At this stage I think that every team that has won a Football match in the last 10 years has been accused of operating a Blanket Defence.

For example every Ulster Team has been accused of it; so too in recent years Kerry, Cork, Dublin, Westmeath, Kildare...infact in alphabetical order these as well..Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare...

It seems to mean that you have defenders who might try to win the ball back. So can we just call it defending and expect it to happen since every team has defenders.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 13/05/2013 20:48:54    1383406

Blanket defence is not necessary!.....let it go lad, duvets have been around for years now!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 14/05/2013 10:50:54    1383555

According to the Spillane/Kerry rule book, a player must only mark one player per game and must not try to tackle any other player of the opposing team.

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 14/05/2013 11:22:56    1383580

According to the Spillane/Kerry rule book, a player must only mark one player per game and must not try to tackle any other player of the opposing team.

That's it exactly. And if a player finds himself looking up the field and none of his team-mates are in advantageous positions, sure what the hell lash it in anyways and show how skillful you are!

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 14/05/2013 11:30:30    1383584

doublehop
County: Kildare
Posts: 3145

1383584
According to the Spillane/Kerry rule book, a player must only mark one player per game and must not try to tackle any other player of the opposing team.

That's it exactly. And if a player finds himself looking up the field and none of his team-mates are in advantageous positions, sure what the hell lash it in anyways and show how skillful you are!

Or do what Pat did & head off on a solo run to nowhere & completely ignore your teammates!!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 14/05/2013 12:50:24    1383656

This anti blanket defence argument makes absolutely no sense. The game has changed so much over the years and it is now virtually impossible to play with players staying in position all the time. Nowadays teams defend and attack in numbers because they have no other choice. What's a forward to do for example when the back he's marking goes on a foray up the field? He could take a gamble that that the move will break down and so let him off in the knowledge that he'll be unmarked if one of his own teammates can pick him out quickly before the defender gets back. However there is no guarantee that his teammates will get the ball in to him quickly enough and every possibility that a score would result from the forward not following his man and coming back to defend in the first place. Likewise if a defender doesn't help out the attack and provide an overlap the forwards will be bottled up. Therefore forwards are forced to defend and defenders are forced to attack. There's nothing wrong with this approach of defending and attacking in numbers and there are several examples of how exciting it can be, such as the recent Tyrone Dublin match. The problem is when cynical fouling to slow the game down and allow teams get back in defensive positions goes unpunished. If this issue can be sorted the blanket defence will no longer be a problem

kerryhound (Kerry) - Posts: 37 - 14/05/2013 14:14:27    1383755