Squad v Wire

[lucky 13]

Not sure what the answer is but when we was in our best form of the season, the three derby's, Miski and his yardage off the wing was a massive plus. I think that gave us better balance than French at wing where we lose the hard yardage and his brilliant eye for the spectacular. Out of those games our attack was at it's best against Leigh. I think judging Miski on the wing French at 1 and Jai 6 on the back of us missing three props and both first and second choice right second rows is a massive knee jerk.
Shorrocks for me is the perfect sub he covers a lot of options that won't lose you a game. Our pack is getting beaten at the moment but I also think maybe a little unrest under the surface, we have players fighting for contracts and places in a losing side.
We have also seen a couple of dropped players according to coaches, I'm guessing here but maybe reactions to this haven't been what's expected?
With players back I hope we can get back on track on not lose faith with a spine that could be very special with the forwards to provide the platform.

[ian.birchall]

I agree with Pieman regarding Mago. I say this knowing he was so sloppy against the Giants he was lucky to get back in the side but his big strength is his off loading ability.
I would like to see him going back to offloading, sensibly, but 3 or 4 times in the game on Sunday, on the half way line to Field on his in or outside and once or twice 10-15 yards out to Havard just behind him.
2 tries like that will do for me, here's hoping.

[josie andrews]

I think at som point we have to admit that Wigans squad just isn’t good enough.

We got lucky last year with a few things
- Fields form
- Not too many injuries
- Mago was effective with Cooper
- Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent
- Farrell, Cust and Smith all had good years.

Think its a bit harsh to say we got lucky

We signed Field because someone had seen what he can do. his performances where what the club was expecting, so i wouldnt say lucky, but a good signing performing how he should do

Not too many injuries - i'd disagree with that one too. We seem to have long runs of players being out, but we just get on with it and dont moan unlike other clubs. Now there is something club could proactively do and that is look at the conditioning / training etc if we are getting repetitive injury types across the squad and over a number of season. Many have commented how Saints hardly seem to lose any players to injury - perhaps 1 or 2, but even this season we have lost 2 stand offs, 4 starting props and 2 2nd rowers. The last season we have had our 2nd rows playing mainly as centres

Mago was effective - dont think many would agree with that. I actually think he has become less effective, as his time here has gone on. Initially he was explosive into the tackle and had an offload, which started to reduce. Now he just seems to go into the tackle without the offload, and his game time appears to be getting less

Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent. Its been said for the last few seasons, that Saints have only won it because there is no competition. thats for the rest of us to improve and match their intensity, as they arent a particularly attractive team to watch, but can win the big games. We've been there or there abouts for the recent years, but not good enough to win the GF. We didnt win the challenge cup because we were lucky. I've posted before i dont think we played particularly well on the day, but Watson is so structured / boring in his style of play, they created nothing for all the possession and territory that they had. We created chances, but took them and won the cup.

Farrell, Cust and Smith had good seasons. Farrell has had umpteen good seasons and has been a regular 2nd row in the team of the year. Cust was signed to play 6 and had a reasonable season. Smith, after being hammered in Lams last season delivered what most of us think he can do. yes, he's struggling a bit at the minute, but he's not had a consistent 6 play alongside him all season, and behind a decimated pack

At the minute i think most fans would agree that the team isnt playing well. we have gone from conceding less than 1.5 tries per game in the 1st 7 or 8 matches, to over 5 per game. So there is something not right defensively. has that coincided with our starting props being out, yes it has. (see above comment re injury and where i think the club could be proactive, if they arent already). we've started a handful of matches with a player who was out on loan at Leigh at the start of the season as our no 6. He would admit, he aint a no 6, but was happy to fill in there as our 1st 3 no 6 were out injured, 2 picked up through the season. So as you can see, IMO there is a definite correlation between the dip in performances, and the number of injuries we have picked up. In recent seasons we have gone with a slightly larger squad, but maybe not the same quality (although some on here will argue we havent had any quality for a number of years), and at the minute that is biting a bit as we are giving some of the younger lads probably too much game time at the wrong time i.e. not because we are playing well and can introduce them, but cos we are knackered and squad numbers are decimated

That’s a cracking summation pieman

[keptinthedarkfans]

I think at som point we have to admit that Wigans squad just isn’t good enough.

We got lucky last year with a few things
- Fields form
- Not too many injuries
- Mago was effective with Cooper
- Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent
- Farrell, Cust and Smith all had good years.

