Tigers vs Worcester

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I'm sure it's just my bias, frustration, wanting us to do well and then seeing players such as Taufua unavailable, but do we tend to have more players crocked than other clubs. Our front line players always seem to be injured. Which seems to undermine consistency of selection. I never have much clue what team Tigers will put out.

Repeat - I guess its just in my head.

I sometimes feel this way as well. It's compounded during the six nations or world cup when we have so many other top players unavailable!! We just need to suck it up at the moment and wait and see what happens after the six nations.....

Cue Genge, Tuilagi and Ford getting injured.....

[fleabane]

It hardly matters who plays, if the defensive structures are as leaky as last week, and the attack so unconvincing. Individual players may bring skills and vision, but as a whole, the team did not function last week, but it must do this week if Tigers are not to end the season as the true bottom team!

[BFG]

I'm sure it's just my bias, frustration, wanting us to do well and then seeing players such as Taufua unavailable, but do we tend to have more players crocked than other clubs. Our front line players always seem to be injured. Which seems to undermine consistency of selection. I never have much clue what team Tigers will put out.

Repeat - I guess its just in my head.

Fair point, and is why the 6N should be moved, but then fleabane also makes a fair point above.
Not having Genge, Ford and May was further compounded by not having Kalamafoni and Taute to injury.
OTY lost to a ban is just another poor show and silly self inflicted wound in the circumstances.
Not going to comment on the young scrum half who played instead of Youngs because the forwards were so poor at protecting the area that it was like watching the doors open for a half price Sarries player auction.
There is no doubt here that it was shockingly poor against Sale, it just shouldn't be so and I think the table doesn't lie.

[jgriffin]

I'm sure it's just my bias, frustration, wanting us to do well and then seeing players such as Taufua unavailable, but do we tend to have more players crocked than other clubs. Our front line players always seem to be injured. Which seems to undermine consistency of selection. I never have much clue what team Tigers will put out.

Repeat - I guess its just in my head.

Fair point, and is why the 6N should be moved, but then fleabane also makes a fair point above.
Not having Genge, Ford and May was further compounded by not having Kalamafoni and Taute to injury.
OTY lost to a ban is just another poor show and silly self inflicted wound in the circumstances.
Not going to comment on the young scrum half who played instead of Youngs because the forwards were so poor at protecting the area that it was like watching the doors open for a half price Sarries player auction.
There is no doubt here that it was shockingly poor against Sale, it just shouldn't be so and I think the table doesn't lie.

We've been shockingly poor since the first game of the2017 season, indeed long before that TBH in patches.

[Tigerbeat]

The back row and half backs have been a big loss. White and Hardwick are not up there to read and control a game at the moment and may get their eventually. The loss of Manu and May has left us with a very weak backline and as a result has been dysfunctional with no sharp edge in attack.
To date the strongest team has not taken to the field in my opinion.

[jgriffin]

The back row and half backs have been a big loss. White and Hardwick are not up there to read and control a game at the moment and may get their eventually. The loss of Manu and May has left us with a very weak backline and as a result has been dysfunctional with no sharp edge in attack.
To date the strongest team has not taken to the field in my opinion.

I'd agree heartily with that. We would be, IMO, centre table at worst if we had a clean run with a full side.

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I think we would be in the play offs if we got a decent fun with our first team.
Hopefully after the six nations and early next season with out the WC we will be a lot better.

[BFG]

I'm sure it's just my bias, frustration, wanting us to do well and then seeing players such as Taufua unavailable, but do we tend to have more players crocked than other clubs. Our front line players always seem to be injured. Which seems to undermine consistency of selection. I never have much clue what team Tigers will put out.

Repeat - I guess its just in my head.

Fair point, and is why the 6N should be moved, but then fleabane also makes a fair point above.
Not having Genge, Ford and May was further compounded by not having Kalamafoni and Taute to injury.
OTY lost to a ban is just another poor show and silly self inflicted wound in the circumstances.
Not going to comment on the young scrum half who played instead of Youngs because the forwards were so poor at protecting the area that it was like watching the doors open for a half price Sarries player auction.
There is no doubt here that it was shockingly poor against Sale, it just shouldn't be so and I think the table doesn't lie.

