Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 11:24 am  

JonB95 wrote:

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.

When Chase is in the team you have to just play what you see, I've never seen a team with Chase in it that has played to a structure and being successful. All the good wins Cas had whilst he was there came from throwing the ball around with abandon and winning 40-36. That's the trouble with Chase, he's a brilliant player and I love watching him, but when things aren't quite working he is unable to adapt and lead his team through an arm wrestle. He will just keep trying audacious things, getting more and more frustrated, and that's when you end up on the end of a good hiding.

If I was Harris then for starters I would drop Tim Smith and get Theo Fages in. Then I would be trying to get the ball in his hands as much as possible. Let him dictate play, and let Rangi pick his moments to join in, rather than trying a trick on every play.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 12:00 pm  

I watched the game on TV and there appeared to be a few positives.

Hock looks to be in the form of his life, the way he can stand in the tackle and look to offload appeared freakish at times yesterday.

S'au looks to be bit getting fitter and fitter and is as strong as an ox, I can't wait to see him with a quality winger outside him.

Eden for me for has hardly put a foot wrong, he looks to be a threat in attack and hasn't been the liability in defense people were only too happy to suggest would be the case.

There are however some very worrying signs.

In defense it looks like were are fielding 13 individuals rather than a team who are working to a game plan, it was painful to watch Pryce stepping through yesterday as there was hardly a hand paid on him and his pace was akin to our backs yet he out stripped our cover.

Possibly the same thing as the defensive issues (I think someone else mentioned it too) but when we scored yesterday there was hardly the big rush in of players congratulating each other, it makes you wonder if there are cliques or factions in the camp?

We seem to be starting so slowly as continually of late seem to concede a sizable lead within the for few minutes and are forced too play back up rugby. For me we need increase the intensity in the opening quarter even if we are kicking early in the count concentrate in getting the opposition as far back into their own territory as possible. I honestly feel there are more wins there is we can rectify this aspect as we seems to click mid game and score a few ourselves, if these points took us clear rather than drew us level I think you'd see a different team.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 12:37 pm  

Really good assessment

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 1:12 pm  

We looked flat in attack for most of the game. Forwards taking it at a standstill, runners early or late. Not sure if Rangi is organising or Smith, but they need to structure the sets better. They only looked dangerous when they combined on the fourth tackle or so when they would combine with the double dummy runners, or when Rangi would desperately look for Hock on the left. Hock is standing out because we are relying on him to hit that flat pass on every other set. Trouble is, he's worn out by sixty minutes through no fault of his own.

Hanson puts the shift in with his defensive efforts but is then knackered for potential runs/dummy runs off Chase/Smith. Lee works hard in defense but lacks go forward, or the ability to offer an extra runner in the Hock mold. Eden has been pretty solid for us at the back, but for someone who can impact in attack he isn't utilised enough in attacking sets.

On the whole, we're disjointed in attack and relying on off-the-cuff moments to make points. In defense we're tired/unfit and lack pace to scramble which is why when our line is broken we rarely recover. I'm sure the attacking options are due to new systems and an amount of rustiness to play a new way quickly and will become more refined. Our defense is the worrier. You can't catch-up on fitness in the middle of a season, and pace is pace. We need to implement something quickly to try and get this aspect back on track.

Re: Same old story : Sun May 04, 2014 1:22 pm  

I think another big problem is our kicking game. Smith kicked his goals well yesterday but I think the sooner we get Sneyd back the better. It's more our kicking in open play which I am worried about, Chase is great with ball in hand but both him and Smith are not giving us any decent territory from their kicks. It's always straight down the throat of the full back or winger, which isn't giving our defence a chance to build some pressure down their end.

Correct me if I'm wrong because I haven't been to every single game but have we kicked a single 40-20 this season? The only one I have seen was from Howarth at the Warrington friendly! I'm sure I will get some pelters now if I'm wrong haha.