confident that those appointed guys can carry out their responsibilities and support him and help motivate and galvanise the Team (they are paid professionals after all - some better paid than most of the others). G is playing to plug injuries and it must be impacting on his coaching role - he can't do both on the ice....neither can he be captain and assistant captain!

There have been calls for changes next season - that's a decision for the professionals to make, if they think it will benefit the Club. Sacking the coach is not always the best solution and very often is a knee-jerk reaction. Why do that in the middle of a 3-year development plan? Somebody else said that stability is a very important factor in success and consistency and it's true. Look at Sheffield and Coventry. The Team have got to find a way to confront and resolve their method of play and motivational issues quickly to have a respectable end of season. As for next season, hopefully, lessons will be learned and put right.

TheStub · Mar 9, 2009

A hockey team is a lot like any other team or group, be it an engineering project team or a military strategy unit. All groups go through distinct phases, and all need to.

I wont go through the psychology of groups, no matter how fun I have found the management potential training

But the initial phases' are always centered around getting to performance. A new group ALWAYS takes time to gel. The skill of a good leader is reducing that.

Arguably, in a hockey team - the Captain is the leader and the coach providing the direction, objectives and mission statement :lol:

So, we can't blame Adams for everything, or the C&A. It sits in the group, and the group need to reach the 'perform' stage.

Throwing the whole lot away will require all the relationships to be rebuilt, and set us back a year or two. We need well thought out, strategic changes... not a night of the long knives.

schulersagoodun · Mar 9, 2009

TheStub said:

Oh no we haven't!
Devils' fans (and apparently the coach) are now trotting out the usual imagined failings - they're not fit, they're not trying, it's partly the captain and V. capt's fault, it's the lack of finance, it's the dump and chase tactics .......and also from above....the need to return to the methods that resulted in "convincing performances"
Well I've not seen one really convincing 'performance' that made me think 'Yes, we're improving.....AS A TEAM'. We've got NOTHING to return to.....ON THE ICE. And as I have consistently advocated throughout this season....if we continue to be blinded by the few good 'results' and totally ignore the pathetic absence of 'teamwork'......all the management's praiseworthy advances 'off the ice' will count for very little.....as the re-newed public interest begins to dwindle. It gives me no pleasure to say that I could see it coming....months ago.
As the team continues to huff and puff with seemingly little direction and individuals continue to get in each others' way, I don't know if I'm more reminded of 'headless chickens' or the 'dodgems' at the fairground. Just one example - :roll: In January I posted:
"Why is it when we have a 2 v. 1 situation advancing on the opposition's goals.....the puck carrier always shoots. The fact that he normally 'misses' is not my point. Why don't Devils' players attempt to do what most teams do in these situations. Normally it's to threaten the goal ....to drag the last defender towards you....and pass acrosss to the unmarked support player to tap into the often unguarded net. This is not unique to ice hockey. 2 v. 1 and 3 v. 2 situations are practised in football, rugby, basketball etc. On Saturday we twice had 2v. 1 breakaways where as usual the supporting player was ignored. This was followed by a 3 on 2 breakaway by the Panthers....finished in textbook style. In turn this was followed by another 2 v. 1 breakaway for the Devils....with again the supporting player being unused. And this has been happening throughout the season. It's simply ...poor, poor team play....."
Last night at 3-3 with little time left....Elich advances on the Caps' goal with TWO Devils' team mates alongside him...the usual thing happens,almost unique to our players, the supporting players are ignored...Elich shoots and the netminder saves.
A minute later, a caps' player advances on our goal with only one supporting player.....and he simply does that which you teach beginners....bring the keeper to one side of the goals .....then simply pass to the support player to tap the puck into the empty net.
The same deficiencies so apparent in the first half of the season....remain. We look, even when winning, to be the 'least coached' team in the league.....and getting players in at 8am on a Monday morning won't make a blind bit of difference.

TheStub · Mar 9, 2009

Sounds like we should make you coach then.

Russky · Mar 9, 2009

Several things have come to my mind whilst watching the games on the weekend:

1 Line running or 'herbies' after Herb Brookes who introduced them as a conditioning drill. These should have been done immediately after the presentations on both games, while the crowd was still around to see them! This would have been embarrassing for the players but who cares after the so called performances they had put in for the paying public who spent their hard earned money to watch the games! This drill could be quite effective as a punishment, as Herb Brooks used it after a friendly game as portrayed in Miracle.

2 We weren't looking who or where we were passing to so consequently lost possession of the puck/got turned over far too many times. Why not have passing drills using an egg instead of a puck like in one of the MD films! So they re-learn how to weight a pass and pass accurately to a team mate!

3 The some of the fore checking was mistimed and the backchecking non existent at times.

4 Giving away stupid penalties! G is just as guilty of this as the others!

5 Hilly, Voth and G would be ideal for getting 'in the face' of the opposing net minders!

6 Shooting practice in drills. In both games it got so bad that we couldnt hit a bull on the bum with a banjo!

7 Abandon Dump and Chase once and for all! Its not creative its a time waster and gains nothing!

MikeRichards18 · Mar 10, 2009

you read my mind :lol:
Good 'ol devils fans, we sure can moan

Ivydrive · Mar 10, 2009

schulersagoodun said:

I think you'll find the one caps D man did quite a good job of closing off the passing lane to the other 2 devils players meaning Elich had no other option but to shoot?

nmase20 · Mar 10, 2009

schulersagoodun you are one of the only fans on here that doesn't think the devils have put on a convincing performance at times this year, how you can honestly think that baffles me. I have been to a number of games this season and come away happy at what i saw on the ice.
How you seem to think you have a better understanding of the 2 on 1 situation than experienced ice hockey players really does make you sound very niave and the discussion has already been had on another thread where the general view was you were wrong, passing to the supporting player CAN work but its not a given.

Cookies_naughtyboy · Mar 10, 2009

Burgy said:

the last 4 games i have watched and seen Davies played i have said that he is doing alot more than what our top paid imports are doing, Davies chases down puck when some of our players dont want to skate around, he gets open like mentioned above and he is always forchecking hard and lost count how many times he has turned the puck over in the opposition end just by chasing the puck, he is a very good player at just 18 and cant wait to see how he develops in a couple of years, he is be class

G is "embarassed"

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