Once again failure to open a team up despite possession and field position. Widnes were superb fair play, however we have once again failed to challenge a team in defence.

Smith is the worst 7 I have seen at Wigan in a very long time, his ability to come up with a kick that goes straight to the opposition back 3 is remarkable.

If only we had another half with pace, willing to take the line on and a better than 0% kicking average......

I'd take a punt and drop Smith for next week.

Somebody like Joe Mellor?

Smith has been absolutely dire since Green left. Not a single good game since Green left except when the conditions are atrocious and no one can play any proper rugby. When he was called on to make smart passes he sent two of them to the ground, his kicking game was awful, his defence was weak and his decision making poor. He's a sad indictment of what the game has become. He can play to a 'structure' and kick and that's all that coaches seem to be concerned with nowadays; yet when the structure doesn't work he looks like a fish out of water. Not an ounce of creativity in him.
It says a lot when a guy who was starting at prop in our first game is putting out smarter and more accurate passes than an England international halfback.

Is Smith the worst No. 7 at Wigan since Denis Moran? He doesn't take the line on to make any breaks. He doesn't create anything with his passing game and he loses all confidence in the rest of his game when he misses all the goal kicks. He's been mediocre for a long time now.

Like a poor Noble team, no Plan B and as easy to read as Jack and Gill.

Been like this for a few years now, just masked by the poor standard in SL.

Widnes were good though, wish we could attack and put moves on like they do and they looked fitter, we have some chubsters in the team at the moment.

Exactly, Jonh. You have summed up what so many of us have been thinking for several years. It's a pity that SW doesn't share our opinion.
The contrast between the Widnes halves ( ironically, 2 Wigan "rejects"icon_wink.gif was startling and there for everyone to see. I don't blame Lockers as he was playing out of position and filling in at stand off. I do blame Wane for never having given Rocky a chance to play regularly in his rightful position at 6, with George Williams playing in his correct position at 7.
I don't buy into the argument of 6 and 7 now being the same, one playing on the left and one on the right. What you do need is 2 halves who have pace, as well as the ability to take on the line. Any decent half should be able to organise and "direct" the traffic and kick - which is supposed to be the alleged reason Smith continues to keep his place.
This defeat has been coming all season! By the way, who is actually coaching Wigan's backs at the moment? Is it SW? How can a former prop forward do that effectively? Or is it Matty Peat?
We need a backs coach - and have done for over a year.

The club have to replace Deacon as attacking coach. The coaching set up looked good with him and Harris. I'm sure that John Winder and Matty Peet are good youth coaches but will they really challenge Wane to alter his pedestrian attacking style? I doubt it. Win or lose I don't really enjoy watching Wigan play at the moment.

My "Terrible" topic last week stated how dire we are in attack IMO, but we won so I got blasted for my opinion.

This week our clueless one out rugby has lost us the game.

Last week we scrapped to beat an awful Leeds team. This week we lost to average SL standard team.

We have continued this year were we left off last season, same few moves that are now so obvious you see them coming two plays before. Teams don't have to work hard to defend against us anymore.

Yes we are working hard, yes we are defending well, but we need to change what we are doing with the ball, evn if the passes stick we are still predictable, 91% completion apparently in the first half and did nothing with the ball.

I said all this last week but it was shot down because we beat Leeds and you can never be critical when you win. It isn't the defeat that bothers me, it's the fact we haven't changed what we do for about 5 years, its still Madges moves with lesser skilled players.

Our attack looks totally geared up towards having Sam at 1 and whilst he isn't there we just have to cope and try to scrape by.

For me the key thing is performance not results. I have not seen us perform well this year yet despite winning.

Defence you can't fault Wane, but attack......clueless.

No complaints from me, Widnes were by far the better side and fully deserved it. I have been cringing reading certain posts of how we were going to batter them and Phil Clarke didn't help with his jinx again. We really need to stop underestimating teams. Completely took all the pressure off Widnes and let them play as expansive as they liked because in everyones eyes, even the Sky pundits they were talking as if they were the bottom side after a scalp. They are top for a reason and it's pretty obvious why. The speed of their attack is brilliant and their decisive moves towards our line really showed us up. We get within 10 metres and you can guarantee if Tautai or Sarginson take it up they just run sideways looking for a pass that nobody is hitting with any pace. If it goes to smith he stands still until he has decided what to do with it.

I have been defending Smith but if the play maker doesn't create anything then the whole team stops.

Smith - A kicking half should be a leader, he shouts a lot but his inability to play rugby at this kind of level certainly doesn't inspire confidence to the other players.
Sarginson - Sooner he goes to one of his imaginary clubs the better, crap as a centre and crap as a full back. Wakefield fodder.
Powell - Doesn't seem to really do anything wrong but James Roby he isn't.
Tautai - Improved his handling errors but for me he is only fit enough for 20 mins a game, preferably at the end and start of each half.
Mossop - What does he do exactly?

All 5 are weak links - Sam T to come back which is a bonus. Isa and Joel, don't know how the centres and second rowers are going to be rotated but i fear for Gildart when everyone is fit (even though he is the best centre)

Lockers - Machine - I don't see any natural leaders out there to replace him.
Gelling - Brain fart city but prone to moments of brilliance, i can't make up my mind whether i like him or not. Many pro's and con's with his game.
Gildart - Easily the most natural centre but really needs to do some serious gym work.

Give Williams and Hampshire a go outside Tomkins at fullback. I would love to see us give that a go till the second half of the season.

But wouldn't that mean quick, decisive, attacking flair rugby?

That just isn't the Wigan way We would rather plod through the field and stand still until a gap appears not get created

Won't happen. Wane is too stubborn.

I like that Ben Roberts at Cas, pity as I think he's signed a new deal with them.