Ron Burgundy wrote:[bennymacca wrote:Footy Smart wrote:JK wrote:I've defended the worth of Betts this year, but there is one downside and for mine it conflicts with one of Sanderson's recent comments, regarding the Crows collectively becoming a more defensively oriented team.
Betts statistically is very strong offensively. His numbers for goals scored and assists stack up. However on several occasions I watched them this year, when the Crows were trying to press in the midfield or half-forward Betts was the weak link, because he was already heading toward the open space in front of his goal BEFORE they had caused the turnover (and which they didn't but may well have, had Eddie contributed to it).
I'm not sure you'll be able to get both qualities out of him, but if you want a strong defensive ethos it has to run through the team to a man imho.
Will be interesting to see how Sanderson plays it.
I understand what you are saying JK, Im not sure what the stats say as far as Eddies pressure acts and defensive tackles etc, but id probably rather his offensive output otherwise we may as well play petrenkoif you know what I mean. I think his offensive positives far outweigh his defensive negatives.
I used to get so frustrated with Chris Knights for exactly what you have said though
I think when the ball is in his area his pressure acts are first class, especially his second and third efforts when the ball is in dispute, but I don't think he works hard enough when the other team breaks. You rarely see him in the half back flank following his man down etc. definitely something he can work on, but overall betts has been a win for the crows imo
1 bloke in the top 20 goalkickers averages more tackles a game than Betts. Maybe you don't see him chasing his man too far down field, but that can very easily be due to instruction. If dangerous forwards always followed defenders then all defenders would do is trot down to half forward knowing their bloke will be massively out of position. There's a time to chase but there's a time to stay dangerous and trust your team mates to do their job so you can do yours.
