If you want to win games, you pick the best players. Noble does not do that, so we are in a disgraceful league position and have won only two home league games out of 7.
I don't care about the excuses or the 'reasons'. Results speak for themselves. Noble must go.

Think you will find he did that earlier in the year with Smith dont think he is scared to tell players they are dropped.

Yeah, cos we had a Great one before he came in didn't we!

MY take in it, He has to decide 4 from 5 if all are fit!

He either picks 2 x HB's & 2 x Hookers

OR

As I would do, Play 3 HB's with 1 off the Bench (ST for me) and drop either Riddell or MM (I would play Riddell).

Put it this way, if i were sat in the Salford dressing room and heard that a lad that caused us no end of problems in the 2nd half last week wasn't playing i'd be more then happy!

I can't get away from the fact that it's the easiest option for Nobby to drop Sam Tomkins.

We can try and think of all sorts of other reasons why but that one just keeps coming to the front of the queue.

The only 2 people that know the reason is Noble and Sam not you not me nor any other person on here we dont even know for sure if he is not playing yet team line ups have been changed at the last min.
Could be Mind games

It would have been easier for him to drop McCollorum IMO but he hasn't??

Great minds think alike.

Or fools seldom differ.

Take your pick.

He had no other choice but to drop Smith after his horrible defensive display.

Noble only plays the kids when his hand is forced and he has no other options. When they perhaps do nothing spectacular or make a little mistake he is quick to drop them, Ainscough being the prime example. Fair enough drop them for a week or so but to leave him out of the team as long as he has is complete joke.

Reverse this and look at perhaps more senior imports he gives them plenty of chances will even go as far as to play them when they are not fully fit. e.g Carmont and Riddell.

Riddell HAS to be dropped this week IMO as he has not produced the goods. Its between him and Micky Mc for the last spot of the 4. As IMO TL, TS and ST all deserve to be in the 17.

Spot on.

It wouldn't be because he's playing better then the only other player in his position who Noble would have picked ahead of him.

Lets face facts Noble doesn't trust young players! It's always been the same during his time here and that won't change.

When we got battered against Saints at MM last year he blamed the defeat on the younger players after the game.............not the likes of Fielden who took 3 drives in all game(literally), Not Mathers who was a shambles at the back no he blamed the likes of O'Carroll and Goulding who'd actually done more then most senior players.

On recent performances I'd go for

Phelps
Roberts
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Smith
Leuleui
Coley
Mcllorum
Fielden
Hock
Tomkins
Lockers

Bench
Prescott
Hansen
Tomkins
Feka

Riddell to miss out

Mcllourm playing really well the only thing riddell brings to us more than mcllorum is kicking option and when he does is token drive

In your opinion, I would play Riddell.

It's a bit like those who all wanted Ainscough in Every game yet when he is included for the Warrington Game (Albeit through inury to Carmont etc)and does nothing and is exposed You don't hear diddly Squat!

Yet it seems to be the ones who Hate (And I know that's a strong term but TBH it appears from many posters that's what they feel) Noble are also the ones who criticise EVERY decision more as a way of it being Another chance to get at Noble rather than what is best for the team/individual/club over the season.

MM had 2 x great games against Saints/Wakey in CC.
He was pretty good againsy HKR at home and then OK/Average at Wire & Salford last week.

Maybe a break would do him good for a week or so as he would almost certainly play next week with ST being away???

End of the day BN IMO should pick the team He thinks will win games.

I for one think we stand a better chance in most games with a "Starting" trio of Roberts/Smith/Riddell than Ainscough/Tomkins/MM.

That leaves 1 place on the bench & I would go for ST over Ainscough & MM.
The other 2 x will get their chance at some point and in time no doubt will get starting places if their form warrants it.

Other thing is we have 1/2 dozen people so far on this thread (And another Thousand or so experts inc me) Who if asked to pick a Team when the squad is fully fit would Pick different teams.

Noble picks His and 90% of them are unhappy for one reason or another!

