Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:56 pm
Diogenes
Player Coach
Joined: Aug 30 2005 Posts: 3231 Location: in a cave
carl_spackler wrote:
Diogenes wrote:I think we need a reality check here.
OK so last night we were definitely off colour but it was by no means the worst I have seen us play this season.
Wigan were bigger, stronger, faster and more skilful. They are better players and are better coached.
What we saw was the difference between a top 4 team and a top 8 team.
Wayne Bennett couldn't coach our players to a top 4 finish; we have at best a top 6 squad and it would take a better coach than Radford to get them into the top 6.
Unless something drastic happens I can see a yearly battle to get into the top 8 so we may as well get used to it.
Do you mean at this stage or after the super 8s? Because tbh, it's possibly surprising how little extra we'd need to currently be sitting in 4th.
Turn around the 1 point losses against Wire and Wigan and beat Hudds at home and we'd be 2 points clear in 4th. Throw in a home win against Rovers and we'd definitely be 4th even after Hudds and Cas results this weekend. Beat Wakey away like almost everyone else and we'd be scrapping for 3rd. There are 5 games that we'd need only 3 results from to be on the brink of if not in the top 4 right now.
I know it's all ifs and buts, but it does just show you how much fine margins could completely transform where we are, so I have to disagree that a top class coach could not get us a top 4 finish. They wouldn't guarantee it, but it would clearly be possible with just a bit more in a few games.
I hear what you say but I'm sure the fans of all teams can point to narrow defeats and matches they should have won.
I'm guessing that like me you have seen most of our games this season and hand on heart can you say that we have one of the 4 best teams in the league?
I'm sure a top coach would improve us (and make us a damn sight more entertaining and enjoyable to watch) but I'm not convinced he could turn this squad into top 4 finishers.
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Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:58 pm
Mild mannered Janitor
Club Owner
Joined: Feb 09 2004 Posts: 7735 Location: Here there and everywhere
A positive from last nights game is that we actually created several good chances against a quality team. Trouble is, we has the most eagle eyed ref in years who correctly (for the most - exception was the chip over the top which Rankin collected) called play back when on another day they would have been missed.
Thats said, we looked like a team that relies too heavily on one player, who will now with out of action for 6 months.
Men against boys. Beaten by the better team etc etc
Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:50 pm
carl_spackler
Player Coach
Joined: Feb 20 2007 Posts: 10540 Location: Hunting Gopher
Diogenes wrote:I hear what you say but I'm sure the fans of all teams can point to narrow defeats and matches they should have won.
I'm guessing that like me you have seen most of our games this season and hand on heart can you say that we have one of the 4 best teams in the league?
I'm sure a top coach would improve us (and make us a damn sight more entertaining and enjoyable to watch) but I'm not convinced he could turn this squad into top 4 finishers.
No, we are not one of the 4 best teams. We are where we deserve to be. However that wasn't the point made. IMO I think we are less than the sum of our parts, and the players we have are capable of a bit more. Probably enough in a handful more games to get a few more results and points, and maybe even enough to compete for the top four.
On paper we are probably about top 6. We all know the game's not played on paper though, and some teams are slightly overachieving, some slightly underachieving, so all I'm saying is that a top class coach could possibly do it. No guarantee's, but I wouldn't rule it out, which is what you did. It's a salary-capped sport and this year more than many has shown the importance of being the best you can possibly be, so to me it's imperative to have the coaching staff to make you one of the overachievers, possibly waving down the table at a few underachievers.
Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:13 pm
Drew peacock
International Star
Joined: Jun 13 2014 Posts: 206
Mild mannered Janitor wrote:A positive from last nights game is that we actually created several good chances against a quality team. Trouble is, we has the most eagle eyed ref in years who correctly (for the most - exception was the chip over the top which Rankin collected) called play back when on another day they would have been missed.
Thats said, we looked like a team that relies too heavily on one player, who will now with out of action for 6 months.
Men against boys. Beaten by the better team etc etc
Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:31 pm
The Dentist Wilf
Player Coach
Joined: Dec 07 2005 Posts: 7477
Kosh wrote:Actually Pearson didn't 'wax lyrical' about Radford at all - it was just the familiar refrain about how hard he was working and the good job he was doing behind the scenes. And for the first time I can remember he went as far as admitting that Radford might need help on the attacking side.
Also he didn't definitely say that he saw Horne as our attacking coach - just that he was an option rather than bringing someone in from outside.
Probably just preparing the way for Lasty to head of new academy and Richard Horne to assistant coach....just a thought!
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Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:36 pm
Staffs FC
Club Coach
Joined: Feb 12 2005 Posts: 13126 Location: East Staffordshire
Wigan were bigger physically, stronger and faster. We would beat Wigan one in 6 games with our full strength side out. Never got anywhere near last night.
"To play your best football you need players with enthusiasm and drive and energy." - Peter Sterling
Adam Pearson said not wrote:I know there are two franchises and two clubs (in Hull) and that will remain forever more
Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:54 pm
R.B.A
Moderator
Joined: Apr 06 2004 Posts: 4040
UllFC wrote:And I think it's going to lead to some awful gates this summer, in what should have been attractive games to draw the fans back in. I'd love to see the numbers of how many 'bums on seats' there are at games at the minute, and not the inflated official numbers that include pass holders who don't attend, the passes the SMC are forced to buy, the cheerleaders, the youth teams at half time etc
In his pre-match Q an A session on Humberside last night, Adam Pearson said that actual numbers inside the stadium this season at times have been between 8000/8500.
"Dream Big..Work Hard".................. Sarah Storey, Paralympic Legend.
Post subject: Re: The only positive to tonight's game...
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 4:32 pm
knockersbumpMKII
International Chairman
So many of the problems stem from the LR mistakes/inability to coach.
1.Houghton is fooked, and whilst he's a top tackler/good scooter the rest of his game isn't brilliant & gets progressively worse as he tires not just in a game bt as the season goes on. Not using Cunningham to not only improve his game but to spell Houghton is a massive mistake, and what is going to change next season? 2. Interchange, Radford still hasn't grasped the basic concept of balancing which forwards need spelling when so as not to leave us too weak/without oomph. His tactic of filing to use one of his interchanges until too late into the game is still present as it was last season. 3. Basic skills, just everything, it's lacking everywhere on the field, individual moments of brilliance aside, Radford talks about doing everything off the field but clearly he is incapable of identifying players weaknesses and rectifying them 4. attacking structure, speaks for it self tbh, we can make plenty of metres, we seem to break tackles but when it gets to the crucial aspect we just are really poor in both inventiveness and understanding/execution...time and time again. 5. Mental attitude, that video he ran in the pre-season sure worked out a treat, he hasn't the capacity to figure out how to motivate and how to change the way the players think. That's the job of a professional, that isn't Radford. 6. Not being able to man manage 7. He can't/won't accept that he is the biggest problem at the club with regard to how we perform, he, like Pearson blame everyone/thing else. He needs to adapt and change, he needs to learn but hasn't, can't or won't, whichever it is it doesn't matter, he hasn't the capacity and never will.
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