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All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Discussion started by tatthecraic2 , 01 October, 2020 11:30
All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
tatthecraic2 01 October, 2020 11:30
So, if all the hardship pays off this season and we have a full compliment of players to choose from, come November. i was thinking, what will our squad look like on match day. and to be honest... it looks like a 2017 London Irish supporter's Wet Dream...

WGC
Creevy
Kepu
Coleman
Donnell (simmonds not here yet)
O'brien
Cowan
Tuisue
Phipps
Jackson
Loader
Hepatima (although would like a new signing to cover)
Rona
Naholo
Homer

Dell
Cornish
Hoskins
Nott
Rogerson
Meehan
TBC
Parton

do we have any other signings coming do we think?

hopefully this can be a competative team... but we really fall away in squad depth compared to other teams i think.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
RodB 01 October, 2020 11:44
Allegedly two more centres... we'll need them, as hepatema is most unlikely to be available by then. WGC in front of ellrington?

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
SirBurger 01 October, 2020 12:03
Mafi hopefully fit to partner Coleman.

We should also be prepared for the prospect of Tuisue being called up to play for Fiji...

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
PV 01 October, 2020 12:10
Munya and OHC deffo in 23.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
dooj106 01 October, 2020 13:46
If everyone available and reporting for duty I would go with something like

Dell
Creevy
Kepu
Coleman
Simmons
O'Brien
Cowan
Tuisue
Phipps
Jackson
Loader
Hepetema
Rona
Naholo
Homer

Cornish, Elrington, Hoskins, Mafi, Rogerson, Meehan, Brophy-Clews, Hassell-Collins

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
SixNineOne 01 October, 2020 16:30
The fact that there's already some debate about the composition of our strongest 23 is in itself pretty encouraging. I just hope that the day comes when we can get all 23 of them fit and on the pitch!

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
GHA 01 October, 2020 16:41
Quote:
I just hope that the day comes when we can get all 23 of them fit and on the pitch!

I'm nervous that day won't come around very often, so to me our lack of squad depth is a worry. And I don't think we need players to come in to be squad fillers, I think we need players to come in who will properly challenge our starting 23 (obvious as that may sound!)

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Foxy! 02 October, 2020 17:19
What does everyone make of our options and depth and LH? Dell has not held down a spot. WGC is unproven, but could be brilliant, Ellington does ok but if feels a place we’re light of a Dermody or similar at least

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
GHA 10 October, 2020 16:36
Exile Paul has gone with the following. Very similar to yours dooj:

1. Dell
2. Creevy
3. Kepu
4. Coleman
5. Simmonds
6. O'Brien
7. Cowan
8. Tuisue
9. Phipps
10. Jackson
11. Loader
12 Hepetema/ new signing?
13. Rona
14. Naholo
15. Homer

16. Cornish
17. Elrington
18. Hoskins
19. Mafi
20. Rogerson
21. Meehan
22. Atkins?/upgrade
23. Hassell Collins


Anything less than top 6 with this squad will be massive underachievment.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Shawshank 10 October, 2020 19:19
Even our best team on paper is no better than 10th/11th. With plodding coaches,, that’s our realistic level.

Eg. Tom Homer wouldn’t get into any else’s first team, our centres are very average, 9&10 are utter enigmas wrapped up in conundrums , and our star signing talks a mighty lot but hasn’t played a full 80 mins for about 2 years now.

Disappointing as it may be but if we finish 11th it wouldn’t be a bad result.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
franciscorrigan 10 October, 2020 23:43
Won't be seeing Rob Simmons for a while, as he's on the bench for Oz this morning v New Zealand.
Australia's last International is December 6th, so I doubt he will be playing for us until the New Year.
Not entirely unexpected, but we need him here. Just hope he doesn't pick up an injury.(Sm63)

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Exilepaul 11 October, 2020 00:22
Quote:
Shawshank
Even our best team on paper is no better than 10th/11th. With plodding coaches,, that’s our realistic level.
Eg. Tom Homer wouldn’t get into any else’s first team, our centres are very average, 9&10 are utter enigmas wrapped up in conundrums , and our star signing talks a mighty lot but hasn’t played a full 80 mins for about 2 years now.

Disappointing as it may be but if we finish 11th it wouldn’t be a bad result.

Bloody hell I thought I was negative next season our pack will be an all international pack with probably the best lock pairing in the league with 2 genuine world class locks in Coleman and Simmons and Cowan is unbelievably underrated and Albert is well Albert. Not long ago Phipps and Jackson were both first choice for their country's. Rona is class in my opinion, Naholo is a world cup winner and for me is still deadly on the wing, Hassell Collins and Loader are 2 superstars who can create something out of nothing and Homer is steady. This is without mentioning Dell, Creevy Kepu, SOB and possible new signings I swear man if we finish 11th with our squad and the tools they have been given this coaching group need sent packing



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2020 00:29 by Exilepaul.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Exilepaul 11 October, 2020 00:28
Quote:
franciscorrigan
Won't be seeing Rob Simmons for a while, as he's on the bench for Oz this morning v New Zealand.
Australia's last International is December 6th, so I doubt he will be playing for us until the New Year.
Not entirely unexpected, but we need him here. Just hope he doesn't pick up an injury.(Sm63)

