Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:06 am  

PopTart wrote:

I don't really see why there are comments saying we haven't improved.
We haven't improved enough to beat Wigan away when they have some platers missing but last year we'd have been hammered in that first half.
We defended our line really well for numerous repeat sets.
And we made yardage we struggled to make last week

There were reasons why we couldn't do it in second half.
Wigan were better for one thing.

So we need to improve more but that will come with more game time for Lino and getting Hooker sorted.

They had an international spine
We had second choice FB, a new sh and a lf playing Hooker.

It's not just a case of we lost so we are rubbish.
We weren't good enough but there is something to build on.

We lost by 2 pts to wigan and bt leeds last year

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:08 am  

Kirmudgeonlyisback wrote:

Have to say thought the effort and commitment from the players was immense in the first half - but in 2 games we haven’t looked like constructing a try near the line - the one last tackle play with any quality was the Lino chip - other than that can’t think of one.

Our completion rate was actually better than Wigan’s

Our pack for long periods were on top. Who precisely wasn’t trying ? Thought arona carried unbelievable amount of ball, Dave looked very sharp, Pitts had a decent dig, ashurst tried, crowther for all his faults always gives 100 percent , westerman led in both yardage and tackles at half time -

We said when we didn’t score that eventually Wigan would have their turn on top and they would score - which they did and once they got a roll on we just couldn’t keep up the intensity.

If as Chester says there is a lack of effort he’s had a complete close season to get the team motivated - if he hasn’t achieved this in the last two games then will he - buy his own admission he can’t get the best out of the players so how can we continue with him as a coach ?

Fair points.
Although I disagree with what you said about Jordan Crowther.
His - although its not really his "faults" are down to him playing in a position that I'm sure we'd all agree - he isn't 100% suited too.
He needs to be playing in the back row or at loose forward.

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:21 am  

PopTart wrote:

I don't really see why there are comments saying we haven't improved.
We haven't improved enough to beat Wigan away when they have some platers missing but last year we'd have been hammered in that first half.
We defended our line really well for numerous repeat sets.
And we made yardage we struggled to make last week

There were reasons why we couldn't do it in second half.
Wigan were better for one thing.

So we need to improve more but that will come with more game time for Lino and getting Hooker sorted.

They had an international spine
We had second choice FB, a new sh and a lf playing Hooker.

It's not just a case of we lost so we are rubbish.
We weren't good enough but there is something to build on.

Things need addressing before it’s too late, 8 from 42 is pretty unacceptable, I honestly fear for us, our only saviour could be the poor ness of Leigh and Hull kr. This bleeding needs to stop it can’t go on. I hope to god Chester sees sense and walks before he takes his home town club into oblivion

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:22 am  

PopTart wrote:

I don't really see why there are comments saying we haven't improved.
We haven't improved enough to beat Wigan away when they have some platers missing but last year we'd have been hammered in that first half.
We defended our line really well for numerous repeat sets.
And we made yardage we struggled to make last week

There were reasons why we couldn't do it in second half.
Wigan were better for one thing.

So we need to improve more but that will come with more game time for Lino and getting Hooker sorted.

They had an international spine
We had second choice FB, a new sh and a lf playing Hooker.

It's not just a case of we lost so we are rubbish.
We weren't good enough but there is something to build on.

Hold on a f minute! Who's decision is that?! and to start him in both games? And he;s done this previously from memory when he's had 2 fit hookers.

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:39 am  

Wigan are a well drilled side ,but at present we are reeping the panic buying of players by Mr Chester in the close season before last season started. We bought a 3rd choice hooker from Salford now first choice in ours , can tackle but brings nothing else to the team witch for a 9 is poor .Joe Westerman one of the better players last night ,but not the player of 3 or 4 year ago who is reaching the end of is career . Pitts a steady second row forward who as been ok without been great and as moved around a lot in is career reaching the end of is career .Like it or not the lone winger we have got from Huddersfield is better than Kay and Kershaw .Big Dave is still the only forward we have with any go forward in attack .Though Arona tried hard . On paper our three quarters look good and if given room would go well but Lynn and Bill have lost that extra yard of pace of a few year ago. J C and Batch have improved a lot , but should not be in the 17 every week but that's down to the position we are in .We are a team were age is catching up fast and we have two half playing behind a second best pack week in ,week out .I can see what the two new coaches have brought to the club the line defence was good in the first half,and we were ok going forward in the first half ,but think we are a team that are going to faid in the last half of a game because of age and players not been good enough

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:01 am  

BarnsleyGull wrote:

Fair points.
Although I disagree with what you said about Jordan Crowther.
His - although its not really his "faults" are down to him playing in a position that I'm sure we'd all agree - he isn't 100% suited too.
He needs to be playing in the back row or at loose forward.

But the position he’s been picked at his hooker so I have to judge him as such - and in that position his faults are obvious to all including by your own admission your self.

Tbh in attack I think the lack of ability from both j wood and crowther is one of the main reasons we aren’t scoring. I won’t bother listing the others as they are obvious to all

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:50 am  

Pat Bateman wrote:

Do you think our squad is not capable of winning more than 19% of its games. Strange because it has been a stable, not massively changed team for a fair few years which finished top 5 twice. My expectations are not unrealistic, I do think we have a team that should compete better than what is currently is. Ok expecting us to win the grand final, that’s unrealistic or maybe a top 5 finish this year Is massively unrealistic. Who knows, I just want to see a team on the field that competes and doesn’t consistently not play for the full 80 minutes like it has been doing for too long hence 19% of wins. Everyone has an opinion and expectations of anything in life don’t they, to me that doesn’t seem to much to ask for a professional sporting team.

I think our squad is capable of competing with and beating Hull KR and Leigh.

I don’t think our squad goes into a game as favourites against any others.

