Mike Brown has said in the papers that some of the coaches and players need to step up......who do we think he means?
In some games everything clicks and even just in one half we turn it on but why and who are the players that can’t maintain the effort.
With different combinations of players we have stuttered since the 2012 premiership win. Have the choices of the management been restricted by financial constraints or just poor quality and unsuitable combinations in key positions been the problem.
Other teams seem to get skilful players to function straight away, where we always need to give them time to style in. This smacks of them having to change their game in some way to accommodate the Quins style rather than using their “default” game to strengthen the squad. NEV was the exception and seemed to fit in right away. In some combinations in the past such as Rory Clegg his style was individual so meant the team had to play differently.
Over the years I have been attending the most prolonged successful pattern of play was the premiership winning season where replacements slotted into what seemed a stable game plan. Everyone worked very hard with off loading, tough clear outs, good support lines of a big ball carrier. There were signs of this on Saturday against Saints and we were back to that heady mix.
IMHO, which is totally a gut feeling, the boys don’t work hard enough consistently....but who are the flaky ones that MB feels need to up theirs game?
In some games everything clicks and even just in one half we turn it on but why and who are the players that can’t maintain the effort.
With different combinations of players we have stuttered since the 2012 premiership win. Have the choices of the management been restricted by financial constraints or just poor quality and unsuitable combinations in key positions been the problem.
Other teams seem to get skilful players to function straight away, where we always need to give them time to style in. This smacks of them having to change their game in some way to accommodate the Quins style rather than using their “default” game to strengthen the squad. NEV was the exception and seemed to fit in right away. In some combinations in the past such as Rory Clegg his style was individual so meant the team had to play differently.
Over the years I have been attending the most prolonged successful pattern of play was the premiership winning season where replacements slotted into what seemed a stable game plan. Everyone worked very hard with off loading, tough clear outs, good support lines of a big ball carrier. There were signs of this on Saturday against Saints and we were back to that heady mix.
IMHO, which is totally a gut feeling, the boys don’t work hard enough consistently....but who are the flaky ones that MB feels need to up theirs game?
During JK 's end of season talk , he made the point that in the Prem winning season the same players were on the park for 70 % of the minutes played across the whole season .
He compared it to last season where it was about half that
I think players go onto the park and do their best , whether they are good enough , or don't understand what the coaches are expecting or end up in the wrong position is another story .
The same players in the same positions for a run of games would help , but injuries have made that difficult .
He compared it to last season where it was about half that
I think players go onto the park and do their best , whether they are good enough , or don't understand what the coaches are expecting or end up in the wrong position is another story .
The same players in the same positions for a run of games would help , but injuries have made that difficult .
There are SO MANY issues that impact on why and how a team plays.
1) how the opposition plays - (Saints were awful and passive in their defence, other teams)
2) the players you pick - (If you don't have JJ, Ollie Kohn and Big Mo, you can't play like you do)
3) how they play together - (Quins were lucky to have Matt Hopper who could step into GLowe's shoes at the drop of a hat and perfrom a similiar role, he was a more expereinced player, having played elsewhere and in different systems, some players are more adaptable - I think Clegg's biggest issue was trying to play like Evans...personally)
4) how they interpret the game plan - it seems that at times Quins players are doing different things to what is expected, against Northampton all players where very physical,this appears to not be the game plan in every game, sometime we look very passive defensively, sometimes this is because we do not have the players to compete physically.
5) how they react to the changes for specific opposition teams - We clearly set traps anddefenive systems for specific teams and the style they play - perhaps we're not very good adapting.
6) the actual game situation (are we 10 pts down or 10 pts up inside 10 mins)- Quins ability to not be able to cope with being a few points down, resulting in what my friends and I call 'CRAZYQUINS" where they decide to go all out, rather than build back up, kick sticks, play territory, build pressure.
7) Abilities of players to do something different - we have younger players who have played in one system, they will take longer than expereinced players to adapt to different systems.
