Quote ="wiganermike"DaveO
All who watch our games will notice that we launch attacks predominantly on the left flank. This is due to the attacking prowess of Hock as he provides our best option of going forward. As a result the centre-wing combination on the left sees much more ball than that on the right. Given much more opportunity to run at players with the ball any player has a greater chance of breaking tackles or breaking through the line so is likely to fare better in these stats. If player A does one or the other 50% of the time when having the ball and player B does so 20% of the time but B gets the ball three times more often than A then B will have made more tackle busts and line breaks but is not a more effective player. These are not definitive figures but are just used to illustrate that stats can be misleading.
Roberts has only played on the right wing (apart from 2 at FB), Ainscough has only played on the left wing. They play in a team that almost always attacks down the left and very rarely on the right so their stats will be affected by this.'"
And even if we accept this line of argument he does not, as I said make use of the opportunities he does get presented with.
Quote Many people criticise Roberts for not being able to fly for the full length of the pitch and being caught by other wingers. Not every winger can go the full length it's part of what makes the ones who can so revered. I can only remember one of Ainscough's tries being long range so he probably can't do it either.'"
Roberts was billed as a flying winger so the fact he can't go the length of the pitch means the criticism is warranted. He is not the Jason Robinson style of winger nor the "Volcano" style. [uHe is in fact Caldwwood minus the pace.[/u
Also no one has suggested Ainscough can go the length of the field but instead that he[i is[/i the Jason Robinson type. The comparison is not who can go the length of the pitch (neither can) but who is most effective out of the two.
Quote People have criticised Roberts for passing to a supporting player so that they could score. Earlier in the season Ainscough was in the same sort of position and sent Carmont in (granted his over the head pass was more spectacular) and everyone raves about what a fantastic try it was.'"
The reason he got criticised was because he had to pass because he was being caught, which I think you know.
Quote Ainscough is being eased into the team as his appearances are being limited to avoid overexposure of him. It just happens that most of his appearances came in a block due to poor form from the likes of Mathers and Pryce meaning Pat was at FB leaving Ainscough as best wing option at the time and that he was withdrawn from the team at a poorly chosen point.'"
Ainscough has only ever featured in the team when injuries or suspensions have occurred. This is a fact. Whenever we have had a full compliment of players in the backs he has not featured. This is also a fact. In the light of this to argue he is being eased into the team is IMO ridiculous. As I said I think there is every chance he will not get another game this season (knowing my luck he will play this week!) and I do not think that is an unreasonable thing to say.
Quote Don't get me wrong I am do not anti-Ainscough and am not overly impressed with what we have seen from Roberts so far. However I do think he will be able to show more what he is capable of once we start to distribute our attacks more evenly and just think that some people are being overly harsh on him in certain situations.'"
If you are no overly impressed with him why make the excuses?
At the end of the day it is a coaching issue. We have today signed Sam up until 2014 which is great and despite ruling the roost over the third placed team it is not beyond the realms of possibility he will be 18th man when we are back to full strength despite several other players form being poor who will walk into the side in positions where if they were dropped would allow Sam in. It has already happened this season and people are surely convinced he is able to handle the games. It is the same with Ainscough. Roberts form isn't good enough to be picked week on week regardless IMO but that is what is happening.
Dave