Fair enough IET, but for me we're still so inconsistent. I appreciate what you are saying about commenting on a game I've not witnessed which is why I'm taking more of a general view of our performance so far this season. I have been patient up until now.

I've not made any specific reference to last night's performance other than the fact that we threw a 20 point lead against a side that in most people's opinion we 'should' be beating comfortably and as others have stated who did see the game, our 2nd half performance left a lot to be desired.

If we are moving forward then great, however I remain to be convinced.

I think everyone shares your frustrations mate... and the 20 points shipped is certainly worrying.

This is not panning out to be the season we thought it might be.

The most frustrating thing is that we we never seem to have the sort of stability that other clubs around us have.
This year it all looked to be in place.. a squad assembled in good time and the opportunity of a decent pre-season. THEN.. the sacking of the coach early doors and a coach that has to carry out his pre-season as the championship kicks off.
Enough has been said about the squad but injuries to players such as Morrison and Bannister have not helped and other players do not look to be playing to their ability.
Hopefully as AJ has pointed out there are points for hope.. we will see on Friday I guess.

I think you've said it all there, stability is one thing we've lacked all along.

I also think if the pre-season hadn't been so built up and our expectations raised, then I'd accept these inconsistencies on the field a little easier. The flip side of that is that had the club not raised our expectations, we'd have attracted fewer fans..


Roll on Friday

Indeed

If you are playing Batley next up, then you are very fortunate. When motivated, they are not a bad side, but if they do not sort their troubles out before the next match(very unlikely they will), you will hammer them. This is not based on their squad or yours or your current form. However, we all know when trouble starts off the pitch and the players on it are not trying, you will get hammered. I am afraid that is the situation at Batley at the mo. Any team in this division would currently beat them with a cricket score. Unfortunately, they are beaten before they take to the field. Do not be fooled into thinking you have turned your season around if you get 70 points. Remember that Toulouse have just put 60 on them at their place and I can assure you there is a bit of bother there at the moment. I would judge how you are improving, based on the other tougher fixtures that you have to come after them, if I were a Widnes fan.

Yes, you're perfectly correct. It is very difficult to form a genuine opinion on a particular performance by listening to the radio. You can get some idea though and, if you put that in to the context of what we have seen so far from the side, most will have had some idea of what happened last night.

The problem with relying on radio commentary is you are entirely dependent on what the commentator decides to tell you. One example of why being there is much better.

Until this morning I didn't realise Cullen decided to play much of the second half with only 3 forwards and used:

2 x Full-Backs - Yates and Wildbore
2 x Centres - Grady and Varkulis
4 x Wingers - Dodd, Gaskell, Flynn, and Mills
2 x Half-Backs - Webster and Thackeray

The commentators didn't mention this and it was difficult to get the full picture from the radio. This is pure stupidity and it's hardly suprising we struggled in the 2nd half. What the hell was Cullen thinking?

I think our 2nd half capitulation should be put down to the coach this time. Instead of building on an excellent first half performance and building confidence for future games, he almost blows the game by experimenting. Now we're all nearly as deflated as we were after the Leigh match.

Poor effort by Mr Cullen imo.

Interesting. Is this related to the young player about to be possibley banned?

I don't think many Widnes fans judge the team on games against the likes of Batley (with respect) unless we only just scrap a win then we do mad! Cricket scores like the one against Toulouse didn't exactly make us think we were going to win the league.

It actually seems like an ideal game for us to try a few things and build some confidence in our performance.

I think that definitely puts a different perspective on things..

I am not too sure as to the root of the big problems at Batley and wouldn't like to speculate too much on stuff going on there at the moment. As I said, they are a decent side when fired up and I genuinely think they would have given you a very very tough game, just as Oldham, Sheffield, Leigh, Doncaster, Barrow etc have done with Widnes. However, due to their troubles, I think you will hammer them. I had read earlier in this thread, one of your supporters saying that Batley are similar to Donny and it should be another tight game. All I am saying, is that I agree they are similar normally, but with the bother at Batley, it should now be a bit of a nothing match and you will hammer them. Due to you having had a lot of tough games this season and defeats against teams no better than Batley, I can understand some of your fans expecting another tight game, but unless things are sorted at Batley, this will not happen.

It certainly does, I didn't realise this until it was brought up. I kept my eye on the Sky Sports scorecentre, where I watched us go from a comfortable 24-0 lead to a 24-18 struggle.

It seems that Cullen is experimenting with the side, weighing up his options. Until he is happy and familiar with his side I think we can expect to see these sort of changes when we have a comfortable lead.

