30 Mar: SL: Salford Red Devils v St Helens KO 8pm (TV)

[Padge]

Saints tactics.

 

[johnh1]

Just back from the pub. So proud to be a Salford fan tonight. What a performance that was. Flanagan's tackle the highlight. And Dobson. For someone on the Salford forum who thinks he is past it, he or she needs to go and lie down in a dark room for a while. Great stuff.

[Celtic Rooster]

Well done to Salford for beating Saints and making my night shift a happy one. So pleased for all my long suffering Salford supporting mates and I am over the proverbial moon for Ian Watson. Well done Marwan for sticking with a local lad. Might make the Leigh game. I think my team have a late kick off so I could do both.

[GaryO]

9 hours ago, Hvy wg said:

Ryan Morgan is average at best and certainly not a good finisher.

On the evidence I have seen of him, certainly one of the weaker centres in the SL, and having watched the Championship for a number of seasons heed is no better than most in that league, an example of another SL club being hoodwinked by an Australian accent.

[Lowdesert]

8 hours ago, tonyXIII said:

Castleford, Widnes and now Saints. That's three wins on the trot. It's a long time since we've done that.

Very Happy! Next up is Hull. Can we make it four?

 

No.

[Sco77]

Well played Salford, another well deserved 2 points. 

[GaryO]

8 hours ago, Padge said:

 

I was given the understanding that Long had been brought in to inject the flair?

 

He did not do to bad in that role with Samoa in the '14 Four Nations Padge, maybe he is under the influence of Cunningham and being shackled as we keep being advised by quite a lot of the Saints fans.

After watching a set of players last season in Saints jerseys masquerading as representatives of a club that has been synonymous with a large degree entertainment and style down the years, I do believe that the coach is very responsible in the dour lacklustre performances they are now serving up, I also thought that last season's final placings was his "get out of jail card" ably assisted by moreso underperforming Leeds and Huddersfield, If that League placing also persuaded McManus to go round with him again this season, then all things considered he should be reviewing the situation.

[Saint Toppy]

41 minutes ago, GaryO said:

He did not do to bad in that role with Samoa in the '14 Four Nations Padge, maybe he is under the influence of Cunningham and being shackled as we keep being advised by quite a lot of the Saints fans.

After watching a set of players last season in Saints jerseys masquerading as representatives of a club that has been synonymous with a large degree entertainment and style down the years, I do believe that the coach is very responsible in the dour lacklustre performances they are now serving up, I also thought that last season's final placings was his "get out of jail card" ably assisted by moreso underperforming Leeds and Huddersfield, If that League placing also persuaded McManus to go round with him again this season, then all things considered he should be reviewing the situation.

Last season was something of a false dawn for Saints and Cunningham. For most of the season they were awful and they took some real beatings in games. They managed a good run of around 10 games which got them a top 4 place and saved Cunningham's blushes, but in reality the top 4 place was more down to Catalans total implosion.

I know its still early on but I think their whole season rests on next weeks game against Huddersfield. In all likelihood Saints are in for a torrid Easter playing Wigan & Cas. If they lose next week then its highly likely they'll be rooted in the bottom 4 after 10 games and really struggling. The best they can then hope for would be to just scrape into the top 8 and avoid the jeopardy of the middle 8's.

A win next week would keep their heads above water for a little while longer, and while I don't like to see the team struggle a win would probably save Cunningham's job and mean us having to watch terrible rugby from now until September. A loss next week and 2 hammerings over Easter may finally force McManus's hand and do what pretty much every Saints fan wants - sack Cunningham ! 

[Kenilworth Tiger]

Really enjoyed this game and well done to Salford but my oh my how poor are Saints? With the territory they had they should have put 30 past Salford. While the goal line defence from Salford was commendable they were hardly stretched across the park.

 

 

[Saint Toppy]

1 hour ago, Kenilworth Tiger said:

Really enjoyed this game and well done to Salford but my oh my how poor are Saints? With the territory they had they should have put 30 past Salford. While the goal line defence from Salford was commendable they were hardly stretched across the park.

 

 

Moving the ball away from the middle 1/3rd of the pitch just doesn't fit with Cunningham's 'grind' tactics 

[Saint Toppy]

9 minutes ago, Saint 1 said:

If you can't see the merit of having Long as a defensive coach, maybe the issue is you don't know enough about coaching. Most defensive coaching now is to do with the structures involved rather than tackle technique - do you not think Long would be good at noticing flaws in defensive structures? Beyond this, aptitude in a particular skill as a player doesn't necessarily mean it will be what you are best at coaching. 

Yeah, I can't possibly see why losing your standoff, moving your fullback to standoff and putting a winger who can't pass at fullback would affect your attacking width! 

and how's that working out since Long took over that role ? The results speak for themselves - AWFUL !

You've been well & truly taken in by Cunningham's guff. We could have Thurston & Cronk in the halves and Inglis in the backs and we'd still be playing exactly the same way of 5 drives up the middle 1/3rd of the pitch.

There were times last night that Salford were out on their feet, with huge gaps out wide, yet we still persisted with the same up the middle tactics. We had internationals Smith & Lomax out there but still we persisted with a forward grind up the middle.

Its not just this season either. Over the last few years we've had Walsh, Burns & Fages all playing in the halves and still we played predominantly up the middle 1/3rd through 1 out drives with the forwards.

This team plays exactly to Cunninghams plans & tactics, and its this that is ruining the club and driving away fans. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

I really enjoyed the match which contained a lot of really good play. 

For Salford, their spine is as good as any in the league and they have threats everywhere. Wigan were very lucky to catch them cold as they will be very hard to beat at home. Once Todd C gets ready to play 80 minutes they will be a threat to anyone. Luck with injuries and top 4 a distinct possibility. Wonderful to see. They won because they were the better side, which brings me to...

Saints, whose problems stem as much from recruitment as they do coaching (though am guessing the coach leads the way on recruitment). I think they have the weakest back line in the league -certainly in the bottom 4. Matty Smith will give them a very good kicking game and reads the game well but is static, Lomax and Makinson are not improving (despite Sky looking for reasons to big them up). The Widnesian is their shining light - turning into a superb player - but one man is not enough. Which means that route 1 becomes their best option. They certainly have enough big forwards to make dents but I can't see that being enough for the top 4. They do though have a resilience and sufficient skill in the team not to be concnerend about the bottom 4. 

 

[Col81]

No players after the firs 14/15 squad members so we have no replacements. i did say that how could we let 10 players go and sign 5??? obviously saving money on the cap. I am banned off the REDVEE for expressing my thoughts what a set of clowns running that site. Cant handle the thruth. WALSH, BURNS, SAVELIO, TASI, ETC ETC THE LIST GOES ON OH AND GREENWOOD

[Lowdesert]

5 hours ago, Col81 said:

No players after the firs 14/15 squad members so we have no replacements. i did say that how could we let 10 players go and sign 5??? obviously saving money on the cap. I am banned off the REDVEE for expressing my thoughts what a set of clowns running that site. Cant handle the thruth. WALSH, BURNS, SAVELIO, TASI, ETC ETC THE LIST GOES ON OH AND GREENWOOD

Les Quirk as well.