The issue is with the backs. We can all see it without any coaching or rugby league qualifications.

Smith was wax lyrical about Eden and Hardaker last week and on 95.1 last night. Someone should have told him they were both available in the off season.

And if our pack are getting beat our half backs make too many mistakes like kicking out on the full a few times,

Hardaker what i have seen of him the last few weeks has impressed me, it looks like he has grown up a bit and started to take it serious

Today's game was played down the middle by us. With a heavy pitch with a RU game on it last night and bad weather you would have thought that we would have a heavy bench for replacements. But we had one prop forward interchange in Westwood. Other than that lightweight Dwyer who has still to find his form since before he was hurt last season, Blyth just back from Bradford, and young Livett. Massive improvement required for Wigan game.

I agree, i thought we would struggle when i saw the lack of forwards

We may have ongoing issues with the backs....but they didn't loose us the game....the lightweight pack did.

I'd have rather us lost the world club friendly than lost this.
Disappointing and embarrassing.
Not wanting to take anything away from Salford either....they was way understrength today.

Save us your usual after match bilge Tony + thanx for all you've done but please just go + take Agar with you.

Seen it all before. At some stage we'll have a few good wins then all of this will be forgotten. On paper we've got potentially the best pack in the league but unfortunately we've not yet had them on the same team sheet.

Unfortunately we also have one of the worse back lines....... Can't remember seeing such a poor centre and wing pairing, especially for a team that has grand final aspirations.

Patton is no good , id rather livett start

I wouldn't worry about us ( Wigan) too much, looks like you'll be facing our 5th and 6th choice wingers. Manfredi, Burgess and Tierney out injured, Escare still covering fullback for Tomkins. Your backline will have a field day against two teenagers in Marshall and Davies.

Hill and Currie being out is really hurting you because with them your pack can then paper over the cracks that your backs are responsible for.

I had a conversation with a Wire fan in pre season in a pub in Wigan after he overheard me in a conversation with friends slating Wires back line. I stated then I didn't see why they could have some people backing them as having the best 17 in superleague because the 1-7 is decidedly average. There's a lack of pace in the halves, no creativity in the centres and little threat on the wings.

I certainly don't say that from a point of view of trying to get a rise but because that was and is my genuine opinion. I can't get my head round why Smith hasn't rebuilt the backline because to me it was clearly needed.

You, us, anyone with eyes can see it. Everyone except those that matter.

It's classic Arsene Wenger syndrome

Here is my review of todays game. wirerantings.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... -down.html Thanks for reading and do you think I'm right?

Here is my review of todays game. wirerantings.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... -down.html Thanks for reading and do you think I'm right?

Quote ="Fatbelly"Here is my review of todays game. wirerantings.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... -down.html Thanks for reading and do you think I'm right?'" Really good read that. I really hope we can turn things around on Thursday but I fear the worst. It could be us, Saints and Leeds in the bottom 4 at this rate- who would have predicted that at the start of the season.

Quote ="Fatbelly"Here is my review of todays game. wirerantings.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... -down.html Thanks for reading and do you think I'm right?'" Really good read that. I really hope we can turn things around on Thursday but I fear the worst. It could be us, Saints and Leeds in the bottom 4 at this rate- who would have predicted that at the start of the season.

Quote ="Fatbelly"Here is my review of todays game. wirerantings.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... -down.html Thanks for reading and do you think I'm right?'" I think the problem you have in that article is that you show how easy it is for people to judge teams based on reputation alone. There are not any easy games in SL anymore. Salford were down key personnel and you got a couple of iffy calls for two tries. It shows that if a team doesn't turn up with the right attitude and enthusiasm, no matter who is on the team sheet, they're going to get beat more often than not. Not for me to judge who should be to blame on your end of things. The players? The coaches? Just an off day? Early days yet for all that, and I'm sure that Wire will not be groping around the basement come the end of the season.

