Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 12:02 am  

Early Bath wrote:

Look I`m with my mate Bonita on this. Big improvement since Harris arrived on attack BUT our defence is very poor (Hay?)

Theyve been together maybe 13 weeks. Leeds have been together 13 years. Of course we need time but I agree Wirecutter about the body language. When Meli scored the only person to shake his hand was the touch judge. No love ins at Salford so maybe a weekend away somewhere (Dubai) will install that camaraderie.

Hope the Doc takes them to Chester Races this week where Brian Noble is running. That will help team spirit.

Have to say I think we will get there this season but taking much longer than I thought. Eden playing very well currently & good raps for TP, Sau & Danny Williams & Hock was immense again.

Where exactly ? you were very good in spells but so bad in others

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 12:18 am  

Having watched Leeds v Wigan on Friday you can see the massive gulf between Salford and Catalans and this is certainly reflected in the table.
I thought Salford looked sluggish to say the least, with Catalans not much better.
In fairness that team needs some stability and guidance to make it a decent team.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 12:59 am  

It all looked too ad-hoc, relying on Chase to come up with something. It looked very unstructured.

That is a good squad, and very big too. It's being wasted. Marwan likes Iestyn, judging from the Twitter feed, but big bosses like yes-men.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 1:16 am  

Marshy1 wrote:

Having watched Leeds v Wigan on Friday you can see the massive gulf between Salford and Catalans and this is certainly reflected in the table.
I thought Salford looked sluggish to say the least, with Catalans not much better.
In fairness that team needs some stability and guidance to make it a decent team.

Catalans were missing four first choice players. In particular had Dureau been playiing at his 2012 best there would have been a lot more zip and razzle dazzle in the team's attack. Of the other missing injured Elliot Whitehead would have injected attacking thrust on the edges, and having Henderson and Mounis would have stiffened the defence better than Guasch and Garcia.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 8:06 am  

Early Bath wrote:

Hope the Doc takes them to Chester Races this week where Brian Noble is running. That will help team spirit.

has he not had put down?

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 8:33 am  

Early Bath wrote:

No love ins at Salford so maybe a weekend away somewhere (Dubai) will install that camaraderie.

Hope the Doc takes them to Chester Races this week where Brian Noble is running. That will help team spirit.

There's more spirit in an empty bottle of Sambuca. I can't see the Doc wanting to waste more money jet setting the players away again after wasting his money on the South African jolly.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 9:10 am  

Wirecutter wrote:

It certainly feels ten times worse having a team of so-called stars at full salary cap (and probably beyond) under performing than having an under capitalised team being honest and giving it their best.

Welcome the to life of a Hull Fc fan since 2007.

Please don't think I'm coming here to say I told you so, because that's not my intention at all. Everyone said at the start of the season that 8th would be a very good season and you all thought they were putting your club down. The reality is, you have a handful of very good players, but the other guys just aren't up to scratch, and as good as Chase and Hock are they can't do it on their own. Too many people got swept up by the hype of 12 signings in a day or whatever it was, but actually only a handful were any good. It will take a few years to get to the level you want to be, look how long it took Warrington. But with the Doctor you will get there eventually.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 9:30 am  

I reckon its mainly the pundits and the doc that had us for the top4/6 i firmly believed a top8 finish would be tough. i think the next 2 game are crucical Hull KR & Widnes are must win games if we lose them i can't see us making the top8! But next year i reckon with Sneyd returning and Locke coming across also with the addition of a few outside backs we'll be force i'm confident about the future of our club! I reckon we need a younger prop as well or perhaps Hock could fill that spot!

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 10:01 am  

[quote="Fozzysalforddevil"] But next year i reckon with Sneyd returning and Locke coming across also with the addition of a few outside backs we'll be force. [\quote]

If Sneyd returns of course. He won't want to come back and be 4th choice behind Chase, Smith and Fages.
The trouble with Chase, who is a magical player, is that he cannot work as part of a partnership. In five years of watching him, I barely ever saw his half-back partner have a good game. Because of his massive quality, he becomes the focal point of the attack, resulting in his half-back partner becoming no more than a bystander. If his partner does get their hands on the ball, they seem to feel the pressure to "do a Rangi", and end up throwing the ball somewhere stupid or just getting flattened trying to throw 8 dummies. Eventually Cas just ended up naming Wellar Hauraki at scrum half, playing with just Rangi at half-back and an extra forward.
In Chase's shadow, Sneyd probably won't play as well as he is doing at the moment in a well-balanced partnership. Although I think Chase is the best individual player in Super League, I think it comes down to a choice between having Rangi Chase OR an effective half-back partnership. And I'm still not sure which one I would choose!

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 10:51 am  

It looks all very confused to me at Salford. Seems that Harris wants to play a very structured game as he had at Wigan but Chase's style is completely the opposite to that and he appears to be the focal point of the attack. You actually became very dangerous when you started throwing the ball about at 16-0 down, then retreated into the shells again.