You seem to think that 13 v 12 should automatically result in a boat load of gaps and overlaps and an absolute try-fest, regardless of the personnel that is left within that 13. That is far from the case.

Not at all, I am merely commenting on the overlaps that were actually created and then not exploited. It could have cost Saints the game. Fortunately for you it didn't otherwise this conversation would be quite different. All my Saints fans commented on this and agree with me! I am not in any way trying to argue that Wigan should have won. Saints ground out a win and therefore deserve it. That doesn't mean that they played a perfect game.

But why didn't we play the perfect game? And why didn't we make the most of the overlaps created? That's the bit you seem to be missing.

You are completely missing the point. I am not trying to suggest that Wigan should have won or that Saints didn't play to the strengths they had left. I am merely observing that not taking the overlaps that were created without recognised halfbacks appears to be a poor option to me and all my Saints friends. You are free to disagree which you obviously do. In all games players take good and bad options. In the same game Matty Bowen took the wrong option of not passing to Charnley and if he had then Wigan may have won the game. But he didn't. In the same way Saints took the wrong option of not exploiting the overlap which they had created. In the end it didn't matter but it could have done. All ifs and buts I agree bit that is sport.

I have already explained why! That is what you seem to be missing! Read my previous posts and then perhaps you might start to actually listen to my point. However by now I don't expect you to agree.

Your explanation consists of either Brown is rubbish or we are papering over the cracks! You don't actually have a valid point.

Now you are talking rubbish. I never once said that Bowen was rubbish. I merely used him as an example of how players take wrong options.

My valid point is that Saints did actually create overlaps without recognised halfbacks. They then decided not to exploit them. That could have been because, like Bowen, they chose the wrong option or it could be because the game plan was not to take the ball out wide. If it was then that is a strange strategy when a team has an extra man.

I do have a valid point that is actually one that my Saints friends pointed out and I happen to agree with. You clearly disagree which is fine. Its your defensive opinion.

Read the quote you replied to again.

And your point is?

Erm, I said Brown.

All my Saints friends have been saying all year that Brown is rubbish in their view. They are delighted that he is going. I personally think that he is a poor coach and that Saints will be a better team without him. I have also spoken with players who played under him at Huddersfield and they didn't think he was a good coach. Huddersfield were more successful after he left.

Whereas people like Paul Wellens tell friends that he is the best coach he has played under.

But you're assuming there that a second rower and centre can spot it. That they have the confidence in roles they have hardly ever played before to know how and when to fire the pass. Do they go to the player behind or in front? Do the execute a short pass, a cut out pass - could they even execute a cut out pass? How many second rowers execute cut out passes? Or even have to decide between a pass behind, a short pass or a cut out pass?

It's much safer to play up the middle if you're a forward even if you are a relatively good ball handling forward as Flanagan is because that is what you are used to and where your confidence lies.

Roby has said in one of his post match interviews that when Hohaia went off they had to drop a few plays because he was the link in those plays. All we had left were forwards. One of our wingers had to go to fullback and his centre had to go on the wing, with a prop going to the centre. Do you think LMS will have known what to do with a wide play?

Get real. We played a game plan based upon the personnel we had available. We messed it up a bit in the first half because the original game plan had to be partly abandoned due to the loss of a key part of that game plan in Hohaia. At halftime it was adjusted and we played to it accordingly.

We won. Therefore it was a winning game plan. You can't claim that Wigan's errors contributed to our win because we could say our errors meant we didn't win by more. At the end of the day we played to our strengths and beat you. That you were without one body on the pitch wasn't our fault. Maybe you should take that matter up with Waney babes.

Funny how this thread has gone from "Full credit to Wigan", to "Defend Stains"... lol

Jon Wilkin was our cover for Walsh. He played at 7 last season and has done a couple of times in 2014 too. He's got better as time has gone on.
Wello was our cover for Lomax. We even brought in McDonnell to cover for Lomax but McDonnell broke his jaw.

Wigan may have cover for each of their halves and for their fullback but do they have cover for their cover? Because that's what we are talking about here. Not just cover; but cover for their cover.

You're right, it's hilarious.

Green (6) could have been replaced by Powell, Williams, Sarginson, Hampshire or O'Loughlin
Smith (7) could have been replaced by Williams, Powell
Bowen (1) could have been replaced by Sarginson, Charnley, Hampshire or Tierney

For me Wigan did have cover for their cover if required, ad may even have missed a few names off.

Yeah it's hilarious how you lot are hell bent on defending Saints no matter what. You stick with your players who can't pass or can't spot an overlap.

As for Wellen's comments about Brown he is hardly likely to criticise him while he still his coach! Anyway it's all academic now as you have just lost your really good coach apparently!

I wasn't talking about cover at all. My point is about centres and second row forwards who apparently can't be trusted or incapable of spotting an overlap or even pass the ball.

Your bitterness is quite an ugly trait.

It's been explained to you time and time again why Saints didn't make the most of the overlaps we had. You obviously don't understand that.

What makes me laugh though is that your hell bent on criticising is for either having a poor coach or players who can't pass, and yet we still won. Weird that.

No bitterness at all here mate. Your analysis is way off the mark there. I am merely relaying what all my Saints friends have said! You disagree and so we will leave it there. Bye

My analysis is based purely on what you have written. It's probably best you do throw the towel in though.

Yes. And if you go on the Saints board you will find numerous threads which have been hijacked by an old and senile member of this board.

Thankfully i'm banned, so i don't..

He is only a pup.

Edit.

And I can prove it.

What is this thread about ?.