Re: Team for London : Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:09 pm  

Trinityknight wrote:

As good as he is with ball in hand i wouldnt plsy escare at full back he is very wesk with high kicks and abdull and walker will exploit this

You could guarantee Ward will target us here. Its something they have done all season to all sides with a small FB. Unfortunately it seems like Chester is in love with Escare currently so he will definitely play at FB so we need to look at being smart enough to protect him from Walker.

I dont get the doom mongering though. Yes if we lose we could go down but we wont. Anyone who watched London and Hull Kr on friday must realise how bad both those teams are. Yeah, there was tonnes of effort and commitment but both sides were awful. Hull Kr stopped playing when they got infront and if it wasnt for Londons fast start they would have lost. London literally created 1 chance in the last 60 minutes against the second worst team in the competition. We just need to grind out or sets, complete high, build some pressure and not panic everytime we get near there line and we will be far too strong for them.

No doubt Arundel will get dropped regardless of how well he played on Friday. If your looking for a theory to why we are in this mess then this is it.

Re: Team for London : Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:28 pm  

I think we’ll win on Friday and it will be by a similar margin to the last Huddersfield game at home and Hull KR away. And the fail safe is Salford will beat Hull KR. This though shouldn’t mask what has been an awful period and in no way all should the last 5 months be swept under the carpet and it be purely put down to injuries. Changes will need to be made in the iff season.

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 4:03 am  

It is a fact though that injuries have played a huge part in the horrible run we went on.

With a fully fit squad we won 6 out of our first 10 so a 60% win rate...

We’ve then won 4 of our next 18 at a 22% win rate..

Is there an argument to say if we had kept a reasonably healthy squad we could have at least maintained a 50-60% ratio which would have had us in and around the play offs...

I think in this day and age if you take 5 or 6 of any teams best players out, especially for long periods of the season it’s going to be tough...

Who would argue that Johnstone, Tupou, Ashurst, Fifita and Arona are probably five of our top 7 or 8 players and they’ve missed large chunks...how do you replace that quality on our budget?

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 4:44 am  

it would be better for us if London beat us but we stay up due to one or both the others losing - that way we wont be favs for drop next season,but I think our luck may of run out this year!

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 5:27 am  

RealSteel89 wrote:

You could guarantee Ward will target us here. Its something they have done all season to all sides with a small FB. Unfortunately it seems like Chester is in love with Escare currently so he will definitely play at FB so we need to look at being smart enough to protect him from Walker.

.

I hope Escare is in the starting line up. I wouldn't class it as love just fond affection.

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:26 am  

Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:

I hope Escare is in the starting line up. I wouldn't class it as love just fond affection.

I agree on form he should play. Not sure hes any better than Rocky though.
I just hope we give him some protection as hes not the safest under the high ball as it is and hes going to get peppered by abdul.

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:31 am  

upthecats wrote:

It is a fact though that injuries have played a huge part in the horrible run we went on.

With a fully fit squad we won 6 out of our first 10 so a 60% win rate...

We’ve then won 4 of our next 18 at a 22% win rate..

Is there an argument to say if we had kept a reasonably healthy squad we could have at least maintained a 50-60% ratio which would have had us in and around the play offs...

I think in this day and age if you take 5 or 6 of any teams best players out, especially for long periods of the season it’s going to be tough...

Who would argue that Johnstone, Tupou, Ashurst, Fifita and Arona are probably five of our top 7 or 8 players and they’ve missed large chunks...how do you replace that quality on our budget?

Can’t see us having THREE players in the Dream Team this year.

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:47 am  

upthecats wrote:

It is a fact though that injuries have played a huge part in the horrible run we went on.

With a fully fit squad we won 6 out of our first 10 so a 60% win rate...

We’ve then won 4 of our next 18 at a 22% win rate..

Is there an argument to say if we had kept a reasonably healthy squad we could have at least maintained a 50-60% ratio which would have had us in and around the play offs...

I think in this day and age if you take 5 or 6 of any teams best players out, especially for long periods of the season it’s going to be tough...

Who would argue that Johnstone, Tupou, Ashurst, Fifita and Arona are probably five of our top 7 or 8 players and they’ve missed large chunks...how do you replace that quality on our budget?

Remember when we gave Wigan fans, or any other club for the matter, ridicule when they suffered injuries and used it as an excuse. Why are we so special.

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:09 am  

RealSteel89 wrote:

I agree on form he should play. Not sure hes any better than Rocky though.
I just hope we give him some protection as hes not the safest under the high ball as it is and hes going to get peppered by abdul.

I think Escare offers a bit more than Hampshire going forward but, even considering Hampshire's recent drop in enthusiasm, it's close and we need them both out there.

Apart from Jowitt I doubt any of our backs can be classed as safe under the high ball.

Re: Team for London : Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:30 am  

RealSteel89 wrote:

I agree on form he should play. Not sure hes any better than Rocky though.
I just hope we give him some protection as hes not the safest under the high ball as it is and hes going to get peppered by abdul.

Escare is a stronger runner and more robust in defence than Hampshire although he has come up with a few errors and high balls are a bit of a worry.