Have we been sussed by other teams?

Gospel

Active Member
Thread starter #1
Been thinking on this one for a couple of weeks now but didnt want to put it up incase i got shot down as being over dramatic after getting beat by the Stars.

Does anyone think that the other teams have now sussed out how to beat us and stop us playing the type of game we want to play or is it more than that?

Are some players not at the same level of form as they were earlier only a few weeks ago? Everyone has a dip in form at some point in the season.

Is it just we have been unlucky recently, look at Pelle against the Caps on the weekend he couldnt buy a goal in that game!

Just thought id throw it out there to see what other people think.
 

Skippy

Active Member
#2
I think that other teams have got wise to some things and know to look out for them.

Looking at others teams press stuff there is always alot of mention of disrupting our style and game plan before and after games so clearly research is being put in.

Then again not letting Pelle stand in that spot he likes so much and score all the time just seems mean :)
 

TheStub

Active Member
#3
I was thinking the same thing, when we were taken to the wire by the Blaze at home the other week. My biggest positive from last night is G seems to have switched up the game plan slightly, and I thought we had a better game. As I said to Chris last night, Thommo is such a good coach he could probably get some shock results with any squad.

How we bounce back will be the big measure. If G has his one game plan, and the other teams are breaking it down (soak up a bit of pressure, keep us to the outside and stretch pass to a floating forward to hit us with breakaways) - then we will be scuppered. Hopefully we will see him bring out plan B in those circumstances.

Generally, our "insane forecheck" (probably better calling it possession hockey) plan will probably currently win us more than it looses, but we need to beware having the D sucked too far forward and leaving us hopelessly exposed at the back.

The ship isn't sunk, and I'll hold judgement on teams having our measure until after the weekend.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#4
It's not so much about being 'sussed' by other teams (although I also worry that sometimes our D players are too far forward, leaving the back exposed)....but teams that the Devils have beaten over the last 2 months are now seeing the return of key players from injury. With fuller, settled rosters teams like the Blaze and Giants are no longer compromised and are winning again.

No criticism here of our magnificent team but an observation - now it's going to be much more difficult beating these teams. As Franny says, the Devils got a wake-up call last night. I think he means that other teams are now playing to the same standard as the Devils. The guys will know they need to raise the bar even higher mentally and skills-wise to keep ahead....and they will do it.
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#5
I actually thought that Franny's comments were related to the fact that yesterday (and Saturday) or work ethic and discipline just dropped a little and whilst Edinburgh were not got enough to take advantage, a well coached Blaze team were good enough to win.

As has been highlighted there is a problem with our D rushing forward. Weller is the obvious case - we know he likes to charge the net, he is devastatingly effective at it but, it is absolutely crucial that one of the forwards drops back when he goes netbound. Against Cov we gave up far too many 2 on 1s simply because his rushes were not covered.

I also felt that our forecheck was rather slower than it has been, Coventry are a very talented team and we needed to take the game to them, at times we were sitting back a little. It played into their hands and also took the Devils crowd out of the game (it was the quietest game I have been to for years)

To be honest, we were never going to play at the very highest level from November to April, far better to have a (minor) blip now than at the business end of the season. As long as we bounce back in the next few games we should be still on track.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#6
kettdevil1 said:
I also felt that our forecheck was rather slower than it has been, Coventry are a very talented team and we needed to take the game to them, at times we were sitting back a little.
To be honest, we were never going to play at the very highest level from November to April, far better to have a (minor) blip now than at the business end of the season. As long as we bounce back in the next few games we should be still on track.
Both the forecheck and the backcheck have been our strengths over the last two months. One extra dimension to the team has been the ability of our forwards to play really well defensively - Tylor, Stuart and Scott come to mind straightaway. :cool: Whilst defensive play should start from the front when the opposition are on the attack, the D unit also need to be able to get into the most effective positions. If they are too far forward in the play, they will get caught out on opposition rushes. Our netminder is left exposed. This has happened several times recently....but luckily the guys have been able to compensate by scoring more goals to get ahead. That won't always be possible now if the opposition lock down on defence. :?
 
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