Mark Robinson says Essendon not playing in the image of its tough-minded coach Mark Thompson
ESSENDON is as bizarre as the coach is quirky. And if it wasn’t coach Mark Thompson in charge, more questions would be asked of the Bombers.
THE football team is as bizarre as the coach is quirky.
And if it wasn’t two-time premiership coach Mark Thompson in charge at Essendon, more questions would be asked of the Bombers.
He has credits, Thompson, and a shrewd and confident outlook on footy.
KEY BOMBERS A CHANCE FOR SWANS
But even he must be frustrated with Essendon’s lack of consistency in all aspects of their football.
At different times, Essendon has looked devastating, lazy, disinterested, soft, attacking and defensively poor.
They are a curious football team and if curiosity can kill the cat, then curiosity could kill Essendon’s season.
Thompson’s team is not playing in the image of their tough-minded coach.
They are 17th in the competition for contested ball and 17th for tackling.
On the surface, they are frightening statistics.
The Bombers play a crazy game of uncontested footy. They like to keep the ball off the opposition, go short, go wide, go backwards — they are clearly the No. 1 team in lateral and kicking backwards.
But their overall pressure is not good enough.
They are ranked 14th for creating turnovers. They are ranked 15th from scoring from turnovers.
At times, they appear meek.
At other times, their pressure is menacing. Two individual quarters from the Bombers this year probably were the two outstanding quarters of pressure for the season across the whole competition.
Against Hawthorn in Round 2, Essendon kicked 6.3 to 0.4 in the third quarter. All six goals came from Hawthorn turnovers.
Against Collingwood on Anzac Day, Essendon kicked 6.5 to 0.3 in the first quarter. Magpie Luke Ball said the pressure index — a newish measure from Champion Data _ at quarter time was off the charts.
In both games, the pressure was unsustainable.
In fact, it was probably too much, and Thompson is endeavouring to find a balance between kamikaze and virtually non-existent.
The slick ball movement in Round 1 versus the Kangaroos, and against the Hawks and Collingwood for those brief periods, has seemingly been worked out by the opposition.
Don’t allow short kicks, be responsible for a man, and if not a man, then space from the centre circle behind.
How many times have we seen Essendon crisscross across half-back this year?
It is footy of five years ago to try to beat the flood. It means when the ball does get forward, there’s no space for the forwards, which often leads to turnovers because the opposition has more numbers at the ball.
The forward line is a mess and it might appear that Jake Carlisle could be headed back to defence to help counter the Swans talls.
In the past four matches, Essendon has kicked nine, 10, eight and nine goals. Against Carlton, they kicked 21 and against the Kangas 15.
Their leading goalkickers are Brent Stanton and Paul Chapman (10) and Kyle Hardingham (nine). The Bombers are operating with a rebuilt forward line — which is not functioning.
It’s not just the forwards. Collectively, Essendon has lost its mojo.
Thompson says he wants more consistency. The facts tell us he needs more run, more intent, somebody to kick goals and, most of all, a team that stands for something.
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