Quote ="Fatbelly"Here is my review of todays game. wirerantings.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... -down.html Thanks for reading and do you think I'm right?'" I think the problem you have in that article is that you show how easy it is for people to judge teams based on reputation alone. There are not any easy games in SL anymore. Salford were down key personnel and you got a couple of iffy calls for two tries. It shows that if a team doesn't turn up with the right attitude and enthusiasm, no matter who is on the team sheet, they're going to get beat more often than not. Not for me to judge who should be to blame on your end of things. The players? The coaches? Just an off day? Early days yet for all that, and I'm sure that Wire will not be groping around the basement come the end of the season.

I thought we played better last week against Cas. We lacked enterprise today in the attack & didn't help ourselves with not respecting possession & the penalty count & once again allowed our opponents to make more ground with the ball.I thought the performance was very flat today & very one dimensional.

We struggled in this fixture last year & were lucky that Sandow got the drop goal.

Like it was for the last 3 months of last season and into this

Fair comments. I was not at the game yesterday but Wire did not exactly walk over Salford this time last year, did we? We also lost to a Castleord side that has been playing some of the best rugby in Superleague in patches last season and consistently this one. No doubt in my mind that Wire will improve, but maybe Salford have improved already this season.

I think that's fair.

Salford have kept its core of players together and strengthened where required on last season. That cohesion through the spine with GoB, Dobson and Lui has helped us so far in the early stages where some teams have struggled to get up to speed. As for Wire, you seem a little disjointed at the moment (barring the WCC win) but you'd be in a better position to comment as to why than me. It's a marathon and not a sprint, so I don't think it's time to panic just yet.

Your game next week should be a cracker.

A few on here have got it spot on. Ask any non wire fan who out of our 17 yesterday would they want in their side.....Clark? Savielo? That's about it. Our 1-7 is distinctly average...we have a lightweight pack which Chris Hill has carried for 2 years...and clueless in attack.

I'm starting to question if Smith is as good as we think he is or if he has just been blessed with a good core of players for a few years.

For the money we have spent, his acquisitions have been poor. We are lacking on the wings, pack, centres, back line and these have been evident for 2 years. His role as a coach is to spot these issues and address them.

We have gone backwards over the last 3 years which has been clouded by some poor sides around us. We are getting found out this year.

And don't get me started on the acquisition of Agar.......

I honestly believe that we have been spiralling downwards since our best season in 2011. The club has just been lucky that the general quality in the game has also fallen & it has made us look better than we have been for a few years now. Unfortunately, some of these clubs that were "also rans" are finding ways of winning, & many are doing it with other clubs cast offs. Wigan did it with bringing youth through. I think coaching must be the way forward & the likes of Powell ,Wane & Watson are doing the biz & showing us the way.

Whilst 0-3 isn't a good start for you lot I'm not sure you should be in panic mode just yet. It doesn't need saying that your back line/HB partnership is woefully inadequate for a team with serious top 4 aspirations but if/when you can get a full pack out on the park you'll no doubt bully a few teams into submission. What surprised me yesterday was that you missed your big names more than we did. We've had no back row for the first 3 games (BMM & Weller) and missing Evalds and J Carney I thought would really hurt us yesterday. Our first choice, fully fit 17 is actually pretty decent and while a million miles away from competing with the top teams on a consistent basis we're more than capable of pulling off a few shock results. If we can just be more consistent agaimst the lesser teams then I'm quietly confident we can sneak into the top 8 this season. If we can get Todd Carney fit, firing & find a way to utilise Lui, Dobson & Carney in our 17 we may just ruffle a few feathers. I think Cas have hit the nail on the head this year and show that you don't need 17 world beaters to mould into a decent team. Cas have some very good players but they are a "team" who are extremely well coached and a pleasure to watch.

Not sure what young players you've got to bring in but not convinced by the likes of Patton & Evans at all. Hughes looks a really decent player, big & mobile, and can see him developing into a more than able replacement for Westwood who looks like father time has finally caught up with him. A pack of Sims, Clarke, Hill, Hughes, Currie & Westerman is up there with the best in the league.

It's just nice to finally get one over on Wire after we got ambushed last year. 4 points from 8 isn't a bad start (could/should have been 6 after Leeds). Just hope we can back it up next week at Wakey and build a bit of momentum.

Forgot to add Savelio into that last post. Really liked the look of him at Saints and throw him in the mix and don't think you should have any pack concerns at all.