Well, OK, not sublime but the 7-2 win against Edinburgh Capitals was reassuring at the time. Not a fantastic performance as the Caps appeared to play with not the greatest of urgency.
The win was all the more rewarding due to 7 different players scoring!
Sunday night in Murrayfield Ice Rink was a different story, Caps came out firing on all cylinders and completely dominated the match from start to finish, ending up 5-3 winners over Clan.
it was like a mirror image of the previous match. On Saturday, Clan were fired up and out to avenge the defeat to Stingrays against a confident Capitals, Sunday, Caps were the fired up side out avenge the defeat the previous night to a confident Clan side on the back of their win.
Clan could not be faulted for their level of effort, indeed, they put in 110% effort but a high level of sloppy play (due to over ambitious passes and poor defence) resulted in their downfall with Caps packing their goal mouth and taking advantage of Clan errors.
Whilst there is no lack of commitment from the team, there is a distinct lack of aggression over passion. Last year we were able to bully teams through aggression. This season we seem to be relying on fast play which is obviously not working. Add to that the fact the team has yet to gel properly to take advantage of the ambitious long passes due to unfamiliarity, and we have pretty much disjointed and inconsistent plays and results. I'm not advocating Clan drop the gloves at every opportunity every game and take unnecessary penalties, just make it look like they will! ;)
I am far from being highly knowledgable never mind an expert but even to my untrained eye, the solution appears to be back to basics on ice for a few more matches before rolling out the training moves.
Saturday sees us host the Belfast Giants and then visit CCS Dundee Stars. Not an easy weekend ahead and for both matches I feel we have to get back to basics, get more than one player in front of goal in defence and keep the breaks simple and direct and find someone not scared to play the one time slapshot.
See you all Saturday at Braehead!!
Al
Monday, 31 October 2011
Friday, 28 October 2011
Stingrays 9-4 Clan, Weekend Preview
The aftermath of Hull Stingrays 9-4 victory over Braehead Clan has passed and time to look forward.
Don't get me wrong, I am still in shock at the record loss to a side we should be beating but I feel I need to concentrate on the future rather than the past. The performance on Wednesday must surely have rocked every player to the core leaving them with much resolve never to repeat it.
Sooo, onto the weekend double header against the improving Edinburgh Capitals. two games we really must win and I have a feeling the players will come out fighting hard in both matches and deliver. This is a bunch of professionals that includes NHL/AHL players, they have pride and that pride will be hurting right now. Perhaps the hurt will be a better motivator than the confidence of a win v Stingrays would have been?
There is a very small group of so-called *fans* out there who have voiced the view they will not be going to the weekend matches due to the level of the defeat. Complete and utter lunacy! These kind of knee-jerk individuals are not *fans*, simple.
All teams have bad days, remember last season we lost 10 in a row? Did we stop going to matches? Of course not! We continued to go out and promote the Clan to all who would listen and now we have 2000 at home games! Let's keep getting the message out there and give the team our 100% backing!
Let's goooooooooooo Claaaaaannnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!
Al
Don't get me wrong, I am still in shock at the record loss to a side we should be beating but I feel I need to concentrate on the future rather than the past. The performance on Wednesday must surely have rocked every player to the core leaving them with much resolve never to repeat it.
Sooo, onto the weekend double header against the improving Edinburgh Capitals. two games we really must win and I have a feeling the players will come out fighting hard in both matches and deliver. This is a bunch of professionals that includes NHL/AHL players, they have pride and that pride will be hurting right now. Perhaps the hurt will be a better motivator than the confidence of a win v Stingrays would have been?
There is a very small group of so-called *fans* out there who have voiced the view they will not be going to the weekend matches due to the level of the defeat. Complete and utter lunacy! These kind of knee-jerk individuals are not *fans*, simple.
All teams have bad days, remember last season we lost 10 in a row? Did we stop going to matches? Of course not! We continued to go out and promote the Clan to all who would listen and now we have 2000 at home games! Let's keep getting the message out there and give the team our 100% backing!
Let's goooooooooooo Claaaaaannnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!
Al
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Clan v Blaze
Last Saturday's match v Fife Flyers was a demonstration of how to play almost an entire game like it was a powerplay and still manage to lose four goals and only score seven. Of course, the two points still count but the lack of ability to score and the apparent lackadaisical defending raise concerns about future perfomances against the current top teams in the league.
This in mind tonights game against Hull Stingrays in Hull is by no means a pushover and neother are the weekend matches v Edinburgh Capitals. Time will tell but I am positive that the team will gel as they get to know each other over time.
Al
This in mind tonights game against Hull Stingrays in Hull is by no means a pushover and neother are the weekend matches v Edinburgh Capitals. Time will tell but I am positive that the team will gel as they get to know each other over time.
Al
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Weekend/Midweek round up
So busy these days am having trouble keeping up with this blog..........
Saturdays less than convincing win v Blaze gave me hope for last night's match v Panthers at home.
According to the stats we were out shot 21-7 v Blaze but still won 4-2. Galbraith and Bannister getting their first goals for the club and Suomalainen being the virtual match winner. What a goalie that man is!!
Last night's match I didn't get to but, from the text reports I got from the match as it happened, we got well and truly gubbed by a team that played several levels above us in the Nottingham Panthers.
"Worst I've ever seen them play" being the most telling text.
