Re: Chester : Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:17 pm  

These threads have been running for days but unless we were at the match, we have only now had the chance to watch the game on Trinity TV.
I have seen it today and I don't recognise the accusations of a team of non triers and poor attitude. Most were working their socks off but as ever there is a complete lack of direction and authority on the pitch.
How can you hope to win or even compete against a side that contains the best 4 halfbacks on the field, Maloney, Tompkins, Drinkwater & Langi and they are constantly interchanging. They had the best two fullbacks on the field in Tompkins and Mead, the best hooker in McIlorum, an outstanding centre in Folau and the best kickers in Drinkwater, Tompkins & Maloney.
We employ two halfbacks who both play without structure and cannot manage a game then wonder why our forwards don't run into holes and our backs never get a pass. Yes, Tupou scored off an nice Miller kick, but in 30 minutes of almost complete domination we never really threatened the Catalans line and barely asked a question of their defence.
Chester has been badly let down by Gigot and Walker who are showing nothing other than Championship form at best.
Westerman was our most dangerous player, constantly looking to offload without there ever being a halfback in support.
Catalans scored 4 tries from sublime passes; we shipped the ball across the line and ran our wingers into touch.
Where Chester has failed is in believing that Miller might develop into a game manager (he never will) not bringing in a game manager when available (Drinkwater etc) and not sticking with experiments such as Jowett at 6 when the only think to be taken from this season is player development.

Re: Chester : Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:35 pm  

FSW wrote:

These threads have been running for days but unless we were at the match, we have only now had the chance to watch the game on Trinity TV.
I have seen it today and I don't recognise the accusations of a team of non triers and poor attitude. Most were working their socks off but as ever there is a complete lack of direction and authority on the pitch.
How can you hope to win or even compete against a side that contains the best 4 halfbacks on the field, Maloney, Tompkins, Drinkwater & Langi and they are constantly interchanging. They had the best two fullbacks on the field in Tompkins and Mead, the best hooker in McIlorum, an outstanding centre in Folau and the best kickers in Drinkwater, Tompkins & Maloney.
We employ two halfbacks who both play without structure and cannot manage a game then wonder why our forwards don't run into holes and our backs never get a pass. Yes, Tupou scored off an nice Miller kick, but in 30 minutes of almost complete domination we never really threatened the Catalans line and barely asked a question of their defence.
Chester has been badly let down by Gigot and Walker who are showing nothing other than Championship form at best.
Westerman was our most dangerous player, constantly looking to offload without there ever being a halfback in support.
Catalans scored 4 tries from sublime passes; we shipped the ball across the line and ran our wingers into touch.
Where Chester has failed is in believing that Miller might develop into a game manager (he never will) not bringing in a game manager when available (Drinkwater etc) and not sticking with experiments such as Jowett at 6 when the only think to be taken from this season is player development.

Your last paragraph sums things up well enough.
Have we made best use of the players that we have and have any players improved individually or as part of the team over the past 2 seasons.
Catalan are a very good side and will finish top 4/5 this year, as well as being in the cup final.
However, since Finn left, we have gone from a top 5/6 side to relegation escapologists and were it not for Toronto bailing out, we would be in one hell of a relegation battle, with them and KR.
I do agree that our more recent signings, apart from Kelpi, have been Championship standard and they dont seem good enough to improve the side, they are just "extra" bodies.
Maybe that is where we're at but, we all hoped that we were better than that.

Re: Chester : Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:51 pm  

I have been accused by the angler that after years supporting coaching and playing the game I don't know owt about it so I might as well throw this in the ring miller isn't rated by many on here if a coach can't do anything with this lad then there I something wrong without a doubt him and Hampshire should be half back a no brained I've not been impressed with jowitt in the past but his performances of late have been good him at full back and the other two in the Half's should be a coached dream but then what do I know fisherman's friend

Re: Chester : Wed Oct 07, 2020 5:06 pm  

FSW wrote:

These threads have been running for days but unless we were at the match, we have only now had the chance to watch the game on Trinity TV.
I have seen it today and I don't recognise the accusations of a team of non triers and poor attitude. Most were working their socks off but as ever there is a complete lack of direction and authority on the pitch.
How can you hope to win or even compete against a side that contains the best 4 halfbacks on the field, Maloney, Tompkins, Drinkwater & Langi and they are constantly interchanging. They had the best two fullbacks on the field in Tompkins and Mead, the best hooker in McIlorum, an outstanding centre in Folau and the best kickers in Drinkwater, Tompkins & Maloney.
We employ two halfbacks who both play without structure and cannot manage a game then wonder why our forwards don't run into holes and our backs never get a pass. Yes, Tupou scored off an nice Miller kick, but in 30 minutes of almost complete domination we never really threatened the Catalans line and barely asked a question of their defence.
Chester has been badly let down by Gigot and Walker who are showing nothing other than Championship form at best.
Westerman was our most dangerous player, constantly looking to offload without there ever being a halfback in support.
Catalans scored 4 tries from sublime passes; we shipped the ball across the line and ran our wingers into touch.
Where Chester has failed is in believing that Miller might develop into a game manager (he never will) not bringing in a game manager when available (Drinkwater etc) and not sticking with experiments such as Jowett at 6 when the only think to be taken from this season is player development.