1) how the opposition plays - (Saints were awful and passive in their defence, other teams)
2) the players you pick - (If you don't have JJ, Ollie Kohn and Big Mo, you can't play like you do)
3) how they play together - (Quins were lucky to have Matt Hopper who could step into GLowe's shoes at the drop of a hat and perfrom a similiar role, he was a more expereinced player, having played elsewhere and in different systems, some players are more adaptable - I think Clegg's biggest issue was trying to play like Evans...personally)
4) how they interpret the game plan - it seems that at times Quins players are doing different things to what is expected, against Northampton all players where very physical,this appears to not be the game plan in every game, sometime we look very passive defensively, sometimes this is because we do not have the players to compete physically.
5) how they react to the changes for specific opposition teams - We clearly set traps anddefenive systems for specific teams and the style they play - perhaps we're not very good adapting.
6) the actual game situation (are we 10 pts down or 10 pts up inside 10 mins)- Quins ability to not be able to cope with being a few points down, resulting in what my friends and I call 'CRAZYQUINS" where they decide to go all out, rather than build back up, kick sticks, play territory, build pressure.
7) Abilities of players to do something different - we have younger players who have played in one system, they will take longer than expereinced players to adapt to different systems.
The key is that most of our good wins have come from brilliant individual performances (or a few at a time) rather than actually a good team effort.
I think the Wasps away game was an exception to this where everyone seemed to have got with the plan, and we largely executed it well (although as I've said elsewhere, I do think this result needs to be looked at in light of Wasps' issues at the time).
The Saints game was, in my opinion, only the second time this season that we've really looked like a team rather than a group of individuals, and it clearly showed.
I think there are some positions we've been weak in at times this year (locks, centres, the back-row during the internationals) but I think those issues could have been overcome by having systems in place that the players know and can slot into.
As for effort, I don't think there's been a noticeable lack of effort, although the ludicrously high number of misplaced tackles perhaps go against that.
I basically just think that most of the time we're a disorganised and ill-disciplined rabble, with some very good players who can turn things on when it all clicks. Personally I think we could do better with a bit more structure...but it looks unlikely we'll be seeing that anytime soon.
I think the Wasps away game was an exception to this where everyone seemed to have got with the plan, and we largely executed it well (although as I've said elsewhere, I do think this result needs to be looked at in light of Wasps' issues at the time).
The Saints game was, in my opinion, only the second time this season that we've really looked like a team rather than a group of individuals, and it clearly showed.
I think there are some positions we've been weak in at times this year (locks, centres, the back-row during the internationals) but I think those issues could have been overcome by having systems in place that the players know and can slot into.
As for effort, I don't think there's been a noticeable lack of effort, although the ludicrously high number of misplaced tackles perhaps go against that.
I basically just think that most of the time we're a disorganised and ill-disciplined rabble, with some very good players who can turn things on when it all clicks. Personally I think we could do better with a bit more structure...but it looks unlikely we'll be seeing that anytime soon.
oh and i know it shouldn't make a difference but as our team is so inconsistent....I'm pretty sure it would have been great if the players that stormed it on Saturday were able to re-focus and galvanise for the SALE away game, one where six of our team will have been in International camp for two days - reducing prep time and opportunities to build on what happened on Saturday!
ANNOYING!
ANNOYING!
Well, as Cookie and numerous others have continually pointed out - we can't demand a win but I think it's fair to demand that the players and team show the necessary grit and determination from the first whistle. If they did that and still lost then it would be an improvement!
Exactly as QP says.
Unlike Newcastle, Quins are 5 point favourites this week, although they've been known to get it wrong
Unlike Newcastle, Quins are 5 point favourites this week, although they've been known to get it wrong
We've always been the same - nothing has ever changed!!
RleQ
RleQ
Quote:Cookie
Exactly as QP says.
Unlike Newcastle, Quins are 5 point favourites this week, although they've been known to get it wrong
Really? On the back of playing Saints? Which bookie offered that?
I hope! It will surely be closer than that, but you can but hope!
BQ I think Cookie means the bookies think we'll win by 5 points - not that we're favourites to get 5 points.
La La Land. WE're gonna get mullered.
If at first you don't succeed, Try, Try and Try again.
If at first you don't succeed, Try, Try and Try again.
Quote:Fursty
BQ I think Cookie means the bookies think we'll win by 5 points - not that we're favourites to get 5 points.
I knew what he meant - apologies if I was ambiguous - I just cant see why the bookies would have us winning by 5 points at Sale with our very patchy away record and their home record...
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