Think its a bit harsh to say we got lucky

We signed Field because someone had seen what he can do. his performances where what the club was expecting, so i wouldnt say lucky, but a good signing performing how he should do

Not too many injuries - i'd disagree with that one too. We seem to have long runs of players being out, but we just get on with it and dont moan unlike other clubs. Now there is something club could proactively do and that is look at the conditioning / training etc if we are getting repetitive injury types across the squad and over a number of season. Many have commented how Saints hardly seem to lose any players to injury - perhaps 1 or 2, but even this season we have lost 2 stand offs, 4 starting props and 2 2nd rowers. The last season we have had our 2nd rows playing mainly as centres

Mago was effective - dont think many would agree with that. I actually think he has become less effective, as his time here has gone on. Initially he was explosive into the tackle and had an offload, which started to reduce. Now he just seems to go into the tackle without the offload, and his game time appears to be getting less

Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent. Its been said for the last few seasons, that Saints have only won it because there is no competition. thats for the rest of us to improve and match their intensity, as they arent a particularly attractive team to watch, but can win the big games. We've been there or there abouts for the recent years, but not good enough to win the GF. We didnt win the challenge cup because we were lucky. I've posted before i dont think we played particularly well on the day, but Watson is so structured / boring in his style of play, they created nothing for all the possession and territory that they had. We created chances, but took them and won the cup.

Farrell, Cust and Smith had good seasons. Farrell has had umpteen good seasons and has been a regular 2nd row in the team of the year. Cust was signed to play 6 and had a reasonable season. Smith, after being hammered in Lams last season delivered what most of us think he can do. yes, he's struggling a bit at the minute, but he's not had a consistent 6 play alongside him all season, and behind a decimated pack

At the minute i think most fans would agree that the team isnt playing well. we have gone from conceding less than 1.5 tries per game in the 1st 7 or 8 matches, to over 5 per game. So there is something not right defensively. has that coincided with our starting props being out, yes it has. (see above comment re injury and where i think the club could be proactive, if they arent already). we've started a handful of matches with a player who was out on loan at Leigh at the start of the season as our no 6. He would admit, he aint a no 6, but was happy to fill in there as our 1st 3 no 6 were out injured, 2 picked up through the season. So as you can see, IMO there is a definite correlation between the dip in performances, and the number of injuries we have picked up. In recent seasons we have gone with a slightly larger squad, but maybe not the same quality (although some on here will argue we havent had any quality for a number of years), and at the minute that is biting a bit as we are giving some of the younger lads probably too much game time at the wrong time i.e. not because we are playing well and can introduce them, but cos we are knackered and squad numbers are decimated

That’s a cracking summation pieman

[Blackpool_Pie]

Field
French
King
Wardle
Marshall

Cust
Smith

Singleton
ONeil
Byrne
Farrell
Ellis
Smithies

Havard Mago Nsemba Shorrocks

[Suzieb]

We as fans are left thinking what our lineup will be tomorrow this cannot be right the coach does to much chopping and changing for me

[keptinthedarkfans]

We as fans are left thinking what our lineup will be tomorrow this cannot be right the coach does to much chopping and changing for me

Do you never stop whingeing about the club.
Are you sure your a fan. Most of us believe matty will put out a team he thinks will win the game.
Try saying something positive about the club.
And that's from a keptinthedarkfans .
(By the way the name was picked as a joke because of whingers)

[Suzieb]

The answer to your question is no I don’t and I have watched Wigan for 50 years how about you and I pay good money in hard times to watch crap

[Firestarter]

It is very annoying when we are losing to teams who are destroying us with wigan lads.Something not right somewhere

[Blackpool_Pie]

Does anyone remember the season we nearly went down? Attendances rose and we got behind the team even though looking through the squad it really lacked quality.

We are miles ahead quality wise where we were at that point yet we constantly have people moaning left right and centre calling out everyone from the coaching staff, the owners and the players. It's also been said on here someone thinks it would be better if the club don't win anything.

Well how about we just get behind the lads during this poor run and stop all this toxic sniping all the time. It's frustrating to see us in this slump, absolutely, but creating a toxic atmosphere and not going to games is not the answer. We have no divine right to win every game and yes, everyone wishes we could win more trophies (or at least most of us do) and wish we could play the best rugby and win more games but this is part of supporting a sports team. You have to take the rough with the smooth