Re: Team for Leeds : Wed May 16, 2012 8:17 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

I also didn't like the overt criticism of Jonny Lomax - who was after all the player who jumped out of the defensive line - without giving him any credit for the try he created. Our only try. No criticism of any senior players though or any comment on how Hohaia - the experienced international - didn't actually do anything to help our cause.

Whilst I think we're all judicous enough to realise Johnny's far from a complete or rounded half back, there's simply no denying that he can perform that 1st receiver role very well when placed in the correct set up. He proved that last year.
Lance, on the other hand, has proved very little. We needed an half back to run the show,but what we appear to have bought is an older, slightly inferior version of Lomax himself.

As the weeks go by, Nathan Brown must be becoming more and more excited by how good he's going to look next season.

Re: Team for Leeds : Wed May 16, 2012 8:19 am  

Drop them all, that would show em.

Re: Team for Leeds : Wed May 16, 2012 9:19 am  

Our approach in the wigan game (both with the ball and in defence) was of more concern to me than the abilities of the players on the pitch.

The issue is deeper than one of chopping and changing, it is one of structure and attitude - both of which are the job of the coach. I said that when Royce was in charge and I'll repeat it with Rush/KC.

We need to replicate the desire and hunger we showed against Leeds/Wire, a desire and hunger which Wane has his Wigan charges showing every week. Our pack need to scrap for every inch with the ball and without it in the same way that the Wigan set do - that will go a long way to allowing Lomax/Lance/Roby to operate on the front foot. Wigan carried the ball almost a metre more per carry in the cup game, which came about through a combination of aggressive carries and the lack of urgency in our own defensive line compared to theirs.

We need to be less conservative with the ball too. I don't mean flinging it wide every time because that is easily dealt with, I mean looking for more offloads to create the broken field our halves would thrive on. Playing to the strengths of this Saints team requires looking to offload far more IMO.

That said, I would still prefer Gaskell in the halves to give us a kicking game.

Re: Team for Leeds : Wed May 16, 2012 4:47 pm  

With Saints even when they are not on form Im usually quietly confident they can win big games.

I honestly dont think we have a chance in hell against Leeds.
This is the first year im 100% convinced Saints will not win anything this year.

The fact they have won some of the games they have is showing how p!ss poor the league is this year

Re: Team for Leeds : Thu May 17, 2012 12:38 am  

I don't have a problem with keeping Gaskell away from the first team for a short period - if it's to work on, say, the kid's physique. But I can't see any reason to drop him. It's not as if he was playing THAT badly anyhow. The mistakes he was making were purely down to inexperience and you could level precisely the same criticism at Lomax.

Re: Team for Leeds : Thu May 17, 2012 5:41 am  

Mugwump wrote:

I don't have a problem with keeping Gaskell away from the first team for a short period - if it's to work on, say, the kid's physique. But I can't see any reason to drop him. It's not as if he was playing THAT badly anyhow. The mistakes he was making were purely down to inexperience and you could level precisely the same criticism at Lomax.

I am confused too about exactly why Gaskell has been dropped for so long. Whilst foster made some real howlers and was quite rightly binned, Gaskell was still making a big contribution to the team and was no more a liability than lomax.

Re: Team for Leeds : Thu May 17, 2012 6:34 am  

saintcj wrote:

With Saints even when they are not on form Im usually quietly confident they can win big games.

I honestly dont think we have a chance in hell against Leeds.

Didn't you guys make this claim in your last run out against Leeds ? THIS time I do hope you're right. Leeds need the win.

Re: Team for Leeds : Thu May 17, 2012 12:41 pm  

SomersetSaint wrote:

I am confused too about exactly why Gaskell has been dropped for so long.

Same here. Presumably he isn't in the present coaching staff's good books.

Re: Team for Leeds : Thu May 17, 2012 1:48 pm  

I don't think it's anything Gaskell has done wrong. It's just to build his confidence which will in turn improve his decision making

He'll be back in the team soon I reckon

Re: Team for Leeds : Thu May 17, 2012 1:53 pm  

TheOtherOne wrote:

I don't think it's anything Gaskell has done wrong. It's just to build his confidence which will in turn improve his decision making

He'll be back in the team soon I reckon

Dropping someone when they've done nothing wrong is a strange way of building their confidence