Re: Re: : Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:10 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

We've been playing very well, but I can't have faith that we'll be able to sustain our high level against one of the top teams until I see it.

Exactly my thoughts - we haven't beaten any of the other teams in the top 5 yet.

A good run against some pretty dismal teams doesn't have me thinking we're ready to turn over the big boys given our injuries/absences in key positions.

I think we'll lose by 6-10 points on Friday unfortunately, but we certainly have a decent chance of grabbing the points.

: Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:26 am  

We ain't the team from last year...yet, we gave shown glimpses here and there. I worry about our home form, we seem to perform better when it's backs against the wall type games. I can see now that Maguire has announced that he's going we may get that attitude of 'Do it for madge' which may get us up for all games.....again hopefully

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:12 am  

To be honest, I think the way that players like Soliola (especially), Moore and McGennis have been supporting our props, we have the potential of really taking it to them up the middle. The last 3 games have seen us dominate physically, so we need to at least get the upper hand in the rough and tumble.
I'll hope for Meli to come back and slot into the centre position. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Makinson in the future, but for this match, Meli's physical presence would be a welcome sight.

Our completion rate has been very good of late, so that should help us immensely, but the lack of long kicking worries me - perhaps the extra practice the lads will have this week will help.

However, if Wigan do pull their poop together, their experience as a team should pull them through against our rag-tag bunch of kids. I'd suggest from a neutral point of veiw that home advantage should tip the odds to Wigan.

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:12 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

To be honest, I think the way that players like Soliola (especially), Moore and McGennis have been supporting our props, we have the potential of really taking it to them up the middle. The last 3 games have seen us dominate physically, so we need to at least get the upper hand in the rough and tumble.
I'll hope for Meli to come back and slot into the centre position. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Makinson in the future, but for this match, Meli's physical presence would be a welcome sight.

Our completion rate has been very good of late, so that should help us immensely, but the lack of long kicking worries me - perhaps the extra practice the lads will have this week will help.

However, if Wigan do pull their poop together, their experience as a team should pull them through against our rag-tag bunch of kids. I'd suggest from a neutral point of veiw that home advantage should tip the odds to Wigan.

Think you have pretty much nailed it there.

I do have a sneaky feeling we will be seeing Eastmond at some point over easter.....

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:16 am  

Badabb1978 wrote:

I do have a sneaky feeling we will be seeing Eastmond at some point over easter.....

If he's committed, then I have no problem with that.

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:29 am  

Easier to play Eastmond in the away game, based on the amount of stick he is copping at home. But then again this is no run of the mill away game.

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:36 am  

I've been trying to convince myself that its just 2 points, but i cant. THE derby is much more than that

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:53 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

If he's committed, then I have no problem with that.

Agree 100%

Re: Re: : Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:08 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

Its a strange one for me. We've been playing very well, but I can't have faith that we'll be able to sustain our high level against one of the top teams until I see it. I can imagine it going a few different ways on Friday.

Well, we have already come back to draw against one of the 'top teams'! We lost to Wire, granted, but I for one was relieved we did. We can now just view that as another fixture rather than the big hyped up hoodoo thing it had become. With our depleted resources, though, I don't hold out much hope for us. I think we could match them with a team just missing one or two (assuming they weren't all our halfbacks!) but not with eight missing as seems likely. We don't have the depth of squad even of last season and so a high number of injuries over a significant period this season will seriously hamper our ambitions IMO.

Re: The big shiny Saints Wigan derby thread : Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:35 pm  

Our home form sucks, I think it's lost 6 of the last 8, here's hoping we turn it around on Friday but I'm not holding my breath. I wish we were at your place!