Our fixtures are well spread out though our 4th game is on Boxing Day so he might only miss 3/4 league games we've got to and I mean got to keep Coleman fit too Simmons comes in



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2020 00:28 by Exilepaul.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Bazzo 11 October, 2020 10:44
I would agree with Shawshank summary. Just genuinely can’t see us being any higher than 11th

We will be better than Falcons imo. But Worcester will be similar to us and I just can’t see Tigers being as bad again with the players that they have. The Bristol game killed my confidence, as I pointed out well over half that team were good first choice players and remember that you will never get all your top players on the field at once (Coleman can get injured at any time too, will Naholo stay fit or be the same player after his knee operation?) It just killed me. The policy of going for big salary stars has been poor recruitment and bad value for money, it is a squad that lacks depth and can’t take the injury toll that will come.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Blarney 11 October, 2020 12:29
Quote:
Bazzo
I would agree with Shawshank summary. Just genuinely can’t see us being any higher than 11th
We will be better than Falcons imo. But Worcester will be similar to us and I just can’t see Tigers being as bad again with the players that they have. The Bristol game killed my confidence, as I pointed out well over half that team were good first choice players and remember that you will never get all your top players on the field at once (Coleman can get injured at any time too, will Naholo stay fit or be the same player after his knee operation?) It just killed me. The policy of going for big salary stars has been poor recruitment and bad value for money, it is a squad that lacks depth and can’t take the injury toll that will come.

I keep seeing this comment about Tigers not being as bad again. What is this based on? Is their squad really that strong? Genge and Ford will be with England for the first third of the season and they're losing some of their Argentine internationals as well.

On paper, we should be aiming to finish above them, Falcons and Worcester. If we can get our act together, we could also target the woefully inconsistent Glos and Saints.

I'm still expecting us to lose more than we win, but with something to actually play for next season, I'm hoping we won't see as many late game capitualations- bonus points will be vital.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Exilepaul 11 October, 2020 13:28
Quote:
Blarney
Quote:
Bazzo
I would agree with Shawshank summary. Just genuinely can’t see us being any higher than 11th
We will be better than Falcons imo. But Worcester will be similar to us and I just can’t see Tigers being as bad again with the players that they have. The Bristol game killed my confidence, as I pointed out well over half that team were good first choice players and remember that you will never get all your top players on the field at once (Coleman can get injured at any time too, will Naholo stay fit or be the same player after his knee operation?) It just killed me. The policy of going for big salary stars has been poor recruitment and bad value for money, it is a squad that lacks depth and can’t take the injury toll that will come.

I keep seeing this comment about Tigers not being as bad again. What is this based on? Is their squad really that strong? Genge and Ford will be with England for the first third of the season and they're losing some of their Argentine internationals as well.

On paper, we should be aiming to finish above them, Falcons and Worcester. If we can get our act together, we could also target the woefully inconsistent Glos and Saints.

I'm still expecting us to lose more than we win, but with something to actually play for next season, I'm hoping we won't see as many late game capitualations- bonus points will be vital.

Apart from Exeter we should be looking to beat everyone at Brentford but realistically should get about 5/6 wins with bps in the other home games and we should be picking up either wins or bonus points at every away game apart from Exeter, Sale and Bath

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
exileray 11 October, 2020 19:10
Lots of people here know more than me , but I think we need 2 props with the same attitude and effort as Gus creevy, we all know if the pack is weak the backs will only get scraps so 2 props Argentinian or south African tough as they come and we will go forward in the pack , allowing our backs to attack.........simple .

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
M51 11 October, 2020 21:22
My view is unless we get more grunt and go forward like Greevy in the pack, then Irish will be fighting for survival at the back end of the season. There are a few of our big buys that have yet to show there worth. COYI

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
franciscorrigan 11 October, 2020 22:35
Players like Gus are worth their weight in any precious metal you choose. They drive on the others by example. We need all our other big names to do the same. Then we might have a decent season(Sm63)

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
Ruckingood 12 October, 2020 07:42
Quote:
exileray
Lots of people here know more than me , but I think we need 2 props with the same attitude and effort as Gus creevy, we all know if the pack is weak the backs will only get scraps so 2 props Argentinian or south African tough as they come and we will go forward in the pack , allowing our backs to attack.........simple .
I think that you will find that its the second row that has been letting us down post covid, with not enough grunt to stabilise the props. That being said, an additional LH is required. Dell has not lived up to his International billing and Elrington is great on his day but can be hit and miss. Coleman and Simmonds will be great but we drop off massively if they are out. Guss and Cornish give us great options at hooker and Kepu and Hoskins cover the TH as well as any pair in the comp. In regard to the backs, Hep's replacement will be good but Naholo on one leg is a worry so for me, OHC will be vital coverage on one wing. With the team laid out in this thread, we have a side that can beat anyone, barring Exeter, who seem to be on another level after watching their demolition job on the weekend.

Re: All things considered - Our Strongest team for next year...
SirBurger 12 October, 2020 10:08
This time last year I was very excited, and still think that some/most of the big names will come good eventually, but the news that we only have one forward and one back to come in doesn't fill me with confidence. Especially with Albert's call up, I would have thought we would need/want at least one lock and one back-rower to add depth.


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