GAME THREAD: Clan v Steelers: Fri 9th Jan

[steeler pete]

I don’t claim to know how to play the game I’m just a fan.

I think the players must be getting demoralised but by what? I have to conclude this must in part be down to the coaching/tactical decisions. Maybe too there’s some discord amongst the team.

We’ve seen this team can play but as we’ve so often discussed before they are consistently inconsistent. Constantly changing line mates must be a factor but are attitudes also an issue?

On faceoffs: I’m sure all our players must know how to take a faceoff, some probably better than others but I can’t see statistically how we are so consistently bad. How can you build/coach a team so weak in this area? Are our centres being given the analysis of their opponents faceoff techniques/tendencies that must surely give them more of an edge?

Whatever the answer to these questions or other reasons for our declining form and results, no-one can be happy about what is happening to us at present. I fear we are beyond recovery now, so we need to see some effort to address our weaknesses. If we don’t further disillusionment is inevitable and people will vote with their feet.

[Bryan]

Hugo Roy......16 faceoffs.....16 wins.

He's won as many as our entire team.

Things are starting to unravel quite badly. It's going to be a tough sell for Tony Smith over the coming months.

Regards

Doom

Heard 5-12 and Harper an awful 1-9 so if this is the problem our 2nd and 3rd line centres are just not up to the job.

[jas]

Very disappointed with the performance and not convinced that Ritchie will turn us into league winners. That boat may now have already sailed but if we go down we should at least go down fighting.

[lovedenisvial]

Well! as predicted the banana skin weekend starts!
I'm just a fan too! but I can see that the blue defensive line is key to preventing teams from getting in on our goal, but we just allowed them to skate in freely and shoot at goal!!!!!! Greenfield made save after save, 45 shots raining in! that's far too many to win games never mind championships!
Heard! what game was he playing last night? his contribution was nil!!! and Southorn just goes missing when were under pressure! he's supposed to be an experienced defensive, smart and highly skilled D man but he just disappears!
'Defence wins championships' they say? so we're so far away from that at the moment.
New player won't make the slightest difference to how we play unless we get back to basic defensive hockey, and win some face-offs.

[paul johnston]

Its funny how the D corps cops most of the flack whilst the forwards who cant win faceoffs, can't put the puck in the net AND dont contribute defensively get less criticism from Fox and the fans.
I saw this christmas/new year period outcome coming, I'm not surprised at all.

[DiscoRay]

That was probably our best game since the last time you visited, and the first time since near the start of the season we iced 4 full lines. Brought it from the start, faltered a bit at times but overall deserved the win.

Now all that's needed is to play like that more often, and stay fit to make a bid of ending our Play-Off hoodoo.

[smbmetal]

Reading the match report on the Steelers website, one would be forgiven to think we’re using being short-benched as an excuse?

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/sho ... n-glasgow/

The thing is, teams that win championships don’t worry about being short-benched, they just win when the odds are against them. Not feel sorry for themselves.

We can hardly moan about having short benches this season. We have at least one import sat in the stands each game. Every resource is provided by Mr Smith for the Steelers to be successful on all fronts.

No excuses for me.

[Bryan]

Interesting that the rather flattering Steelers report fails to identify any of the problems we can all see. Is this self-delusion part of the problem?

[paul johnston]

Interesting that the rather flattering Steelers report fails to identify any of the problems we can all see. Is this self-delusion part of the problem?

Yes

[Jayboy]

Reading the match report on the Steelers website, one would be forgiven to think we’re using being short-benched as an excuse?

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/sho ... n-glasgow/

The thing is, teams that win championships don’t worry about being short-benched, they just win when the odds are against them. Not feel sorry for themselves.

We can hardly moan about having short benches this season. We have at least one import sat in the stands each game. Every resource is provided by Mr Smith for the Steelers to be successful on all fronts.

No excuses for me.

I am not sure however, that Tony will see it how the fans are seeing it, i think he has public acknowledged that he trusts Fox and didn't see much of a problem, this time last year we had a similar fans reaction to the team and Tony hit back at the fans reaction.. i feel that will happen again...