Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:14 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Hi Paul's Mum.

If you'd bothered to read what I put, I've often said it's hard to criticise him because of what he's DONE for the club and how heroic a player he WAS for us. But check the tense, it's been 5 years since he's been good enough to play for us. Lomax would have been better at 1 since he first broke through and they waited far too long to make that change.

My subsequent criticism of him is based on the FACT that he's not as good as the other players in the squad. It's frustrating watching him go through the motions now, pretending to be a forward/halfback. Over the last few years of him at fullback, his own frustration at not being good enough came over a lot, the pathetic flapping his arms at the ref, the tantrums, the general grumpy demeanor. Now after finally being removed from the 1 shirt, rather than retire with his legacy somewhat intact he's accepted a role that is completely fabricated and utterly cringeworthy. He's no SL forward, never has been and never will be. But rather than showing some personal pride and retiring, he'll just happily play every game this season and deny others their chance. Not a very legendary behaviour that, I'll tell you.

If the club had used him very occasionally, arguably on days like today when we've got a few out, and strictly at fullback, it's one thing. Him playing every single game whether there is a logical place for him in the team or not is another. He can't be enjoying it himself, he must know he's not deserving of the place in the team he's taking.

Some people don't like hearing it but this post is completely and utterly spot on.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:29 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Some people don't like hearing it but this post is completely and utterly spot on.

You fail to see the point here my Yellow long necked friend. - the issue is this - we won away in difficult circumstances, Wello played well - as did many others - yet the caustic minority come on here to give him loads of stick. I don't understand it and am no longer going to sit passively and not challenge it.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:34 pm  

Dads Army 76 wrote:

You fail to see the point here my Yellow long necked friend. - the issue is this - we won away in difficult circumstances, Wello played well - as did many others - yet the caustic minority come on here to give him loads of stick. I don't understand it and am no longer going to sit passively and not challenge it.

I do see the point. But you seem to think that because he had a half decent game today, it justifies the fact he has been selected in each game this season and has been largely anonymous.

It seems as though he is going to get picked each week regardless of the fact that there are better options in every position. Why should fans "sit passively and not challenge it" if they don't agree with this policy of selecting Wellens?

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:34 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Some people don't like hearing it but this post is completely and utterly spot on.

I don't think it's even that anymore. I know lots who will disagree with it and I know lots who will agree. What I don't understand is why he needs to produce such posts as often as he does.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:37 pm  

Tez the Saint wrote:

I don't think it's even that anymore. I know lots who will disagree with it and I know lots who will agree. What I don't understand is why he needs to produce such posts as often as he does.

It is something he obviously has a strong opinion on and every time Wellens gets selected it will naturally raise these views and opinions over and over again.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:01 am  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

I do see the point. But you seem to think that because he had a half decent game today, it justifies the fact he has been selected in each game this season and has been largely anonymous.

It seems as though he is going to get picked each week regardless of the fact that there are better options in every position. Why should fans "sit passively and not challenge it" if they don't agree with this policy of selecting Wellens?

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying Wello should not be in the 17. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on the matter , however the way views are being put across leaves a lot to be desired. It is not Wellos fault that NB has restricted him to 15 mins at the end of some games, but when he has played a full stint like today and Catalan he has proved his worth. Yes in time we will see Greenwood , Thompson et al make the shirt their own but we are not privy to the qualities Wello brings in the dressing room, experience us vital in big games lets not just discard it on a whim. It will be interesting to see how the season develops - let's see eh.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:06 am  

Dads Army 76 wrote:

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying Wello should not be in the 17. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on the matter , however the way views are being put across leaves a lot to be desired. It is not Wellos fault that NB has restricted him to 15 mins at the end of some games, but when he has played a full stint like today and Catalan he has proved his worth. Yes in time we will see Greenwood , Thompson et al make the shirt their own but we are not privy to the qualities Wello brings in the dressing room, experience us vital in big games lets not just discard it on a whim. It will be interesting to see how the season develops - let's see eh.

Agree with most of that. I personally don't feel he "proved his worth" against Catalans. He did OK today and set up a nice try for Dawson but that was about it. He didn't offer any other attacking threat and his distribution was slow. I completely understand the importance of experience in a side but not when it means effectively playing with 16 some weeks.

As you say, it will be interesting to see how it pans out. But one thing is for sure, if Wellens is in the 17 if and when we have a full squad to choose from then serious questions would have to be asked with regards to just who is having a say in team selection and for what reasons is Wellens getting picked.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:57 am  

You also have to realise that many poster's criticism isn't always aimed and Wellens himself, more the decision of the powers that be to select him over, say, Flanaghan as a back row.

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:25 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

You also have to realise that many poster's criticism isn't always aimed and Wellens himself, more the decision of the powers that be to select him over, say, Flanaghan as a back row.

Surely NB wants to be successful and therefore he will pick what he considers to be the best team. He knows what each player brings in terms of playing contribution plus attitude and leadership in the dressing room. We've seen a number of times this season that the team goes through some dodgy spells in games and lose their focus. You need the right characters in there to pull that round. If Wello is that man then it is a factor in his selection. Played 6 won 6 COYS

Re: Wellens to play 550 games before he retires : Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:06 am  

Dads Army 76 wrote:

Surely NB wants to be successful and therefore he will pick what he considers to be the best team. He knows what each player brings in terms of playing contribution plus attitude and leadership in the dressing room. We've seen a number of times this season that the team goes through some dodgy spells in games and lose their focus. You need the right characters in there to pull that round. If Wello is that man then it is a factor in his selection. Played 6 won 6 COYS

But it is some posters opinion, mine included, that this has not particularly been the case.
Wello's versatility came in handy against Catalans. Apart from that, I think his selection has been very strange as he's not as good a forward as Flanaghan or our fringe youngsters like Greenwood and Thompson and I'd wager he's not as good a standoff as Charnock.

You mention leadership and attitude, but this surely can't be that influential in the games when he's been left on the bench until 65minutes when the game is won. What positives has he done in those games that he couldn't have done with a trainers jersey, water bottle and kicking cone?
Either Brown see's Wellens as having a versatility which is extremely valuable (akin to Royce's back on the bench strategy) or was easing him into a forwards role in the early games. I think both of these would be flawed theories, though.