The only problems Kevin Penny has had to date have been where he is stood, he must be partly blamed for constantly getting caught off his wing, but in equal measure he hasn't been supported by a dtrong structure and I've given you an example of when the same happened to Matt King. The way we set up with an 'in to out' look, asked for this to happen. The three defenders inside him didn't slide, and he was exposed, and sometimes he didn't help himself. This 'defence' thing is a myth, he's not been run over the top of time & time again, he's held his own many times face up, it's when he can't see his opponent, that's been the worry.
Very good point indeed (not being sarcastic) i also accept that teams don't focus on the left wing anymore because Penny doesn't play there and that maybe the reason for no tries being scored there in the last 2 games.
forget what all of us on the forum think of Penny myself included
ask yourself this why is it that the opposition are targeting him?
i suspect they are following their coaches orders and ask yourself this
Why would coaches instruct their players to target his wing ?
They don't. (didn't)
Our left hand side was targetted, traffic through Monaghan, runners run through King, Anderson sucked in etc. Teams would play a couple of plays around the posts, knowing that our left edge would pull in, then would go back to that edge and find Penny iscolated and would prey on him making the wrong decision, or not the right decision say.
Teams don't target Penny, nobody runs through him, consistently anyhow, they may have bumped him off 5m out etc, the point i'm making is, the left hand side defence is the target, not Penny. Teams targetted the sapce around Penny, inside & out, not the individual, he was one of three or four blokes that were targetted, it was their 'zone'. When he was new, teams kicked to him, he used to get driven back in the tackle, he doesn't anymore, he's stronger, knows how to use his body. He's good in the air, both attacking & defensively.
You get Penny confident, and a structure that helps him, and he helps himself by working hard, listening, getting himself in the right positions etc, you'll soon see teams stay away from that left hand side, as it'll be a dangerous play.
We're the first ones to starve, we're the first ones to die The first ones in line for that pie-in-the-sky And we're always the last when the cream is shared out For the worker is working when the fat cat's about
jwp you should be his PR man listening to that make me want to sing Jeresulum and start quoting Churchill Benefit of the doubt it is then
but i do concede he is young and when he 'matures' i think he'll be a real threat just not season
thing is though, people and posters have been putting forward sensible accurate responses like that for ages, however poop sticks and it's much easier for nobbers(not you, them) to accept that "he's poop and can't tackle" a myth thats perpetuated by some wire fans and lots of away fans.
jwp you should be his PR man listening to that make me want to sing Jeresulum and start quoting Churchill Benefit of the doubt it is then
but i do concede he is young and when he 'matures' i think he'll be a real threat just not season
Look mate, I've criticised him on here before. I don't think there's a Halo circling his head or anything, I just think he's an easy target that's all, and from folk who should have his back, us lot.
Many of us, churn out the whole 'If they show pride in the shirt, I don't mind' line from time to time, well there's nobody I see more proud than him every time he steps out for us, so if there's a player that deserves a bit of time to develop, for me it's him. Whwn you look at his story, picked up at 14/15 having barely touched a ball, it's only natural that he has flaws in his game, but there's a desire in him that you see, a will to win, and some talent, and that's why I'll stick up for him. To pin the teams downfalls on his slight shoulders, I think is very wrong.