FORUMS > St. Helens > Manchester Massacre |
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40218_1286737075.jpg Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. (Winston Churchill):d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_40218.jpg |
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| Quote: Mugwump "Give over. Gaskell's decision-making is a million miles ahead of anyone else's at the club. Yes, he's made mistakes. But all kids make mistakes. It's impossible not to make them if you're lacking experience.
Let's recall for a moment that Gaskell's distribution and kicking played a crucial role in us getting to the GF. Let's also recall that prior to the start of last season [ihe had no experience whatsoever[/i. The plan was to introduce him gradually to the first team (like Lomax and Wheeler). I doubt the club had any intention to give him more than half a dozen games until the Eastmond debacle dropped on us. Given our (unexpected) success I'd say his performances bordered upon the miraculous. Especially when you recall that it took Lomax TWO SEASONS (at least) to achieve a sufficient level of performance and consistency to command a regular first team shirt.'"
Spot on.
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15252_1297730111.jpg [color=#FF0000:dd3r80vu][b:dd3r80vu]I HATE ALL THE PIES[/b:dd3r80vu][/color:dd3r80vu]:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_15252.jpg |
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| Quote: Mugwump "Give over. Gaskell's decision-making is a million miles ahead of anyone else's at the club. Yes, he's made mistakes. But all kids make mistakes. It's impossible not to make them if you're lacking experience.
Let's recall for a moment that Gaskell's distribution and kicking played a crucial role in us getting to the GF. Let's also recall that prior to the start of last season [ihe had no experience whatsoever[/i. The plan was to introduce him gradually to the first team (like Lomax and Wheeler). I doubt the club had any intention to give him more than half a dozen games until the Eastmond debacle dropped on us. Given our (unexpected) success I'd say his performances bordered upon the miraculous. Especially when you recall that it took Lomax TWO SEASONS (at least) to achieve a sufficient level of performance and consistency to command a regular first team shirt.'"
Agreed. I think we have all seen enough of Lance to see he is never ever going to do it as SO. Time to put him on the bench and bring back the Lomasgaskell partnership again.
Lance can come on and give wello or robes a break or even move robes to 13 for 10 mins and let Lancie boy play at 9.............tbh...........I'm not sure I care what the "coach" tries but anything will be better than what happened on Sunday.
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52916_1378593744.jpg A pint of sweat, saves a gallon of blood. - George S. Patton
In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity. - Winston Churchill
It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. - General Douglas MacArthur
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. - Isaac Asimov:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_52916.jpg |
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| Oh dear. How expectations have dropped!
The fact that so many defend him is laughable.
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| Quote: saint at wire "Agreed. I think we have all seen enough of Lance to see he is never ever going to do it as SO. Time to put him on the bench and bring back the Lomasgaskell partnership again.
Lance can come on and give wello or robes a break or even move robes to 13 for 10 mins and let Lancie boy play at 9.............tbh...........I'm not sure I care what the "coach" tries but anything will be better than what happened on Sunday.'"
I can't make a case for Hohaia to be in the side at the moment let alone at such a pivotable position at 9, even if it's for 10 minutes!! You can lose a game in 10 minutes!! It's like we are trying to find positions for him in the side. He doesn't warrant a starting place on current form so shouldn't be in the side. I understand people saying that Roby needs to be rested, but can we actually afford to take him away from 9 or even off the field? To me that just makes us weaker, we need our best player on the field.
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7.gif :7.gif |
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| Quote: Top Saint "Oh dear. How expectations have dropped!
I'm afraid it's YOU who looks like the fool here. Gaskell is a kid. A kid who last season was thrust into the position of key decision-maker and tactical kicker despite the fact that he had no experience of first team football whatsoever and is still perhaps eighteen months away from being physically mature. Despite all this he was instrumental in getting us to the GF.
What kind of fan are you to demand we shouldn't "defend" any kid thrown into such an unenviable position? What kind of fan are you to think inexperienced boys are capable of matching the playing standards of grown men in the first team and if they aren't they should be tossed aside, ridiculed etc.? Sounds to me like you have a pretty twisted appreciation of what it means to be a supporter. Or you're a simpleton.
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2595.jpg I'm not Jesus Christ, I've come to accept that now.
[quote][b]XBrettKennyX wrote:[/b] Once more the anti SC brigade, purposely or otherwise fail to see the point.
Thick as pig swill.[/quote]:2595.jpg |
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| Quote: Top Saint "Oh dear. How expectations have dropped!
