MadDogg wrote:
Feels like a dangerous game - it isn't a glamorous fixture and the Wigan players are probably sick to death of Belle Vue with this being the third visit this year. These loop fixtures are really uninspiring particularly when they're against teams at the bottom end. They need to put that to one side and keep their eyes on the prize of the top 2 and Old Trafford as Wakefield seem to have improved their form.
I agree with NSW (and I've been repeating myself all year as well) - still think we'd be better going with French at 1 and Field at 6. Would be interesting to see how Cust goes at 9 in a run of games although I have a feeling that there may have been an prior agreement between Cust and the club that he would be played at 6 and not at 9. I'm in the halfway house with Powell - he does a lot of good things for us and is a defensive machine but sometimes you think we could get more attacking spark from that position.
Apologies to pick on your post to view my thoughts on the Cust to 9 debate, I was getting frustrated with so many previous posts on the subject but didn't get chance to reply and now I have, yours is the one that has reminded me to reply
Pre game Friday we were in the local Chop House early on and an ex poster from here (ABP) was in and he was very concerned about the game.
Keeping it simple we said 2 things
1/it's always more nervous against a rival like wire/saints because you dread the thought of losing to them more
But
2/ When discussing the game and before we knew the team we said to him play Shorrocks at 9, French wing and Field FB
Plan should be to take them in down the middle for half an hour, and then do exact same thing again, and again, and again, because we would dominate in this area and tire them out.
We then Said Cust to 9 and it also gives us the ability to then "change it up" with Field at 6 and French at FB with slight change in centre I.e. KPP moving there and Bibby wing etc.
We didn't discuss Magos introduction, but that, along with changing things up around the 55min Mark changed the game
But
To change the game does disservice to the hard work and platform first 50mins or so and no way would Cust for example be able to play as he did last 20/25 in the first 20/25
He found that space etc due to the hard work in the first 50/55
Also, I would rather go that way, than start with Miski and play French at 1 and Field at 6 and then figure out how to take players off to mover Field to 1 and French to Wing, doesn't seem as easy and or provide a change up
I believe that was Peets game plan and it worked a treat
Moving forward, is it an option, absolutely
But O'Neil, and subsequently Powell when he returns start the game every week for me.
