This will be a test of Noble's tactics as well as nerve in his team selection.
Will he keep Ainscough on the wing? The lad scores every game but his side of the field has made two mistakes from the kick off in the last two games allowing the opposition back into the game. In the past Noble has been pretty unforgiving on things like that.
Also on the Wigantoday site Cam Phelps says he may well be ready to play v Celtic. Could he return to full back?
I think he'll start with Smith at 6, Tommy 7 and Sam T on the bench. When Piggy is spelled Tommy to 9 and Sam off the bench. McIlorum missing out.
I have to think his team could look like,
Phelps,
Roberts, Gleeson, Carmont (Pryce) Richards,
Smith, Leuluai,
Fielden, Riddell, Coley,
Bailey, J Tomkins,
O'Loughlin.
Subs, Feka, Hansen, Prescott, S Tomkins.
That's on the basis of Gaz Hock still being unavailable.

It's a game Noble just has to win and I don't think he'll go with Ainscough and McIlorum. If it happens it's tough on Ainscough but he was ruthless in dropping Calderwood last year when he dropped a ball and the Catalans scored.
Official team news out tomorrow as it's a Sunday game.

Tough call for me.

Ainscough is red hot in attack, but you are right about giving away tries from kick offs. Its criminal !

Thought Phelps did ok against Stains, but to drop Ainscough is hard.

why will he not go with ainscough when he is ours and the leagues top scorer? does noble want to lose his job? if he does Id drop ainscough but i dont think he is that daft!

If phelps is fit and carmont isnt phelps should play centre because karl pryce does not deserve a chance- id also play tim smith off the bench, he is more of an attacking threat than mcillorum and it means we can move tommy to his definate better position.

Fielden needs to be dropped

richards
roberts
gleeson
carmont/phelps
ainscough
sam tomkins
leuluai
coley
riddell
prescott
hansen
tomkins
o'loughlin

feka
hock (if fit)
Smith
Bailey

Davies if hock is not fit to come into the squad

if hock is fit, play him at prop!

I'd definately drop Fielden, Pryce and maybe McIllorum. If Smith is to play i'd bring him off the bench and make sure the forwards help him out in defense as he would be targetted.

Phelps definately in with a shout, thought his game against Stains was best he'd played for us.

If Ainscough is dropped Noble should be lynched nevermind sacked

fielden needs to be dropped, just look at his stats on the superleague website, he is woeful.

give one of the kids out of the academy a go, what do we have to lose now?

How can anyone justify Ainscough being dropped
Beats him hands down at every single aspect and that having played one less game.

Ainscough has to play end of.

If Carmont is not fit then i would continue with Pryce, i really do not understand why he is being slated so much off the back of his performance on the weekend. I agree he is struggling in certain aspects of his game but i see more in him each week that with an improvement in fitness and removal of rustiness points to him being an assett to the team.

He did not make too many errors in defence as far as i recall and non really significant and he tried things in attack that we have not seen from the likes of Bailey or Goulding in there entire time as a centre for Wigan. The timing was out but it is improving each week and it is only going to improve with games.

Dropping him for Phelps who has himself struggled in defence in the centres in my opnion would be a bad move. Would certainly add Phelps to the bench as a potential 6 if fit or even start him in that position dropping McIllorum and letting Piggy and TL share the hooking duties with Sam at 7.

I will seriously sing for Nobles head to be stuck on a spike on tower bridge if fielden takes the field and Ainscough doesnt

For me with Hock/Carmont injured

Richards
Roberts
Gleeson
Bailey
Ainscough
S Tomkins
Leuleui
Fielden
Riddell
Prescott
Hansen
Coley
O'Loughlin

Subs
Feka
Joel Tomkins
Pryce
Mcllorum

I reckon Hock and Carmont will play so:


Richards
Roberts
Gleeson
Carmont
Ainscough
Tomkins
Tommy
Prescott
Riddell
Coley
Hansen
Bailey
Lockers

--------------
Feka
Hock
Phelps
Fielden/Davies (Noble will pick Fielden)

I'd still like to see..

Richards
Roberts Gleeson Carmont Ainscough
Phelps Tomkins
Coley Tommy Davies
Hock Lockers
Tomkins
-------------
Feka Prescott Riddell Hansen

Easy (if all fit!)

That's what I would go for.

And.. if Hock isn't fit I'd play Farrell. Need a SR with some go forward, playing Bailey and Hansen together offers very little in attack, hence what happened against Cats.

It's Celtic, so we have slight room to adjust. Plus there is a very tired slow feeling with the team that played Cats, lets introduce some new faces Davies/Farrell and try new things. Obviously the current set up isn't working.

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