Nothing saying more about a player than putting in a good performance to counter a previous shaky performance.

Now then, can we have the same with Lineham? I won't hold my breath.

Lineham was excellent v Wigan and dissapointing last night but give him chance to settle in. Stop looking for scapegoats, we're a million miles better
than last year and still top of the league. A loss like last night is good long term. As a side we're aiming for the 8s and playoffs and to still be top with loads of scope for improvement bodes well.

As I say, let's have less scapegoating and be positive. We've got a great side in the making with some brilliant players. Hopefully it'll be our year.

I'm sorry Gaz and it's not just you we had it on the Tom Lineham thread but this constant use of the term scapegoat is starting to get on my goat. Opinion and criticism are necessarily scapegoating the standard definition is "a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency"

I missed the Wigan game, but, don't think that he is being criticised to cover the short comings of others, he's currently displaying plenty of his own...the drop out into touch last night was criminal sure Hughes was thereabouts but as the guy facing the play it was his ball.

Sorry I'm yet to be convinced despite keeping up his try a game stat.

OK, I'll replace scapegoat with 'person to single out for blame because we lost'. He didn't have his best game last night, but what I dislike is the manner in which attrition is readily dealt out to individual players on the back of a loss. When we won, there was minor criticism of Tom Lineham, granted, but as soon as we lose, everything goes to the extreme- That's what I have a problem with, not his form and not the opinions of posters.

Which of course is a perfectly fair opinion, I hope that he turns that negativity around. The unfortunate thing for Tom Lineham is that despite being young we paid good money for him so expectations will be rightly or wrongly different. Posters have used terms like "potential" to defend his form, he should be better than that surely?

Really agree Uncle Rico that he does need to up his game, and show the desire he had in the pies game. I think as well that we need to give new signings a bit of space to settle in. They need to feel at home first and foremost in order to play on full max. They need to have cause to fight for and that comes with the bond a player has with his team mates before anything. There are few exceptions bar Gidley and Sims who have immediately stepped up to the plate as new signings. I guess part of that is to do with their professionalism, but most take time to settle.

Unbelievable, Jeff

Some people are criticising him now for kicking a ball out on the full, when he shouldn't even been given the job in the first place.

Other things Penny should be given the blame for

a) the value of the pound
b) Saturday night telly on ITV
c) the ever decreasing size of Wagon Wheels
d) the weakening of Stella Artois in bottles
e) nearly every girl/woman in the Western World having a tattoo (eeeeuuuurrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh)
f) today's music

Be strong, Kevin, be strong.
Some of us still love ya.

Before you continue with your Chris Kamara pontificating could I suggest you re read the thread, or if you've not got the appetite go to the top of this page to Gazwire for confirmation that there's not much Penny bashing going on here and not much evidence of it in the stands well at SW 40

Silly me.

I posted a few moments after Kevin had scored a FANTASTICALLY taken try,. An hour later, he'd scored another.
I've re read the thread (again) as you suggested, and found that there has been more Penny baiting, after the game had finished, hence my Kamaralike pontificating, when Penny had a "stormer".

Yet more Wire "fans" having unnecessary digs at a lad that's played well.

In the eighties, we used to laugh about the fickle Wigan fans, doing the "Wigan Walk". They could do a lot worse than come on here, and laugh about fans picking holes at players who are top of the table.

As I said, Unbelievable, Jeff

Sorry you are wrong 'Chris' just re read it and 2 or 3 posts out of 79/80 that were negative is hardly OTT, even a couple of negatives were he's been decent but will TS give him a rest type posts.

You jumped in early doors, post 4 ish (you were like a teenager on his second date a bit too quick off the mark, underpants lively and she hadn't finished her Wimpey burger) your 'blood smelling' missive in response to what exactly? You couldn't wait to agree with your 'mate' the Flying Biscuit who started his post with I'm surprised there's a thread on it when the OP started the thread with "Think he deserves praise.....are you sure you read anything?

As you said "unbelievable", although perhaps a quote better suited to you would be a few lines taken from The Beatles big hit The Boxer..."all lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest?

Have it your own way Lefty, apart from one or two on your worthy list it seems that's the way you like it

Not The Beatles.....Simon & Garfunkel

Definitely the Beatles BWW on their hit LP Bridge over Troubled Water, or was it Trick of the Tail?

The Beatles had split up by the time "The Boxer" came out......Who are you trying to wind up.

Surely Mumford and Sons wrote The Boxer ?

Perhaps one of them drove it.