Shame for Catalans that they had so many out including both half-backs. Bosc, Dureau, Ferriol, Sa, Farrar, Fakir, Stacul all missing. Looks like the goal kicking let them down a bit too. Clear fourth now for Saints.

For the 200th time this season! It's Gaskell at fault in defence not Shenton or Makinson or Gardner. He'll be a good player but Gaskell can't tackle for toffee! Not good enough and won't be until he puts a bit of meat on.

I agree with you there but Shenton also missed a fair few tonight

Wheeler, Wellens, Perry, Gardner, Clough.
BTW: Fakir played

It wasnt Gaskells fault for being left three on two thats Shenton who was defending inside.

The proof of this was when Gaskell went off, Cats still went straight down Saints right and scored. Pryce was in the position that Gaskell had been covering. That shows a structural problem with Saints right hand side defence.
For me Shenton has a tendency to defend the slide running backwards, this allows players to curve round the outside of him. This puts pressure on the outside defenders who are left in either three on two or two on one situations. Shenton needs to learn to attack the slide and move up, not back off.

It's amazing what Saints can do when they hold on to the ball and when they have an experienced halfback on the field.

Agreed about the sliding defence on our right. Shenton was poor defensively tonight. Hopefully that can be fixed up as it is a glaring defensive weakness.

Can't agree with that with mike bennett rambling on incoherently. At least ray has an exuce being 145 years old.

Thought our right side of defence was terrible all night - every time they attacked down that side they loaded up with 2 extra players (don't know why we didn't see that?) and looked like they could score at will.
Fortunately their comedy goal kicking kept us in front.
Gaskell, shenton, wilkin, sia and to a lesser extent makinson missed a lot of tackles. The huge Cats definately targeted poor old gaskell.

On the plus side when scotty moore came on in the first half, he steadied the ship - he's a must for LF. And when pryce replacing gaskell, not only did he spice up the attack, he also organised the right hand defence better.

Made up with the three points but thought the scoreline flattered us somewhat as we ran away with it in the last 10 mins.
(I had already posted this on the wrong thread)

They never scored once Pryce was on the pitch chair maker. Price was just entering the field.

I hate knocking our youngsters but Gaskell is getting steam rolled. It's not poor defence reading, people are running over the top of him. If you can't defend you shouldn't be in the team. Having said that his general kicking is fantastic!

Didn't me and dux tell you that shenton has a problem in defence?

This is the first game this season were we have had first choice half backs available for longer than 5 mins. Saints have never ever had the opportunity all this season to get there first choice 17 into the game. Nearly every match we have had a minimum of 4 players out up to the maximum of 11 players out when it reached crisis point. I,m sure if the likes of Wigan, Wire and Giants went through the same scenario the league table would look a bit different than what it is today.
Catalans are still a very good team However and the teams above them know it.

Wigan and hudds targeted shenton. His one on one defence at times is poor.

Can't really comment on this game not being at the game. But that side of defence has been suspect in games all year. There have been more than one or 2 occasions where Gaskell and Gardner have had to make last minute tackles to save tries.

With Makinson and Gaskell both out there I think it's obvious that sides will target this side, but I would not say Shenton is totally free from blame. I know he has come in from outside and people are loathed to be critical of him, as he is supposed to be our new strike centre. But if I recall correctly didn't the exiles target that wing position in the mid-season game too. So sure Gaskell and Makinson need to take their share of responsibility, but if you are left 2 on 3 or 1 on 2, the fault lies else where inside you. It's not critical, it's just something Royce will have to adjust. Lets face it we all thought with melis defencive frailties from previous years on the wing, that his position would be the target for attacking play. But he seams 100% more comfortable 1 man in, not having to make those decision to stay or go on the wing.

He has given Foster some great ball, and Foster himself has shown he is no slouch, so can we give the kids a break saying that he will not make it as a SL winger. For mine he has made it and will continue to do so. i can name several wingers that have played for Saints that he is better than and he deservse his shirt not just for his kicking game.

I think we can expect a similar set up next week in the halves with maybe Pryce coming on just after the half time interval. Easy easing into the game to get his fitness up.

The defensive problems on that side stemmed from Gaskell, no doubt. However, once they started to target that area, the whole side seemed to panic and start making a hash of things. When pryce came on, we were still a little shakey, but scrabled to shore things up.