CD, Glenelg and the most important word in football

[redandblack]

Contributed by Forum Member "redandblack"

One more goal.

There was a time when a 3 or 4 goal lead was enough to win a game of football. During so many games now, the scoreboard isn’t what’s necessarily going to determine the result, unless it’s a lot more than that. There’s not much doubt now that the most important word in football is:

Momentum.

That’s closely followed by belief and the two combined are a powerful force. Nowhere is it more obviously so than in a finals game against Central District. We’ve now seen two finals games in the balance during the match, with Central’s opponents having what seemed a match-winning lead, only for them to fail. Centrals have always had the belief, in this game Glenelg had the momentum. The Bays were up and running and Centrals were just hanging in by a thread, a thread that should have been broken, but wasn’t. Glenelg players missed shots for goal. They weren’t overly difficult shots, but missing them shifted the game from an easy Glenelg win to the Dogs thinking “we’re not out of this”.

The Bays might just as well have given it away then and although that’s easy to say with the benefit of hindsight, neutral spectators could sense the shift in momentum. Centrals scramble a goal against the tide just before three-quarter time and at the break it’s only a three goal game instead of a five or six goal margin. Guess now which side is hanging on, a nagging little self-doubt in every player's mind and guess which side is saying “we can win this” and believing it. When the first goal of the last quarter is kicked early by Central, that one important word becomes Glenelg’s biggest enemy and one they couldn’t overcome.

From then on, Glenelg were brave, but Centrals were experienced and structured. Glenelg were skilful , but Centrals were efficient. Glenelg were thinking ‘what if”, while Centrals were thinking “we can”. That’s how it finished and that’s why you have to admire Centrals.

It wouldn’t have come to that if Glenelg had kicked straight in the third quarter, but it probably isn’t a surprise that they didn’t. I’m sure they’ve worked on their goalkicking, but like all clubs, they haven’t worked on it enough. Go to any league football training session and you’ll see all sorts of drills, most designed to win clearances or take the ball efficiently from one end of the ground to another. Others are designed to spot up a target inside 50. What you’re not likely to see is a prolonged and serious goalkicking session. Why bother, it’s only the culmination of everything that wins a game of football and it’s only the difference between six points and one.

It’s more than that. It’s a loss of momentum. It’s a transfer of initiative and confidence to your opponents and it’s a morale-sapping, energy draining message to your team. Once again, that was the most important lesson from today’s game.

So it’s congratulations to Central and commiserations to Glenelg, but it’s not the end of the road. Glenelg have to win next week to get another chance and if they do, all is not lost. Rightly or wrongly, I think Glenelg is a far more talented and balanced team than the Dogs, but if they make the Grand Final, it won’t be talent or balance that will win the game for them.

It will only happen if they take their chances and also realise a game isn’t over until that last siren. Central certainly already know that.

Will Glenelg learn that lesson from today? If they do, they start even.

And Central? Make sure Jason MacKenzie stays fit and well for the next two weeks.

[dedja]

That's a bloody good piece of work R&B ... well done.

[leftlegger]

Excellent. Spot on!

[SnappyTom]

Very impressive piece, pats on shoulder.

I wonder what teams believe within themselves is "enough" of a lead - I know that if the Dogs led by 13 into time on, and 26 just short of lemons we'd be confident of the result - almost over-confidently positive about the disposition.

ST...