We've been shockingly poor since the first game of the2017 season, indeed long before that TBH in patches.

Indeed we have been shockingly poor since then.
It's a shame really as although I thought a win would be a big ask away at Sale still it was a big opportunity for some newer names to put up a fight for places with a competitive performance but sadly the even bigger names were a bit of a let down.
That's happened a few times.

[sam16111986]

The back row and half backs have been a big loss. White and Hardwick are not up there to read and control a game at the moment and may get their eventually.

I think White is developing into a class act at 9 for us. Very fiesty, his kicking game is good and he organises well. Has sniped more this season and if we can just quicken up his passing from the base a bit more and up the tempo when we need it he'll be a good option for us for years to come. He's still only 21.

Hardwick at 20 is showing signs of a good solid player. Struggled in the conditions Vs Wasps but played key roles in our wins over Gloucester and Cardiff holding his nerve to slot key late penalties. He's not a Ford or Smith style wonderkid but he's coming along nicely. I'd like to see him at 10 and Reid at 12 Vs Worcester to give us more control.

With young halfbacks you will always get a tough period as there's no other position that keeps you exposed relentlessly to pressure. Experience helps the snap decisions you have to make and though it's hard to watch now the experience those two are getting will make them better players for the future.

[TigerBoy1880]

This rings true for us:

“I’m not fussy about our style. Substance, physicality and mentality should be 10 out of 10 for us, and we should go out with confidence to make sure we get our performance right.”

“I’ve never played in a game where you get more points for being pretty. It’s not a beauty contest. Our job is to win the game.”

[JP14]

Not going to even try and pick a squad for this but I thought the attack was shocking against Sale.
I'd like to see Worth more at 10, Olowafela tried more at outside centre in attack as he has serious attacking potential to cause confusion for opposition defenders when moving onto the ball and running at pace with another runner on the outside, and Veainu on the wing with Holmes at full back.

Olowofela played at 13 I believe in the then Absolutely Worthless Cup but I’m worried that defensively he won’t be up to the job at outside centre.

[RichieB]

Well Taute is definitely out now. First it was unlikely he would be fit, then it was not as serious as first thought, now he needs an operation on his bicep. Need our midfield to step up and be counted.

[CitizenSmiff]

Yikes, we're really in it now aren't we, who on earth is going to cover the midfield now Matt Smith's retired. If there was ever a Treatment Room team competition we'd smash it every year.

[sapajo]

A chance for Viljoen to excel or bring back Andy Forsyth (again)?

[BFG]

Not going to even try and pick a squad for this but I thought the attack was shocking against Sale.
I'd like to see Worth more at 10, Olowafela tried more at outside centre in attack as he has serious attacking potential to cause confusion for opposition defenders when moving onto the ball and running at pace with another runner on the outside, and Veainu on the wing with Holmes at full back.

Olowofela played at 13 I believe in the then Absolutely Worthless Cup but I’m worried that defensively he won’t be up to the job at outside centre.

I get that but the defence is already not very good so in my opinion they may as well enhance the attacking chances and give the player the time to gain the experience to try and get better in defence.
Olowafela needs the ball on the move to flourish, the touchline limits his attacking potential in a side most often being caught so flat.
He hasn't got quick dancing feet, he is a runner with pace from depth into space.
He will only be any use on the wing if those inside him get some depth and hands going on the ball and give him some space to run at and there isn't much chance of that in a team often playing so narrow and outside Taute or Manu in a team that also often doesn't do the breakdown as well as it should.
I'd actually be quite radical and play Olowafela at 13 and Manu on one wing as a big bruiser, that'd give sides something to seriously think about and also might give the Leicester forwards a bit more space to flourish.
Leicester are too predictable.