Leaving it at that methinks.
This saturday sees the Clan play the Fife Flyers for the first time. This is a must win encounter. Clan cannot lose points to our fellow Scots and hope to make a good showing in the league so I have 6-2 Clan in my mind for this one.
Fingers crossed..........
Al
Saturdays less than convincing win v Blaze gave me hope for last night's match v Panthers at home.
According to the stats we were out shot 21-7 v Blaze but still won 4-2. Galbraith and Bannister getting their first goals for the club and Suomalainen being the virtual match winner. What a goalie that man is!!
Last night's match I didn't get to but, from the text reports I got from the match as it happened, we got well and truly gubbed by a team that played several levels above us in the Nottingham Panthers.
"Worst I've ever seen them play" being the most telling text.
Leaving it at that methinks.
This saturday sees the Clan play the Fife Flyers for the first time. This is a must win encounter. Clan cannot lose points to our fellow Scots and hope to make a good showing in the league so I have 6-2 Clan in my mind for this one.
Fingers crossed..........
Al
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Panthers v Clan preview
Having seen the Clan performance last sunday night in Cardiff, I have to say a little pessimism had entered my mindset until I saw the text updates at TCW re the match between the Panthers and the Caps. Caps appeared to hold their own for periods of time and lead twice so no reason why Braehead Clan cannot do the same on Sunday night?
The news that Mike Bayrack has got his visa sorted out is massive news! Whether he plays or not v Panthers remains to e seen, but, personally, I'd at least give him a couple of short shifts to get his "eye in" as it were.
My predictions for this weekend?
Heart says 4-2 Clan
Reality says 3-3 and OT win to Panthers.
We'll see.
Al
The news that Mike Bayrack has got his visa sorted out is massive news! Whether he plays or not v Panthers remains to e seen, but, personally, I'd at least give him a couple of short shifts to get his "eye in" as it were.
My predictions for this weekend?
Heart says 4-2 Clan
Reality says 3-3 and OT win to Panthers.
We'll see.
Al
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Cardiff Devils Weekend
Last weekend I went to Braehead to see Braehead Clan v Cardiff Devils and then traveled down to Cardiff for the return, returning to Glasgow yesterday.
A fine 3-1 win on Saturday night was followed by a woeful performance on the Sunday night at Cardiff. Possibly the worst display I've ever seen from Clan. I do have some empathy, after an 8 hour drive, I probably couldn't have performed effectively either, but...they were playing against a team that had endured that trip twice in 48 hours.
Clan were not short on effort, but slack passing, ineffective offence and virtually zero defence meant Jaako Sumalainen let in 5 goals in the 5-2 defeat and was made to look poor purely and simply because he had zero of a defensive line.
Little point on dwelling upon it, this team is new, has had little ice time and game time, will grow together as a team under new manager Drew Bannister and become a major force in the EIHL.
What was the experience like?
Only 8 of us hardy souls there were chanting (the other 3 don't chant at home either and don't have a problem with that) but apparently we could be heard very easily, I know that because someone tweeted @clanfans to say so ;). A two miniute BPA is not recommended, there is no hiding place when only eight of you and no opportunity to bend down and lubricate the vocal chords with the amber nectar!!
Very friendly devils fans and excellent bar service and very friendly bar staff at the end (particularly Megan) made for brilliant evening, the performance aside. Afterwards we went to O'Neills and met the Devils players much like Sno! bar and the giant called Voth posed for a pic with us and was brutally honest regards his hit on Kyle Bruce.
We stayed three nights in cardiff and could have done with more, it's an awesome city, architecture, pubs and friendly people!! We were spoiled with an Indian Summer and temps topping 27 degrees but even in the depths of winter, I doubt the experience would have been less.
Thank you Cardiff for a wonderful experience!!
Al
A fine 3-1 win on Saturday night was followed by a woeful performance on the Sunday night at Cardiff. Possibly the worst display I've ever seen from Clan. I do have some empathy, after an 8 hour drive, I probably couldn't have performed effectively either, but...they were playing against a team that had endured that trip twice in 48 hours.
Clan were not short on effort, but slack passing, ineffective offence and virtually zero defence meant Jaako Sumalainen let in 5 goals in the 5-2 defeat and was made to look poor purely and simply because he had zero of a defensive line.
Little point on dwelling upon it, this team is new, has had little ice time and game time, will grow together as a team under new manager Drew Bannister and become a major force in the EIHL.
What was the experience like?
Only 8 of us hardy souls there were chanting (the other 3 don't chant at home either and don't have a problem with that) but apparently we could be heard very easily, I know that because someone tweeted @clanfans to say so ;). A two miniute BPA is not recommended, there is no hiding place when only eight of you and no opportunity to bend down and lubricate the vocal chords with the amber nectar!!
Very friendly devils fans and excellent bar service and very friendly bar staff at the end (particularly Megan) made for brilliant evening, the performance aside. Afterwards we went to O'Neills and met the Devils players much like Sno! bar and the giant called Voth posed for a pic with us and was brutally honest regards his hit on Kyle Bruce.
We stayed three nights in cardiff and could have done with more, it's an awesome city, architecture, pubs and friendly people!! We were spoiled with an Indian Summer and temps topping 27 degrees but even in the depths of winter, I doubt the experience would have been less.
Thank you Cardiff for a wonderful experience!!
Al
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