Re: Meli ??????????????????????????????????????????????????? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:57 pm  

St pete wrote:

And that all points to wha I've been saying for the last three years, we need another centre! We the only team in the works that only have one out and out centre at the club and it's been like this since willie talau went.

Well if Shenton's injury is as bad as it seemed we wont have any centre's for the beginning of next year

Re: Meli ??????????????????????????????????????????????????? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:59 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

Well, he's going to have to come from the academy because we're stony broke.

Phil Clarke was talking before the game about how our tried tend to start down the middle. His generous line was that this was because we like to use our big forwards to dominate the opposition to create space for Roby. My less generous line is that we haven't the skill at half-back to create the space for centre play, and we haven't the pace or skill out wide to exploit any space which does come that way. So we HAVE to go down the middle !

Is there even the slightest chance that Wheeler could be turned into a proper centre, instead of one of the endless supply of utility backs or utility forwards which Saints produce ? He's got some pace, a decent step, and good hands. That's the basics. The rest is training, training, training. I think I'd feel better about next year if I knew that we had two actual centres to start with, so that we might actually work some moves which were based around creating space on the flanks. Mind you, given Wheeler's injury record....

Re: Meli ??????????????????????????????????????????????????? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:02 pm  

No1 Saint wrote:

Well if Shenton's injury is as bad as it seemed we wont have any centre's for the beginning of next year

We've been lucky he's stayed injury free allayers or god knows what our centres would be.

It's no secret I think saints made massive mistake in giving meli a two year deal. It seems saints fans are happy for him to play centre just to keep him off the wing.

Re: Meli ???? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:04 pm  

Wheeler to play centre, rip it up all season, never get injured and win MOS, FACT!

Re: Meli ???? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:07 pm  

Roy haggerty, I've been saying this for three seasons!

Re: Meli ??????????????????????????????????????????????????? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:08 pm  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

Phil Clarke was talking before the game about how our tried tend to start down the middle. His generous line was that this was because we like to use our big forwards to dominate the opposition to create space for Roby. My less generous line is that we haven't the skill at half-back to create the space for centre play, and we haven't the pace or skill out wide to exploit any space which does come that way. So we HAVE to go down the middle !

Is there even the slightest chance that Wheeler could be turned into a proper centre, instead of one of the endless supply of utility backs or utility forwards which Saints produce ? He's got some pace, a decent step, and good hands. That's the basics. The rest is training, training, training. I think I'd feel better about next year if I knew that we had two actual centres to start with, so that we might actually work some moves which were based around creating space on the flanks. Mind you, given Wheeler's injury record....

There's no doubt that Wheeler has lots of potential. I think he is more than capable of playing centre and he has a touch of creativity to go with it. The injuries are frustrating but unless he's breaking down repeatedly with the same injury (say like Nigel Wright with his ankle) I see no good reason to get rid of him. I have no time for the idea that his body isn't up to it. Fragile players don't get anywhere near as far as Wheeler has. They are found it pretty quickly in the junior grades. Gary is just one of those players blighted by bad luck. For all we know his next injury will be his last and he will go on to a successful career - somewhat like Tommy Martyn following his final knee injury.

Re: Meli ???? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:31 pm  

What exactly do people want Meli to do ? if the ball isnt coming his way its not his fault,saying go and hunt the ball is all well and good but realistically what would it achieve ? He is a winger shunted inside to play centre its not his job to go into the middle of the field looking for the ball.And also for that try,yes he took a dummy but shouldnt the spotlight be on Moore for once again missing Burrow ?

Overall this year Meli has been good in the centres,i agree we could use an out and out centre but to blame him for tonight is just wrong.

Re: Meli ???? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:38 pm  

brook40 wrote:

What exactly do people want Meli to do ? if the ball isnt coming his way its not his fault,saying go and hunt the ball is all well and good but realistically what would it achieve ? He is a winger shunted inside to play centre its not his job to go into the middle of the field looking for the ball.And also for that try,yes he took a dummy but shouldnt the spotlight be on Moore for once again missing Burrow ?

Overall this year Meli has been good in the centres,i agree we could use an out and out centre but to blame him for tonight is just wrong.

for me any player who is quite willing to walk up and down the touch line and watch the other members of the team play their hearts out while scratching his lazy ar*e is not a man I want to see at Saints.

Re: Meli ???? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:44 pm  

brook40 wrote:

What exactly do people want Meli to do ?

Not commit two defensive howlers per GF?

if the ball isnt coming his way its not his fault,saying go and hunt the ball is all well and good but realistically what would it achieve ?

I can just imagine it now. Gary Schofield readying himself for the start of a game whilst mulling over whether looking for the ball inside could realistically achieve anything.

He is a winger shunted inside to play centre its not his job to go into the middle of the field looking for the ball.

Did you tell this to Martin Offiah, Jason Robinson, Alan Hunte, Phil Ford etc. who when not scoring outside for fun often came inside for the ball to case havoc?

And also for that try,yes he took a dummy but shouldnt the spotlight be on Moore for once again missing Burrow ?

The spotlight IS on Moore. But Moore can at least claim he hasn't dropped a (try-conceding) clanger in every prior GF against Leeds.

Overall this year Meli has been good in the centres,i agree we could use an out and out centre but to blame him for tonight is just wrong.

You're confusing playing well with playing to win.

Re: Meli ???? : Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:58 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

Not commit two defensive howlers per GF?

I can just imagine it now. Gary Schofield readying himself for the start of a game whilst mulling over whether looking for the ball inside could realistically achieve anything.

Comapring Meli to Schofield is like comparing apples to oranges they are different kinds of players.Schofield also playing 6 meant he could look to pick off an interception of inside pass,how often do you see centres do that ?

Did you tell this to Martin Offiah, Jason Robinson, Alan Hunte, Phil Ford etc. who when not scoring outside for fun often came inside for the ball to case havoc?

All fast wingers with an eye for a gap,Meli isnt that kind of player he needs the ball to come to him quite fast and to use his size to get through also for most of tonight he was playing centre,how often do you see a centre coming inside ?

The spotlight IS on Moore. But Moore can at least claim he hasn't dropped a (try-conceding) clanger in every prior GF against Leeds.

The other games are irelivent this thread is about tonight


Meli isnt the cause of our loss tonight,our forwards didnt play well enough,after an outstanding your for Lomax and Gaskel they lacked ideas and spark tonight and lets not forget stupid penalties ( Moore,Soliola and a couple of others ) also injuries.There are lots of reasons for tonight but lets just lump them all on Meli huh.I suppose that makes it easier than actually having to deal with what went wrong.