Other teams don't have to make excuses though do they? even through injury crises other teams manage to perform. A well coached team usually keeps the same structure no matter what team they field as the coach has them trained that way as a full squad and everyone knows exactly what is expected of them and they train for those situations where they have to be versatile.

Look at Cas last season, they spent the majority of the season with half a team out, arguably a worse injury crisis than ours yet they still managed to get 5th place, they won 4 or 5 games with a hooker and second rower playing in the halves, I saw them win a game with a second row at 6 and a prop at 7 and we were there scraping Superleague survival pleading injuries all season long.

Yeah Cas ended up winning 4 more games than us! A team who not that long ago finished top by 10 points! Then when injuries hit they win 4 more than us in what many fans on here see as our worst season in the club’s history...

For me it’s not about bodies back ,who’s playing where ,how much a player costs all equating to how we perform As a team ,its attitude ,and I’m afraid at times we’ve been woefully lacking in that department.

Comparing the squad of 2017 and 2018, which were the best seasons under Chessie, against the squads of 2019 and 20, the squads are very different now, and most of these in the squad nowadays, are players that he has brought in. To me, that would indicate that overall recruitment over the past couple of years has been poor

Absolutely right IMO.
I coach a junior football team and I know my players are more than capable of winning against most opposition, but occasionally they show up with the wrong attitude and don't work hard for each other and suddenly we get a drubbing.
The following week the only instruction I will give them is to go out and give it 100% and more often than not, they're back on it and competitive.

I'm not saying that Chester should do the same, I understand there are other factors at play with a group of adults, just making the point about what a difference that attitude from the players makes.

In which case you can’t really accuse our chairman of lacking balls when he’s backed Chester.

Finny retired 3 years ago so we signed dB and we haven’t filled that gap that halfback position should have been filled years ago crap planning

Or maybe the fact is they're best of buddies.

We maybe safe this year from the drop, but it will be by pure default.

If something doesn't give, I'm afraid we will be playing championship rugby and budgets will be even less

M C and CC have a marriage made in heaven
Mc says no money available and we are going back to the budget of 3 years ago
and CC sucks it up and spends whats available on positions not require.
While ever this situation continues things will remain the same. even Trinity fans have become prise conditioned.
Lets imagine that M C gave CC more money for better quality players and the results remained the same ,how long would CC last. You could argue that while ever the present situation continues the coaching ability of CC takes a back seat.,

You would make a good defence lawyer i'd give you that!! The problem is, all you and others on here always leap to his defence by saying who we are missing, it's never about who takes to the field and are they giving their all and is the coaching staff getting the best out of them?! My argument is not that in theory we should be better with the likes of TJ, Fifita, Miller etc playing, although I say should because I can give you 5 or 6 games out of the last 20-25 when we have been almost full strength and been terrible! London, the 2 cup ties against Widnes & Bradford, remember HKR first up this season? what did we lose 32-6 and we were only missing Fifita & BJB? Catalans 58-0, you need to see that 17 again because it was very strong supposedly?!

Your argument seems to be, if we are missing xyz players then that's it, we've got no chance, no point turning up because it's a given we will lose.........Leeds at home last year, 10 players missing and we beat them on Easter Monday, because the players that DID play showed some bottle and fight, and scrapped for the full 80. It can be done. We had a stronger team out at Hudds the other day, and having watched it on Trin tv, I doubt we would have beaten a Championship side the way we played, and it probably is a good job there is no relegation, 'cause if there was that's where we would be heading........

We are lockdown in S L this season ,with this coaching staff and players that have been brought in we will be in Championships next year

Er, we will still be in SL next year.....

upthecats, how deluded are you if you think Fifita is going to come back with the 'right attitude'?
He's made his bed and the club should make him lay in it.
I'm sure Fifita has been cut quite a lot of slack in the past because of who he is and how he got people talking about Wakey when he signed.
If you think everything will carry on like before, I think that sends a bad message out to the rest of the team/squad and speaks volumes of the man management/discipline within the club.

The problem is not the defeats but the manner of the losses. We have frequently changed the playing squad but the style of play is the same. This would indicate it is a Chester problem because it is him who dictates how the whole squad will play based on his game plan.
I feel sorry because this is not the time to play the youngsters because they are joining a frustrated team low on confidence and the pressure must be unbearable. It is ok to add them to a squad high on confidence and at ease as a team with each aware what is expected of them and an actual game plan based on who they are playing.