Who's had a better debut season in such a key position with such little support?
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fonds blancs/Snoopy.gif :fonds blancs/Snoopy.gif |
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| Fans:
They do my head in a lot of the time too.
Its embarassing but every RL team has a couple of thousand morons supporting them. Apart from London who only have about 500 fans all together.
I can't imagine what it must be like at a football match.
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47035_1386433761.gif We can be bold enough to make a stand and do battle for our views and beliefs. But we must strive to be mature enough not to resort to unnecessary personal attacks upon people with opposing views.:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_47035.gif |
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| Quote: Top Saint "Oh dear. How expectations have dropped!
Or the fact that so many defend him shows that you are making attacks with no basis for those attacks. No one would have to defend him if he was not being attacked. The fact that people call into question his game and assess him as though he was Shaun Edwards or Sean Long at their peak, just shows how skewed some peoples view points are.
Take a look at other halves in the league in their first year and tell me how much better they were. Take Leon Pryce in his first year at Saints, an experienced player but new to first grade halfback play. His contribution was average at best, but this was covered by the skills of others around him.
Brough in his first few years was very hit and miss yet he is now the toast of some.
I've no idea if Gaskell will prove us all right or wrong, but the fact that the league leaders are showing an interest to replace their leaving halves just shows the quality that the best see in him. We've shipped out more halves from Saints in recent years than I can recall and at this rate every team in SL will have a Saints, half bar Saints.
Long, Ellis, Smith, Eastmond, now Gaskell.
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| You can ball and shout as much as you want saying the players need to do better if there not good enough there not good enough and it will get worse even when brown comes in
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52916_1378593744.jpg A pint of sweat, saves a gallon of blood. - George S. Patton
In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity. - Winston Churchill
It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. - General Douglas MacArthur
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. - Isaac Asimov:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_52916.jpg |
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| Quote: Billinge_Lump "Who's had a better debut season in such a key position with such little support?'"
That début season had such low expectations put on it that average performances seemed good.
Quote: Billinge_Lump "Quote: Billinge_Lump "Actually never thought of that. My main area of concern with regard to Gaskell is his poor decision making at the line of attack. He has a tendency to take the wrong option on far too many occasions for my liking.'"
Give over. Gaskell's decision-making is a million miles ahead of anyone else's at the club. Yes, he's made mistakes. But all kids make mistakes. It's impossible not to make them if you're lacking experience.
Let's recall for a moment that Gaskell's distribution and kicking played a crucial role in us getting to the GF. Let's also recall that prior to the start of last season [ihe had no experience whatsoever[/i. The plan was to introduce him gradually to the first team (like Lomax and Wheeler). I doubt the club had any intention to give him more than half a dozen games until the Eastmond debacle dropped on us. Given our (unexpected) success I'd say his performances bordered upon the miraculous. Especially when you recall that it took Lomax TWO SEASONS (at least) to achieve a sufficient level of performance and consistency to command a regular first team shirt.'"
Any replacement coming in and doing an average job under those circumstances would look good. Also I think you place too much emphasis on his contribution to the point where you devalue the other players who took part in those games.The whole season was a backs to the wall grind of a season where the remaining fit senior players had to dig deep and bring the younger players through.
Gaskells true level was shown at the start of this season. As soon as fans expected performances he couldn't deliver.If he were the half back you all say he is we wouldn't have had such a bad start given that the first 6 games looked straightforward on paper. Also our revival began with his omission and the only team to beat us in that time is the Pies. Now I would not defend Hohaia for 1 second but Lomax started playing better when he was moved to half back.
Lee Gaskell may one day make a decent super league player but it won't be at Stand-Off.
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60904_1539894659.jpg :d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_60904.jpg |
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| Quote: Man of Steel "Lets all be honest the title sums up what happened yestersday perfectly. I went yesterday actually expecting us to get beat by such a margin and as it happened that feeling was made into reality, in honesty I thought the scoreline flattered us!!
Good post but you have not mentioned Rush's and KFC's role in this! Let us also not forget that you were on a good run until this match - tinkering is the key not wholesale changes.
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| Quote: Sweaty Betty's "Good post but you have not mentioned Rush's and KFC's role in this! Let us also not forget that you were on a good run until this match - tinkering is the key not wholesale changes.'"
