Quote: The Penguin "I'm sorry - what were we expecting?
This is a collection of strangers and kids, playing against well-drilled, well-funded, vastly more experienced sides.
How we could expect any other outcome than consistent defeats, I don't know'"
Agreed.
Plus, they're playing against more powerful sides all around the park, so, no matter how much effort they put in, the defence is going to get breached consistently. Last night I saw many of them busting a gut - goodness knows what the score would have been if they hadn't. It wasn't passion they were lacking it was power.
The regret for me is only being able to see in flashes the talent in the side. They're so occupied keeping the juggernauts at bay that they hardly get their hands on the ball and when they do they don't have the grunt to make any space to exploit.
JOC is the classic example. Against Ryan Hall last week and Justin Carney this week. Please! He can make three heroic efforts on the trot but he's not going to do it a fourth or a fifth time, and all his previous good work will be overlooked as he flaps hopelessly at a passing winger or centre as he tries to defend an overlap created initially by some big sod in the middle of the field.
TR can't correct this by wishing it away. You can't dominate if you aren't strong enough and there's no point criticising players for failing to do what is beyond them in the first place.
The tough season is only going to get tougher. We can carry on slagging them off or support them. Or I suppose there's a third option ...