Quote BP1="BP1"There does seem to be a problem with your fitness/stamina/concentration in regards to the closing quarter of matches. Today was another example of what, I'm sure for you, is becoming a worrying trend.
Apart from your three victories, the other seven games you've played this campaign have been characterised by a dramatic tailing off with twenty minutes to go.
This has seen three potential victories (Saints, Cas and the horror show that was Bradford) turned into dispiriting defeats/draw. Whilst the remaining fixtures (Leeds, Wire, Cats, Today) have witnessed you slipping away from potential wins in closely fought games to being a well beaten side by full time hooter.
With twenty minutes to go this afternoon you looked shot, and it was only my long expeirence of seeing derby games turn on their head that stopped me believing the game was won even at that stage of proceedings.
Obviously you people see a great deal more of your team than I do, and you may wish to correct me on the above observation, but I'm curious to know what was different from the Huddersfield game twelve days ago (when by all accounts you were excellent in the second half against arguably the physically strongest side in SL) and the last two games (Cas and Us) which have seen you finishing with a whimper.'"
The difference in the Hudds game was that even though we were getting tries scored against us, the team made sensible decisions with the ball so we got our fair share of possession and then once our bench came on Hudds pack were like skittles at the bowling alley.
In the second half Dobson restrained himself from always rolling the dice and put a few conservative kicks in to preserve our dominance.
I think because our team probably feel bigger and stronger than the opposition at the start, the feel as if they can play without earning the right to if that makes sense so they always make stupid decisions like offloading in the second tackle 5 yards from the opposition's line so then the opposition pick the ball up and run up field - the mount of ground other teams have made from our own spilt ball directly through poor decision making has been absolutely shocking.
If the team can simply play a more conservative game in the 1st 20 then we're less likely to run out of gas in the last 20 as has happened so often this year but I feel only the return of Green IMO is gonna redress our shocking and poor game management because I think Dobson needs Green alongside him to rein him in a bit.
If the team can just steady themselves hopefully we'll see more Hudds performances and less like today where we got turned over by basic, conservative and most importantly, patient football from FC.
