Well done plenty of tiddlers there,(and one or two who really should know better)
Saddened! wrote:
Alright I overegged the score a little by predicting 32, but it was always an away banker this one.
Saints IMO need to wake up. Alright the focus might be on next season and launching the new stadium with new players and new optimism, but this season has the potential to do tremendous damage financially if they keep performing like that tonight. I heard plenty saying 'never again' as they walked away, a friend of mine said he's done with it for this season, and he's a season ticket holder who lives in Widnes.
I thought Quins were excellent tonight, a snapshot of everything we used to be. Hard working, dynamic and inventive. Their half backs were superb and their forwards, despite all being very limited players, combined superbly and thoroughly outperformed Saints international pack. Tonight was another example of a team holding back because they aren't familiar with the position they found themselves in. Had Quins really gone for it in the second half they could have humiliated us tonight.
For 75 minutes that was the worst I have ever seen Saints play at home. You optimists will still try to paper over the cracks but the facts are we're thoroughly average now. The last of the greats has gone and it's mid table mediocrity from here on in, UNLESS the board pull their cheque book out and sign SIX OR SEVEN established players.
Tonight:
1 - Wellens 3/10 Like public transport. Late, slow and stunk. He's not even Mr Reliable anymore, thoroughly vulnerable to kicks and Dorn made him look ridiculous tonight.
2 - Gardner 5/10 Reasonable again
3 - Shenton 5/10 Mr Invisible again, nothing 'wrong'
4 - Lomax 7/10 Did alright, he should be given the 6 shirt until Leon is back
5 - Meli 8/10 Another Meli moment when he ran the kick return off the field but otherwise our most lively back. He is one of very few who looks capable of making a break and his effort was notable
6 - Gaskell 4/10 Another game with the odd moment of 'oh he looked good there' followed by endless mistakes and misreads. His kicking game is truly atrocious and he is not ready to play half back. He should not be starting there, wing or centre to get him involved. This spell with Leon out could ruin his career
7 - Super Kyle 4/10 Looked mean and motivated. But the fact no one passes the ball within 12 feet of him doesn't make it too easy to control and lead a team. Didn't take the line on again, but neither would I when that line is facing ZERO attacking runners to create uncertainty.
8 - Graham 8/10 The usual flushed cheeks and 'is he going to flip out and get sent off' performance. All effort for no reward
9 - Roby 7/10 Some superb one out running combined with some of the worst dummy half distribution I've ever seen. Keiron's statue now has a face palming pose after that interception pass.
10 - Perry 7/10 A good, solid debut. Looks like he'll be an asset when fully fit. Can't help but think he's struggling to realise why he ever agreed to come over here though
11 - Puletua 5/10 Cruise control on. Made metres but looked like he was playing in slippers
12 - Dixon 5/10 Decent, unspectacular
13 - Flannery 5/10 The usual. Reliable and solid
14 - Moore 5/10 Barely noticed him
15 - Maggenis 6/10 Some good tackling. Looks like he could be another Clough
16 - Clough 6/10 Solid, totally unspectacular
17 - Foster 5/10 Still the best looking young player we've ever produced. For that fact alone he should start.
Saints method is more in question tonight than the effort. Why when Quins attacked did they go through two or three sets of hands, often including both halves before it was taken in, yet when Saints attacked it was one, usually terrible, pass followed by a laboured drive? Why were both Gaskell and Eastmond stood so far from the play and not involved in most sets at all? All our sets were identical.
1 - Laboured return by Wellens +1.5 metres
2 - Good solid run by Ade +10 metres
3 - Pass from dummy half and drive +5 metres
4 - Pass from dummy half, usually a reverse pass +5 metres
5 - Run from dummy half + 5 metres
6 - Horrible kick from Gaskell
YAWN!