The easier option for Noble though (from a fans backlash point of view) would be to drop McIllorum rather than Sam, leaving Piggy and Tommy in the hooker positions and Sam & Tim at halfback, as Sam is obviously a fans favourite.

McIllorum is also a homegrown 'kid' and Noble seems to be picking him on form (as at the start of the season it looked like he probably wouldn't get a look in).

At then end of the day Noble has to make a decision based upon what he feels is best for the team overall and not on individuals or fans favourites.

It's easy to criticise riddell but IMO he hasn't performed that badly to earn the sort of criticism he's getting. People quickly come up with a scapegoat (and now Mathers has gone Piggy now is the No.1 target) rather than view actual contribution on the field.

I'd like Sam to be in the 17 and think he offers great individual attacking options especially from the bench, but IMO I don't feel he's really stood out in organisation and control of the game - and that possibly why Noble will go for other options.

Can't remember the exact details, was probably in a drunken stooper trying to forget it!!!!

But Goulding was shocking and O'Carroll wasn't far behind!

Didn't know you were that way inclined Andy !!!!!!!!!!

My God!

At last, someone with a bit of Rational sense!

Personally, I not a Noble critic.

The thing is with Riddell and McIlroum is that they're very similar players and McIlorum has been involved with the squad (not to mention WC experience) long enough to be treated as a first team regular, and not as a ''fragile'' academy/reserve grade player just entering the first team.

To me, McIlorum is playing better and is fitter. I've no doubt Riddell's form will improve and when it does, he'll get his opportunity.

I agree bringing Riddell back against HKR was a touch to early and in Hindsight (Although I don't know what goes on in training day in day out) could have been left a week or two longer???

What I would say though is a bit like early season He has got slightly better with each game since.

I actually thought we were a better team last week with Riddell on the field than MM (And I do remember you give him a decent Rap in your Post Match Critique!) and some of MM's organisation & Passing was average.
I thought our forwards looked better around Riddell than with MM.

It's a bit like the Bailey Argument.

I would have him in my starting 17 as I think we are a better team with him in it although Individually he may not do some of the things that say Tomkins may do he does a lot of the unheralded & Non headline Grabbing stuff that all teams need.

Well personally i have criticized McIlorum for being to slow at decision making at the POTB.
But when he came back into the team i think it was against Saints he had a blinder and the same the next game against Wakefield i then said i thought he had improved and taken on board that he needed to speed up his decision making.
Next game against Hull K.R. he was not as good but still ok put it down to a off day next one against Warrington he was back to his slow self and last week when Riddell came on we looked a better side.
Maybe Mike needs a week off as i dont think he cant cut it week after week he has shown what he is capable of but cannot keep up the constancy yet.
I personally would drop him tonight and put Sam in so Tommy can move to the Hooking roll but that would be my choice and i have not been with the team all week i trust Noble to pick the team he thinks can win.

Just about spot on for me!

And me.

The key weakness with Riddell is simply his fitness.

His fitness is the reason why he's rarely taking on the defence but when he does, he has shown how effective he can be. Where as McIlorum has this season started to develop a running game that we have rarely seen since his arrival within the first team. In the main, I think it's this attribute that is keeping him in the squad. I agree Riddell's distribution is better, but I suppose it's which you decide which ability outweighs the other.

I'd like to think there is a focus and personal training on Riddell's fitness. Once he does get that fitness, his distribution and running game will come together and join an already good, defensive technique to create a very good hooker.

Riddell and Feka both need a rocket up their s in regards to fitness. Who at the club is going to do that though?

I believe at Quins McDermott has made Danny Ward and Haggerty shape up or they'd be shipped out and they've done just that.

We need something like that done here.

I agree about Riddells fitness and personally dont think he will be here next year from what i hear he will be going back home which is a shame as he could be a great player for us.

I think our future is with 3 halves and one Hooker and then mixing it up during the game puts the opposition off there stride.

But earlier Alex you said that Mickey Mac and Riddell were similar. I don't think they are for the reasons you just outlined.

I would argue that Tommy and Mickey Mac are more similar and that is one of the reasons why I would have Riddell in the team.