Salford reflections

[cpwigan]

What a strange game. For the first 15 minutes it looked like a question of how many we would score. Salford were abysmal and we took full advantage. Somehow the game slipped from being a walking in the park to quite boring. We seem to struggle v small players centre field who even just running across field cause our defence problems. Salford bringing Smith on at 9 helped that form of attack. We were never going to lose but what should have been 60 or 70 nil turned into a respectable score for Salford.

Cameron Phelps showed why he is not the answer to Wigan's FB tonight with a defensive effort that Richie Mathers would have been proud of. Beaten all ends up by a forward for Salford's first try and then thrown off by Jewitt whilst catching bombs or not became a good attacking ploy for Salford with Phelps / Roberts looking shaky.

Worrying injury for Carmont. Hock had to come baxck on to play centre/wing.

Crazy selections. Tomkins went from MOM last week to water boy tonight. We showed last week that you do not need 4 props v Salford so what does Noble do? Selects 4 forwards incl 2 props as reserves.

MOM? Hard to say. Tommy did his usual, a short but brilliant came spot and then faded into the background. Smith a few decent touches early. Probably Richards.

[R Douglas]

Good summary CP.

Am working in and living near Milton Keynes at mo and was unable to get up for the game. Did anyone really stand out? How bad was Carmont's injury? How was Smith's return? Couldn't understand leaving Tomkins out myself. He had a rest 2 weeks ago. How were our season's under performers Riddell and Fielden?

[Mike]

Crazy selections. Tomkins went from MOM last week to water boy tonight.

Tomkins left out to save him for England match next week according to GMR. "Duty of Care"?

[cpwigan]

Crazy selections. Tomkins went from MOM last week to water boy tonight.

Tomkins left out to save him for England match next week according to GMR. "Duty of Care"?

Only problem with that Mike is Tony Smith has publically said Sam is in the squad for experience and will only play in an emergency.

Oh there was a younger scrum half getting battered on the other team and a 6 Sam's age. Still Sam did carry the kicking tee well and followed H & S requirements whilst completing the task

[First Try Tickle]

It was all working so well, then Fielden came on and the forward momevent stopped. Also when Piggy went off we seem to lose some direction.

Then after the break it became the Ian Smith show, he must have left his whistle in the changing rooms in the first half, so made up for it in the second, and ruined the match.

MOM for me was Riddell, closly followed by Prescott.

Smith did ok, Fielden was dire.

[highland convert]

We won but the reflections were so quick off the mark, no congratulations and no mention of the score,
Well done lads, in top eight at last Jim

[cherrywarrior]

Smith was v good, the performance was just abit disjointed, there is a good team in there, we just got killed with stupid penalties, needs to be sorted by Noble, I dont really think anyone stood out as being really bad...

Can I just say though (and I may got shot down for this) I prefer to have Cameron at fullback and Pat on the wing for the simple reason that I think Cameron is a better attacking fullback...

[cpwigan]

Good summary CP.

Am working in and living near Milton Keynes at mo and was unable to get up for the game. Did anyone really stand out? How bad was Carmont's injury? How was Smith's return? Couldn't understand leaving Tomkins out myself. He had a rest 2 weeks ago. How were our season's under performers Riddell and Fielden?

Carmont was holding his shoulder in the first half and had treatment on it but in the second half it seemed to go again and they had to take him off.

Weird. I think we played better v them overally last week when lots of forwards stood out. This week it looked like men against boys at the start with Salford looking hopeless and the South Stand mocking them chanting what a load of rubbish. We kept moving the ball out wide and finding overlaps. We even scored a try from a play that we had been pracytising in the warm up. It really looked a case of how many with us scoring more than a point a minute.

Thereafter it just became very poor RL. Salford gave up trying to bash through us with 1 man drives and players started scooting, running sideways and our forwards who looked great v player trying to run over them started to look ponderous at times.

Lockers was good value as per usual but Tommy / Smith and Hock after being very good in the first 15 went quieter and quieter. Game was crying out for Tomkins to come on as a player not the water boy.

Lockers took a knock too.

Myler whilst looking decent is no great shakes defensively.

Goulding did okay on the wing for Salford.

[R Douglas]

It was all working so well, then Fielden came on and the forward momevent stopped. Also when Piggy went off we seem to lose some direction.

Then after the break it became the Ian Smith show, he must have left his whistle in the changing rooms in the first half, so made up for it in the second, and ruined the match.

MOM for me was Riddell, closly followed by Prescott.

Smith did ok, Fielden was dire.

Cheers FTT, good summary

[cpwigan]

Smith was v good, the performance was just abit disjointed, there is a good team in there, we just got killed with stupid penalties, needs to be sorted by Noble, I dont really think anyone stood out as being really bad...

Can I just say though (and I may got shot down for this) I prefer to have Cameron at fullback and Pat on the wing for the simple reason that I think Cameron is a better attacking fullback...

Only problem with that Cherry is that what did he do tonight on attack? I honestly think Stefan Marsh or Josh Vievers are as good. Fullbacks have to be brilliant attackers in today's game. Well at least in the NRL.

What did people think of Amos tonight? frustrating player IMO, you can see quality but it is just not there 100% for some reason.