I for one don’t go along with the accusations of not trying or poor attitude, I’ve always stated that the whole team looks a complete shambles a team that is in need of knowledge, guidance and above all organisation from the first minute. We are so easy to defend against the whole structure and game plan need ripping up and starting afresh. If the top management at the club can’t see that fundamentally things need to change then what hope do we have. So we keep going on about halfbacks in Drinkwater and Maloney the same two who have been absolutely none existent in the last few games both with no pace and both behind a beaten pack. The same Drinkwater who took Leigh down and the same Drinkwater who survived with hull kr on the final day. You can talk about Drinkwater, Williams, green but they will do nothing in a side like ours it’s just so predictable and slow. We need to identify what we need and at least try and go get it, a large personal change in the pack for a start this as been going on quite a while the forwards can’t even achieve parity and don’t make ground or breaks. Let’s look at last season and you can look at the videos we scored long range tries and made long breaks, toupo, tj, rocky helped to bail us out and let’s take the Leeds game at home I don’t think we hardly got in their half for 60 minutes. This is the reason why it couldn’t and didn’t work with brough we could not get him in to the areas so he could put his game into play, remember we scraped into 5th and he was the final piece of the jigsaw. So let’s move on to rocky and miller at halves both are runners so let them run but put a plan in place to kick on 4 or chip over or go long on 3 and take the pressure off, runners that don’t run. Rocky would go back to one for me he’s got the pace no one else as and if they work a plan out could make breaks. Miller and jowitt at half with Kyle wood maybe kicking out of dummy half. Kyle wood is the best half at the club imo I’ve seen him since he was a kid so maybe play him with miller but whoever plays there will be defunct behind a beaten pack.
Chester needs to take a long look at things and realise that if it’s not working then change it and change it again not just carry on the same way it’s just ridiculous. Get them the fittest team in the league, get a plan that plays to our strengths and work tirelessly on defence and a determination of over my dead body.

Re: Chester : Wed Oct 07, 2020 5:56 pm  

FSW wrote:

These threads have been running for days but unless we were at the match, we have only now had the chance to watch the game on Trinity TV.
I have seen it today and I don't recognise the accusations of a team of non triers and poor attitude. Most were working their socks off but as ever there is a complete lack of direction and authority on the pitch.
How can you hope to win or even compete against a side that contains the best 4 halfbacks on the field, Maloney, Tompkins, Drinkwater & Langi and they are constantly interchanging. They had the best two fullbacks on the field in Tompkins and Mead, the best hooker in McIlorum, an outstanding centre in Folau and the best kickers in Drinkwater, Tompkins & Maloney.
We employ two halfbacks who both play without structure and cannot manage a game then wonder why our forwards don't run into holes and our backs never get a pass. Yes, Tupou scored off an nice Miller kick, but in 30 minutes of almost complete domination we never really threatened the Catalans line and barely asked a question of their defence.
Chester has been badly let down by Gigot and Walker who are showing nothing other than Championship form at best.
Westerman was our most dangerous player, constantly looking to offload without there ever being a halfback in support.
Catalans scored 4 tries from sublime passes; we shipped the ball across the line and ran our wingers into touch.
Where Chester has failed is in believing that Miller might develop into a game manager (he never will) not bringing in a game manager when available (Drinkwater etc) and not sticking with experiments such as Jowett at 6 when the only think to be taken from this season is player development.

I've just watched the highlights too and the tackling was woeful knife through butter comes to mind if you except that fsw you'll accept owt lad

Re: Chester : Wed Oct 07, 2020 7:05 pm  

I've just watched it.........what a load of pants we have become, for the supposed quality of player we have now, what they are serving up isn't even amateurish, we're not even that good! Half of the time the players don't even know where to be, they are all over the place, completely directionless. Our actual play with ball in hand is possibly the worst I've witnessed in all my time of watching us, i am totally p****d off at how bad we have become, utter s***e.

Re: Chester : Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:21 am  

2 good posts FSW & Mopsey - a lot of good common sense in both.

"Chester needs to take a long look at things and realise that if it’s not working then change it and change it again not just carry on the same way it’s just ridiculous. Get them the fittest team in the league, get a plan that plays to our strengths and work tirelessly on defence and a determination of over my dead body."

That's exactly what Danny Ward & Jamie Langley did with London last year and although they were ultimately relegated it was skin of the teeth stuff with the most wins of any relegated side in the SL era - we'd settle for the same number of wins this year for sure....even any win would do for now.

It's also what previous coaches did with us...eg JK after our last administration when players were sold off cheap to Saints & Shudds...and we did a hell of a lot better then than now

Re: Chester : Thu Oct 08, 2020 12:15 pm  

Carter's message on the recent interview sums this up perfectly, we need to give the club some leeway at this time. A number of people on here are way too caught up on sacking Chester but there is literally nothing that he or Michael can do when almost half of your matchday squad is stood down the day before a match!

Re: Chester : Thu Oct 08, 2020 12:19 pm  

TheDreadnought wrote:

Carter's message on the recent interview sums this up perfectly, we need to give the club some leeway at this time. A number of people on here are way too caught up on sacking Chester but there is literally nothing that he or Michael can do when almost half of your matchday squad is stood down the day before a match!

Exactly, I mean its not as if every other club is going through the same pandemic is it?

Re: Chester : Thu Oct 08, 2020 12:21 pm  

What makes me laugh in the Evening Post article that was published today - Chester talks about getting us ready for next season and starting to play some of the younger players then in the next breath talks about Innes Senior been back for next week - Does he mean getting Hudds ready for next season? Are we going to be there feeder side when we drop down to the championship?