YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME LAUGH...

we have to sign a 7 - because its obvious we need one (and we do) but the club identify an option and lo and behold he isn't good enough. Quite who would be I don't really know - I'm sure that if we had signed a Thurston / Cronk half back pairing it wouldn't be good enough because Thurston is too old and Cronk isn't fast enough!

I struggle to see who is good enough. would somebody please enlighten me.

Gaskell isn't good enough for the #7 job, we don't have anyone else on the books up to it either, and there simply isn't anyone else around we could realistically be signing any better instead. He may or may not be brilliant and may or may not work out for us, but he's the best possible available option we have and so his signing will do fine for me.

I look forward to all the posts next year by all the usual suspect numpties bemoaning Saints' continued decline and lack of ambition because he's not as good as Longy or Goulding were in their prime and wouldn't have made a '96, '00 or '06 team and so isn't good enough for us now, or isn't a 17 year old kid from Thatto Heath. Idiots.

That's what I'm clinging onto really.

Where have I said he isn't good enough? I've not seen enough of him to comment on that and I've not. All I've put is that the volume and specifics of the criticism of his ability and performances are a concern. You can't sign any player just because you need one, and lets face it, if we've persuaded him to give up his Panthers deal and outbid Hull, he certainly won't be cheap.

Goulding wasn't exactly prolific in taking on the line; more of a passing, kicking & organising No7. And yet he never seemed to struggle winning the fans over...

I agree entirely. It would be far better to make a den by putting a sheet over the kitchen table and sit there pretending everything is great.

I'm under there now.

You mean you expect us to be worse next year, because if we improve significantly no one will have anything to moan about.

If Walsh does the kicking and organising, and Lance and Lomax do the running, I think we'll go alright.

I still think Laffranchi could do a good job at second row for us, but he's done nowhere near to deserve his extra year.

Kevin Sinfield has made a career out of his kicking and organising game.
You dont look at him to scythe through midfield, instead Leeds use the likes of Burrow, Mcguire and their fast three quarters to do that work.

lets give Walsh the opportunity to come over here, settle in, then start moving the team around the pitch.

As for his halfback partner then we can look to Wheeler, Swift or Hohoia.

I get the impression that Browns first choice is Wheeler.
Hohoia is i think seen as an interchange hooker.
Swift has so far not been played in the halves, which suggests Brown doesnt see him as a halfback, even though he is one by trade. Then again maybe its been more a case of him being reluctant to put youngsters in key pivotal positions.

Wheeler