Not that we've got any choice...but we'd be much better off losing on friday. Wigan away with them missing three first choice props is preferable to saints at home

We (i.e. Leeds) are bloody light years behind you mate. Not for me to say whether TS is the right coach to lead you but I think you've still got a decent chance for that spell of relative dominance. The losses of the likes of Briers, Morley and Westwood (albeit temporarily) leave an experience gap though.

It was Cullen's team TS had the success with!

It's a bit hard to have a light show when it hasn't gone dark!

Sunset has been half 7 for the last week, nothing stopping them doing it at half time, or just before kick off.

How many years have we been waiting for the league to be like this? Leeds reign of terror finally over and falling down a bottomless pit. Wigan totally clueless, boring and unable to score at will. Saints, No free flowing entertaining rugby played 'the saints way' with a defensive like as about as effective as a chocolate fire guard.

We've been waiting god knows how long for this moment and now when its finally come, we aren't ready.

Why do you care what other people think of you? Let them think what they want, it matters not.

Wigan sign players from all over the place, the one thing they all have instilled is an absolute desire to beat their rivals. They will not lie down, Sts are similar when they play us.

TS has got a team that have to stick to the game plan no matter what, against lower level opposition it works but when its a fight we are doomed. Getting 10+ pts ahead should signal a win.

Charnley and Tierney both got in the corners in a tight squeeze with players around them, both got the ball down (regardless of Thaler's decision), they should have been in touch by weight of numbers alone, the fight within them to score outweighed our meagre efforts in defence due to lack of fight.

Shaun Wane maybe many things but he can sure get a player motivated through passion and desire.

Over to you TS!!!

Spot on. We've not known which Worriers or Stains side is going to turn up, each week. The worst Leeds side in 2 decades, and a Hull side which is punching above it's weight, and we decide to get a dose of Delhi belly, and pooh our collective pants, each time someone threatens a 3 converted score lead.
Picture the scene, chez Goldblatt, 17 days ago. We go into an 18 point half time lead in France, and I'm a happy bunny. The Indian's ordered, and the Shiraz is breathing. We let in one try..... Typical Wire. The second try, and I'm treating it like the car is in for MOT. The 3rd, and I'm like an expectant dad on a labour ward. They take the lead, and the cat' 's cowering in the corner, and I' m sweating like Gary Glitter at a disco.
Do they do it deliberately?
Is it part of the Grinning One's master plan to do Rope-a-dope in reverse, and THEN hope we come out on top?

To use another boxing analogy, and we're looking like your typical Frank Bruno fight from the mid 80's.Hope we've got them out of sight by Round 4.Start to panic the longer it goes on, and then, pray like mad when you get to the last round.

With my usual realist head on, lose on Friday, we might as well forget about the week after's semi. We'll be punch drunk.

What a dick!

Round Pegs in Round holes, Square Pegs etc, etc, Full Back playing Full Back, Centres playing Centre and Two recognised Wingers actually works then. Was good to see the wingers, not only scoring the points but having the pace to get back and pull off try saving tackles when it counted.. Looked like a real let off of pressure from Lineham after his second try and was great to see the reaction from his team mates, also fair play to Smith for his post match comments regarding Lineham, well done to all concerned tonight, hopefully we can "kick - on" from here.

The delayed return of lineham seems to have paid off the determination on his face in everything he did was clear for all to see. Fantastic man management skills from tony and appears that Tom is fresh and has learnt lessons. As others have said the celebration of his tries with his team mates was great and shows he must be a popular member of the squad.

If i was tony smith it would be penny giving me the most headaches in terms of selections. He would keep his place for me and I would throw ratchford in as interchange 9 as unsure on brad dwyers fitness

Penny made enough errors to allow Russell back at wing if enough players make a return to force a change.
I am a fan of Penny but he miss out, I can't drop Lineham after that performance.
I hope Penny gets the chance to put up pressure on Russell and Lineham.

leave the back line as it is..half backs the tricky one do you drop young dec and move ratchford for sandow and gidley..the pack more or less picks its self..for me id start with sandow and gidley and give declan a spot on the bench..

You genuinely can't find a place for Ratchford other than that? I


He would be one of the first names on the team sheet if I were selecting the team on form.

Leave Russell at full back

Yes Rads first name for me and at HB. Gidley FB. Russell wing only because Kev messed up a couple of times.
Patten at hb until Sandown returns...unless the rumours are true.

At most KP made one mistake and he almost recovered that. The "knock on" was as clear an attack on the ball as you could see, should've been our scrum. However it may besignificant that just about the only player TS did not mention in his article in the Guardian was Penny. I think it's one of those coach/player clashes, and there is only ever one winner.

Smith doesn't have some crazy agenda against penny, he just isn't a good player. He has no rugby brain whatsoever, makes errors and is poor in contact.

He isn't a super league standard winger in my opinion, i always thought Chris Riley was the best of the two and he wasn't good enough.

Penny runs sideways alot, gets smashed a lot putting us on the back foot. He has a tendency to drop the ball, isn't good defensively and isn't a great finisher.

He actually has a good attitude, he just isn't good enough which is why Smith doesn't play him.

He has limitations, yes. I suspect that his confidence is shot to ribbons knowing that if he makes one mistake he is out of the team again. His plus points from the Hull game were that we was decent positionally in defence and was targeted with bombs in the first half which he took well, and he scored again. He had a good game against Catalans also that inside ball to finish off that long range try showed vision and execution. I like wingers who score tries and that's 2 tries and 1 assist in the last 2 games he has played. To me he is better than the alternative we have and offers such much needed pace and wide threat. Maybe he is not a top team standard super league winger, but neither is Evans. Running sideways - you would not have liked to watch Henderson Gill or Brian Bevan

Sadly, I've come to the conclusion that our judgement is a little clouded regarding Mr Penny, in the same way it was with Gareth O'Brien. He is a local boy come good, he had a rapid rise to prominence, he is likeable and, in Kevin's case, these is a lot of romanticism about his rise, fall and rise.

[iHowever[/i, we have to be objective. He made a huge error in the Catalan game which gifted Myler a try, thankfully chalked off by the VR, and he is developing the same one-handed carry approach of Ratchford, which allayed to his size and bravery does make him prone to handling errors. Everyone makes errors but KPs seem to be at crucial parts of the pitch, although that is probably due to his willingness to take the ball up.

I don't think TS has an issue with Penny. Tony was vocal in his praise for how Kevin had gone away, improved his game and come back and was equally vocal in his praise for Lineham, who was exceptional, error-free and has age on his side.

Would I keep KP for Saints? Yes, but purely because it minimises disruption elsewhere, especially to Evans and Russell who were both exceptional.

For Thursday i think the best policy is to change as little as possible from the team that won at Hull.

As for KP, if enthusiasm & pride in the jumper were marks of quality he would be a superstar. I love watching him play & sometimes entertainment value is worth more than a few flaws. As for coming inside, he would get criticised just as much for getting bundled into touch with the ball.
Some of my Saints supporting chums love Kev & they believe he would easily fit in with their style of play.

I prefer to see a winger back himself up the touchline against coming inside any day.

This.

His form before Friday was average. He was dire against Wigan.