So what has happened with all you doom and gloom merchants??

[Nailsworthstiger]

Now that the Tigers are back to winning ways especially after tonight's brilliant 2nd half it just shows that with a full compliment, the Tigers are a match for anyone.

With all the discussion threads during the world cup about how we're past it, haven't a hope and Cockers should go... what are you saying now?

IMO you doom and gloomers watch too much football and get too carried away with the idea that if your team are loosing, get rid of the boss.

The way of the last two games, I suspect we will be in the top 4 come May and who knows with the HC.

Come on the Tigers!!!

[Darc Tiger]

They were around at HT for sure. But it is just frustration (deserved) from our poor start to the season.

Hopefully we are back with a vengeance now and the boys can continue to keep them quiet. This side is very strong when fit and firing.

[Nailsworthstiger]

It may of been frustrating Darc Tiger but with 21 first teamers away what more did we expect?

[Darc Tiger]

Unfortunate, and the vast majority would have taken that into consideration, but our fans demand the best, no matter what the situation. That is the curse of success.

[fleabane]

In his post march discussion on ESPN, Cockerill admitted that a better team would have seen off Tigers.

Doom and gloom is not dead.

[kingneptuneii]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, our big boys are back and there are plenty of teams that are owed a right good kicking!!

[Eon]

We are relieved.

But this is only one league step, and we must win this well, week in and week out to finish well this season.

Bloomin' delighted though.

[Kinoulton]

I watch far too much football but I was never doom & gloom in any of my posts. Check 'em.

Our only fear now is the maths.

It's a long way up the table, especially if our major rivals keep winning.

[g]

Still early days yet, after all it was only Sale last night and as Cockerill said a better team would have beaten Tigers. Lets see how they get on against teams like Saints, Saracens,Quins etc. After all Tigers full compliment of players cannot beat Saracens at the moment, for me they are the team to beat and not Tigers and we seem to be unable to beat them at the moment.Good win last night but I'm not overly sure Tigers will make top 4 this season maybe top 6 but not top 4.I wait with baited breath.

[Big Dai]

That first half display was utter rubbish, even the most rose tinted of the happy clappy brigade would realise that. Better sides would have buried the Tigers before half time. My language at the telly was truly abysmal and I apologise to those around me who had to hear it. But it was trash.

We were fortunate Sale keeled over. Other sides will not. I'm not a gloom and doom merchant but a realist. All the reasons for the poor start are accepted BUT now the maths, as already pointed out on here, is/are against us.

If we are prone to scatty and headless rugby, laiden with mistakes then league pressure will only serve to increase the odds of a Sale first half reoccuring. We have another difficult period to navigate through during the six nations. It ain't going to be easy.

I remain convinced that maintaining a squad with such a high proportion of international class players is not the way to win the premiership as the rules stand.

[fleabane]

That is the doom and gloom, Kinny. Plus the 6N.

Our underperformance at the start of the season, the matches Cockerill tells us we should have won, is what for me defines the quality of the coaching. People saying "it's because we were missing so many players" miss the point. By our own admission we lost matches we should have won. Players were not motivated, there was a lack of energy and commitment on the pitch, and a seeming inability to address these issues off the pitch. Our first half performance last night did not show me that these issues had disappeared with the return of the WC players.

We can only lose 2 more matches if we are to be sure of a playoff place. As Kinny says, how well other teams play will define our success or failure, but it is against those teams we benchmark ourself.

Doom and gloom is a shadow which casts itself over the rest of the season.

[G.K]

Here were go again, the Doom and Gloom vs the Blind Faith mechants.

Actually most of us are somewhere in the middle and try and give an honest opinion on things as we see it and that depends very much on each result.

[Isambard]

Me too I say it as I see it. I pay to see a season's worth of rugby. We are now 9th instead of 11th. I just expect players to play for the shirt, always, and they haven't for most of this season. That's the responsibility of the management and the players.
I don't mind where we come in the final table, if the rugby that is played shows pride in the shirt.

[Big Dai]

.......But on the up side Castro scored so me mam slept with a sloe gin powered smile on her face, cuddling the pillow!

[hugh78]

good coaching or not,playing for the shirt or not, what we DO now have is a bench capable of changing things.I think we have that over most other clubs. Castro,Mafi,T Youngs etc is a lot of grunt to throw at a tiring defense. Previously we have had a bench that has hardly been used/coaches have been (probably justifiably) too cautious to use. This situation should only improve with returnees. What the coaching staff must now do is sort out 80 minutes of rugby (that has been a gripe on here for many seasons), if THAT does not get rectified then more criticism is justified in my book.

I agree that a better team would not have folded like Sale BUT I also think that statement is a dig by Cockers at the hype that has been surrounding Sale recently. They are not that good.