Tackling : Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:15 am  

I am concerned at the points that we have conceded this year and especially in recent games.

If we are to be a serious top 5 side this needs to be addressed soon.

While we were a potent attacking threat it mattered less but recent weeks have highlighted our soft underbelly.

Arena has been a big miss lately and Crrowther needs to be included every week for his tackling alone.

At the moment some players are not putting their bodies on the line and woeful tackling v London and v Saints can not be tolerated if we have genuine GF
hopes.

Time for Chris Chester to get tough and for some players to give 100% for 80mins per game.

Fix this problem and with a win tonight I think we will still make the top 5 as I think that Hull FC will fade away as they put their eggs into the Wembley basket.

Re: Tackling : Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:17 am  

Apologies for Arona and Crowther miss spells but you get my drift?

Re: Tackling : Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:33 am  

Tend to agree, at the start of the season we looked fantastic in defence - Probably as good as I have seen us in the last 10/15 years structure wise and especially our goal line defence, we seem to have gotten soft throughout the season.

The disruption with injuries and replacements that have come in been of different abilities wont help of course but as someone alluded to the other day we really aren`t that far off a full squad now - Yes we still have a few key players missing but that should not have a massive effect on us with the size and quality of the squad. We need to kick on from now if we are to be challenging that top 5 come the end of the season.

Re: Tackling : Fri Jun 07, 2019 9:16 am  

ricardo07 wrote:

I am concerned at the points that we have conceded this year and especially in recent games.

If we are to be a serious top 5 side this needs to be addressed soon.

While we were a potent attacking threat it mattered less but recent weeks have highlighted our soft underbelly.

Arena has been a big miss lately and Crrowther needs to be included every week for his tackling alone.

At the moment some players are not putting their bodies on the line and woeful tackling v London and v Saints can not be tolerated if we have genuine GF
hopes.

Time for Chris Chester to get tough and for some players to give 100% for 80mins per game.

Fix this problem and with a win tonight I think we will still make the top 5 as I think that Hull FC will fade away as they put their eggs into the Wembley basket.

I said this but kind of got shot down. I do think certain players have not stepped up in recent weeks, I get the niggling injuries etc but thats part of the game, good players tend to find a way.

This is an important game if we are t salvage anything from this season. I know we have been hugely unlucky with injuries so no one is to blame but the team we have now should be good enough to compete. Nobody sane demands that we have to beat Leeds who in theory are a more than capable side but we can demand that we at least compete and we haven't competed all that well in recent games.

Also Leeds must fancy this game, I think they would even if we were on form. I still think deep down Leeds see us as easy beats, something I think we can take advantage of.

It's battered bodies on the line I'm afraid.

Re: Tackling : Fri Jun 07, 2019 10:26 am  

Although I do think we have dropped off defensively, in comparison to earlier in the season, if we are taking this from the Saints game, considering the patched up squad, I wouldnt be unduly worried. I'm sure Saints have, and will post them scorelines against other teams this season.

For me, my biggest concern would be with ball in hand, as over the last few games, we have looked void of ideas.

Re: Tackling : Fri Jun 07, 2019 12:02 pm  

Eastern Wildcat wrote:

Although I do think we have dropped off defensively, in comparison to earlier in the season, if we are taking this from the Saints game, considering the patched up squad, I wouldnt be unduly worried. I'm sure Saints have, and will post them scorelines against other teams this season.

For me, my biggest concern would be with ball in hand, as over the last few games, we have looked void of ideas.

I agree regarding Saints, a game that needs some perspective. Regardless of what state our team turned up for that game it was a huge ask. Saints despite being heavily touted for a few years now are yet to win anything. In fact I don't think they have won anything for years?

They were badly caught out last year and once they saw we were not the team of earlier in the season they went for it and we couldn't cope. hence the blow out score. Personally I don't think any team was going to beat Saints in that game unless they forced Saints to lose their nerve early doors and we just didn't have he game or the the players for it.

If we get back on track, get a bit of confidence and some players back on form our next meeting could be very different.

Only the players we have available can do that.