It would help, if all the players should get a quick play the ball.

Does anyone agree that Watts has lost too much weight??,looks a shadow of the player ,he was last season.

An interesting point in modern RL. All fans love a strong running forward who knocks players off the tackle and makes lots of meters or busts tackles completely, but the game has changed a lot in the last 5 years. Tackling technique is so much better that fewer barn storming runs occur in games. Therefore what is more important in the game now, trying to make an extra couple of meters in the tackle and get drawn in to a wrestle that slows the ptb right down. Or is it now better to find the floor quickly and get a quick ptb, especially when the player with the ball is dominant in the tackle. All FC fans loved Manu, but unless he was having a great game his strong runs actually turned in to slow ptb's. Just a thought.

A reason I liked Cusack was because he always got a quick PTB or quicker compared to others as did Dowes. However you still need that beef when coming away from your own line and if we get pinned near our own line we struggle to find a way out of it. When holdsworth is on form for the boot we can sometimes get out of jail with his kicks.

Agree about needing the strength to get out of your own 20, but how many times do teams make it out of their own 20 from breaks through the defensive line. It never happens due to a flat ball or a cut out pass as its seen as to dangerous in your own 20, and it rarely happens because of a forward going 50 meters due to a break. It nearly always happens now because of quick ptb's or penalties conceded because of quick ptb's. This obviously is helped when your forwards are not being dominated because they are lightweight or aren't pulling their weight.

Fair point and valid but it's part fad about falling down for a quick ptb in my opinion. If refs see it that way they'll call surrender anyway and allow defenders more time to clear the tackle. Coaches still talk about players with great leg drive and second effort after impact. Known barnstormers like Moa et al attract multiple players into the tackle which helps the following play but are also strong enough to finish more often than not in a dominant position ready to ptb quickly. Best of both worlds really. I like to see a mix whereas in Hull's current set up I only see Ogre as a real impact forward.

I think a lot of the posts about him not doing the job this season are comparisons to last season. His dip is much more noticeable as it has come from a higher standard. That's also probably why he gets more mention, but I don't think the criticism has had any more strength to it than others have received. Johnson in particular has had plenty saying we should get rid of him already, and Green has had an up and down season (our best prop for opening month IMO, lost his place a couple of times since). Bowden has barely played compared to the rest.

I dare say that many of Lynch's stats will be of a similar standard to last year (metres and tackles I expect), but some of his play has not been as good. I've just had a quick look and 2 do stick out:

Offloads: 2012 = 47, 2013 = 15
Errors: 2012 = 10, 2013 is already 9

Couple those with my belief that his ptb speed is significantly slower, and it does suggest that the quality of some of his play has suffered, so I don't think it's unfair that it's been commented upon, just like it is for others.

I completely agree with you about him being the sort of player to help get you out of it, though. As I said on another thread, I believe that with some better props to help with the workload he'll probably improve again (along with better rotation, he looks badly in need of a rest at times).

I've not seen anyone claiming we should be at Old Trafford this year challenging for trophies.... What I have seen is a lot of people not happy with how the team is playing, And they are quite within their rights to be unhappy with this as it is fact it is there for us all to see.

at the start of the season i actually said finnishing 5th and a good cup run would be an improvement, we can still achieve that, trouble is we win a couple and sum think we are world beaters,lose a couple and sum question the coach and players

I think most would be happy with 5th/6th if we were hitting the end of season in form, and had a chance at the playoffs. Finishing 5th-8th in bad form just to make the numbers up in the playoffs is just another wasted season.

agree, but we still have the chance to turn it round,

That's fair enough but its the same fans that wet themselves when we win. TBH I feel it does more bad then good when supporters decide to add preassure. I mean where was this kind of post when we had won all those games on the trot.

Its three losses, hardly gonna define the season, although some will act like it has.

The one thing that has disappointed me regarding Peter Gentle, is that we havent seen, is a major difference than under Agar's tenure.

He has implemented a good defensive structure(albeit for last 3 games),which is heaps better than under Agar.,and also he's done a good job in the youth setup.

But... the slow play the ball remains, & the distribution from dummyhalf is still too slow.

He should have improved these weaknesses in our game,no matter the personnel available.,he also stated last season, he wanted to decrease the gap,between our best performance to our worst performance, hasnt happened.

I agree regarding the 3-4 years to be challenging, but regarding Madge, he improved certain facets of Wigan's game instanteously. - play the ball was quicker,defence was more aggressive. Harrison Hansen said "We were in a comfort zone,when Madge arrived,he soon knocked us out of that zone", then the 3 day Commando Training,that teaches teamwork & mental training,in which Bellamy & Bennett frequently use.

Maybe the players arent responsive to Gentle's coaching style,who knows??

I'm not bothered too much about losing, I expect losses.. The main issue is how we are playing win, lose or draw. Like I said elsewhere we played terrible at Salford and won and we also played poorly against North Wales Crusaders yet won by a big score. And on the flip side we played very well v's Wigan and lost and that's fine.

Playing badly this year is the norm unfortunatly. I'm not expecting top 4, I'm not expecting Wembely or Old Trafford, what iam expecting given the Squad of professionals and Coach is better and more consistant Rugby without as Many penalties, errors, slow play the balls and even would like to some off loads and better team play.

Thought Sandercock was boring during interviews but my god Gentle is repetitive.