It depends how you define "a good run". We were winning games but I think it was plainly obvious to the majority of Saints fans that if we came up against a quality side, like we did at the weekend then we would struggle. Yes we beat Leeds on the Monday, but I was one of the few that came away from the game pleased with the win but also dreading playing Wigan. We just can't reach that level at the moment.
You're correct tinkering with the squad is what is needed. It's not like we have a squad of 40 players and can change the whole team so we are limited with the changes we can make. Personally I'd only change 3 - 4 players to see what happens - it can't be any worse than the weekend. I'll do a side that I would like to see play Hull.
1. Wellens -
2. Gardner -
3. Wheeler - been in poor form since he came back from injury but it's either him or Shenton.
4. Jones - He has been "having a breather" in the U20's the last few weeks and hasn't been dropped. Time for him to come back into the side.
5. Makinson - if fit
6. Lomax
7. Gaskell - If only for his kicking in general play as without him our kicking game is shocking
8. Perry
9. Roby
10. Laffranchi
11. Soliola
12. Flanagan - if fit
13. Wilkin
14. Dixon
15 LMS
16. Clough
17. Puletua
People are obviously going to have different opinions but I think that side should be good enough to get the 2 points against Hull. It looks more balanced and moves the players who are in poor form away from the side. But like I said it's all completely objective.
In regards to the roles played by Cunningham and Mike Rush over the last couple of months. I think that they have both been forced into the roles they currently have at the club, not by management but by beliving that it was the best thing for the club at the time. They obviously love the club and have taken it on themselves to make the best out of a messy situation. With Royce going so early in the season they had no time to prepare themselves for the challenges that lay ahead, so they are basically having to learn on the spot and I think in the circumstances they have done really well. I compare their situation to that of Roy Hodgson the England football manager in Euro 2012. It's a free tournament for him as it's a free season for KC and Mike Rush - they aren't expected to create miracles they are being asked to steady the ship temporarily before future plans become reality. Us fans know this or at least I hope they do.
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2595.jpg I'm not Jesus Christ, I've come to accept that now.
[quote][b]XBrettKennyX wrote:[/b] Once more the anti SC brigade, purposely or otherwise fail to see the point.
Thick as pig swill.[/quote]:2595.jpg |
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| Quote: Top Saint "That début season had such low expectations put on it that average performances seemed good.'"
Can't think of one then?
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52916_1378593744.jpg A pint of sweat, saves a gallon of blood. - George S. Patton
In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity. - Winston Churchill
It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. - General Douglas MacArthur
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. - Isaac Asimov:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_52916.jpg |
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| Quote: Billinge_Lump "Can't think of one then?'"
My point is that I don't think he had a great debut season and the fact he looked ok was because of the low expectations at the club at the time. A lot of other players contributed to last seasons exceptional end result, yet you seem to believe that Gaskell was really the only player who contributed. That is a massive disservice to all the other juniors who played last season. Bottom line is that Gaskell will never make a stand-off with enough quality to be at Saints for years. He is a modern day Mark Bailey, OK untill someone better comes along.
P.S. I think Jamie Foster and Jonny Lomax both had better debut seasons than Gaskell. If you want me to go back further I will have to put my thinking cap on because my memory ain't what it was. Cue the jokes.
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47035_1386433761.gif We can be bold enough to make a stand and do battle for our views and beliefs. But we must strive to be mature enough not to resort to unnecessary personal attacks upon people with opposing views.:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_47035.gif |
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| Quote: Man of Steel " I'll do a side that I would like to see play Hull.
1. Wellens -
2. Gardner -
3. Wheeler - been in poor form since he came back from injury but it's either him or Shenton.
4. Jones - He has been "having a breather" in the U20's the last few weeks and hasn't been dropped. Time for him to come back into the side.
5. Makinson - if fit
6. Lomax
7. Gaskell - If only for his kicking in general play as without him our kicking game is shocking
8. Perry
9. Roby
10. Laffranchi
11. Soliola
12. Flanagan - if fit
13. Wilkin
14. Dixon
15 LMS
16. Clough
17. Puletua
'"
I can see the logic here as there are wholesale changes that could be made, but making changes across the board could lead to some tragic reults against lesser sides than wigan. This keeps our core stable whilst offering some key attacking changes. other would go further and move lomax, wellens, meli, wilkin but that would cause so much disruption that it would be impossible to see improvements in any one area.
That's why i've not minded too much wheeler and lance getting an extended run, you can't see true form from a few minutes of a match, but a run of 10 matches will give you a better idea of what a player brings to a team across easy games, hard games as a team member and with individual actions.
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