Well if the root of the problems at Batley is Gary Thornton then they're ok, he's gone today with Karl Harrison taking over - apparently!

Yes. It has finally happened. That should obviously help Batley stop the cricket scores.

Gary Thornton is and never would be the root of the problems at any club hes at-if any of you were party to the playing budget hes had to work with over the years youd demand your board went and signed him on as coach immediately.
What hes done at Batley is a miracle.

I am fully aware that Gary Thornton has had very little money to spend at Batley. I do not think that anyone is criticising him on here. It is sad to see any coach lose their job. However, sometimes a new coach can galvanise a team, even if it is only in the short term. Nobody has said that the recent hammerings Batley have suffered, are down to Thornton. Their recent demise cannot be down to just one man. It must be a deeper problem than that. All I was saying is that there was obviously bother at the club,which is not good to see. We want a strong league.

I agree 100%, always admired Thornton's work at Batley and hope he gets another job soon.

Cracking bloke is Gary to, had a chat with him a couple of years back and was very gratious and knowledgeable.

how in the name of Mary would you recognise those qualities in anyone?
P.S, good to see the comedy value restored to the site

The lack of forwards is nothing new this season . In most squads we have name so far we have had 7 forwards and 10 backs, its down to injuries amongst our forwards and the "kid in a sweet shop" recruitment policy of Ste Mc.

We had Gannon Ostick Doran Simm Smith Thompson Kavanagh as forwards on Monday night. In most teams there would be 2 more forwards in each 17 man squad.
2 games in 3 days would not have been expected of Bannister after breaking his leg , plus Fletcher injured, add in Morrison also and the balance of the team would have been a lot better .

Cullen picked the best 17 fit and available players , get off their backs and start being what we are suppossed to be SUPPORTERS.

The Vicar

I have not slagged off a single player on this thread, and I am not commenting on the amount of forwards we have in our squad. So I’m totally bewildered as to what you’re on about?

I am only relaying what I have been told by people who went to the game. My concern, which is shared by many other fans, is the way Paul Cullen has used the bench over the bank holiday period, particularly on Monday night.

I don’t need any lectures about how to support my team either. I don’t boo or verbally abuse our players, I always stay behind after the game has finished and applaud the players off, and I’m not calling for anyone’s head. It was the decision to play….

2 x Full-Backs - Yates and Wildbore
2 x Centres - Grady and Varkulis
4 x Wingers - Dodd, Gaskell, Flynn, and Mills
2 x Half-Backs - Webster and Thackeray

…in a side already short of forward power and needing to win the game in order to stay in touch with the leaders of this league while we had, as you say yourself, [i‘Gannon Ostick Doran Simm Smith Thompson Kavanagh as forwards on Monday night’[/i?

We had four wingers on the pitch, and two centres and a fullback in the pack?

This nearly cost us the game on Monday in the opinion of many who went, and I saw first hand a tired backline on Friday and a perfectly good centre never used?

If I see something I think is wrong I’ll say so. I’ll also take the word of people I know to be knowledgeable about the game. I regarded what I and they have said as constructive criticism, if you cannot see that, then tough.

Hey Pepe I was not having a pop at you , I just quoted your post as it highligthed the fact we had 2 many players out of position and the imbalance of of squad in general . I perhaps didn't edit it correctly.We have struggled all season to put 9 forwards in our 17 , which is what most people would expect as the norm. On Monday night when we had our 4 wingers 2 full backs 2 halfbacks and 2 , they might have been 10 of the freshest players at that time with knocks amongst our 7 true forwards.

I agree you havent knocked anybody on here in this thread , the supporters jibe was aimed at those who can only moan.


The Vicar

Personally i thought we were fantastic on monday night, could have wilted under the pressure. Those last few minutes were worth a heart attack when they were right on our line i thought they were going to score but thankfully knocked on and then the final whistle to raptures of 'just like the first official world champions, we shall not be moved!' BRILLIANT!! up the chemics.

Well fair enough, but it's impossible not to think it was all directed at me when I am the only one quoted.

It seems we've just got our wires crossed. I've probably done this sort of thing myself, so no problem.

If only we had scored

well i probably wouldn't be here right now, fantastic game though great advert for the national championships keep playing like that and you guys may even challenge for the play offs, i though we showed great character, determination and persistence under a huge mountain of pressure an look forward towhat will most certainly be a close encounter on friday night against the ever tenacious Batley Bulldogs just hope we come out on top.

at the moment we are playing like a mid-table team which is boring and frustrating for us fans because all the best games happen at the top and bottom of the table when you have something to battle for.