So 12 teams in SL in my opinion we should beat 2 of them so actually I think we are slightly over achieving.

It’s all well and good saying this squad finished in the top 5 but that is a number of years ago now and it hasn’t really been freshened up or improved it’s just aged, whilst other teams have added quality...we have not.

We added Brough...who was poor, and now Lino who so far hasn’t hit the ground running. We badly needed some quality up front. I rate Crowther highly but he isn’t a 9. Wood is a grafting 9 but lacks the spark to ignite a game and Kyle Wood has his moments but again at 32/33 his best days are behind him.

Our Props are not SL standard with the exception of Fafita when he looks interested, which to be fair so far this year he does.

So with that being said I guess it comes down to our recruitment and retentions, knowing when to let players go and replacing them with a superior player.

We have failed to do that and that is why I don’t believe we have a squad capable on paper of finishing above 10th. If we do finish higher than 10th I think we will have over achieved. This was my opinion before a ball was kicked and that hasn’t changed.

The Hull KR game is massive. It’s already a must win. In reality I don’t expect us to win a game before that and again I thought the same prior to the season starts when I saw the fixtures.

I was shocked during the online sessions held prior to the kick off of the season Mr Carter saying we should be pushing for the top 5. I felt it was totally unrealistic and set fans expectations way too high. I appreciate he has to sell season tickets and I’m sick of saying this myself but I also think it is important to manage expectations.

That’s my thoughts on the situation. Who is responsible for the recruitment/retentions and how they are affected by our financial position is key to our success of failure.

What can we change short term to help? I think we played a cracking style against Leeds playing to our strengths. Last night Wigan’s game plan was to starve out flanks of ball by shooting wide. That worked. We couldn’t adapt to that counter tactic so we need a plan B. With the wide men shooting at us it opened holes in the secondrow channel and I can’t think once when we hit it.

Also out fitness and conditioning look way off the pace. That is a worry at this stage of the season but that can be sorted relatively quickly if the club wish to address it.

Like I said that’s just my opinion, it’s a very tough situation we find ourselves in. For me the key is survival this year and then freshening up the squad, and maybe coach too in the next offseason.

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 11:48 am  

That's a fair assumption JonH second half it was like thoroughbreds versus donkeys. Fitness is far too low but I'm not sure we could get any fitter it seems some are already at there peak fitness which isn't good enough for super league first half we got into Wigans faces second half we let them come to us we just weren't fit enough to move up, Tackling got sloppy & they were just too fast for us. That last Bibby try we were all on the left hand side of the pitch trying to chase the ball so when Hardacker kicked the ball to the right there was no-one there that's 10 year old schoolboy stuff where was our line. Whats all our right side players doing there is that lack of coaching I don't know. But nothing will be done no matter how much we complain about it

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 12:58 pm  

Kirmudgeonlyisback wrote:

But the position he’s been picked at his hooker so I have to judge him as such - and in that position his faults are obvious to all including by your own admission your self.

Tbh in attack I think the lack of ability from both j wood and crowther is one of the main reasons we aren’t scoring. I won’t bother listing the others as they are obvious to all

he may have been picked, but he isn't a hooker though is he?

Re: Taxi for Chester? : Fri Apr 02, 2021 12:59 pm  

jonh wrote:

I think our squad is capable of competing with and beating Hull KR and Leigh.

I don’t think our squad goes into a game as favourites against any others.

So 12 teams in SL in my opinion we should beat 2 of them so actually I think we are slightly over achieving.

It’s all well and good saying this squad finished in the top 5 but that is a number of years ago now and it hasn’t really been freshened up or improved it’s just aged, whilst other teams have added quality...we have not.

We added Brough...who was poor, and now Lino who so far hasn’t hit the ground running. We badly needed some quality up front. I rate Crowther highly but he isn’t a 9. Wood is a grafting 9 but lacks the spark to ignite a game and Kyle Wood has his moments but again at 32/33 his best days are behind him.

Our Props are not SL standard with the exception of Fafita when he looks interested, which to be fair so far this year he does.

So with that being said I guess it comes down to our recruitment and retentions, knowing when to let players go and replacing them with a superior player.

We have failed to do that and that is why I don’t believe we have a squad capable on paper of finishing above 10th. If we do finish higher than 10th I think we will have over achieved. This was my opinion before a ball was kicked and that hasn’t changed.

The Hull KR game is massive. It’s already a must win. In reality I don’t expect us to win a game before that and again I thought the same prior to the season starts when I saw the fixtures.

I was shocked during the online sessions held prior to the kick off of the season Mr Carter saying we should be pushing for the top 5. I felt it was totally unrealistic and set fans expectations way too high. I appreciate he has to sell season tickets and I’m sick of saying this myself but I also think it is important to manage expectations.

That’s my thoughts on the situation. Who is responsible for the recruitment/retentions and how they are affected by our financial position is key to our success of failure.

What can we change short term to help? I think we played a cracking style against Leeds playing to our strengths. Last night Wigan’s game plan was to starve out flanks of ball by shooting wide. That worked. We couldn’t adapt to that counter tactic so we need a plan B. With the wide men shooting at us it opened holes in the secondrow channel and I can’t think once when we hit it.

Also out fitness and conditioning look way off the pace. That is a worry at this stage of the season but that can be sorted relatively quickly if the club wish to address it.

Like I said that’s just my opinion, it’s a very tough situation we find ourselves in. For me the key is survival this year and then freshening up the squad, and maybe coach too in the next offseason.

That’s a great analysis jonh, hats off mate. Do you not think that throwing a big lead against Leeds and going toe to toe with Wigan For 40 mins shows there is quality clearly in the squad but we play dumb rugby and our attacking line options are terrible. You pick up on fitness and conditioning being poor, again that falls down to back room staff.