BBC Blog Network

User Profile

Hookers_armpit

Listed below are comments made by Hookers_armpit between Monday, 16th November 2009 and Thursday, 26th November 2009.

«Newer
Older»

Weighing up Button's McLaren move 9:03pm on 26 Nov 2009 "with Hamilton and Alonso, one of only three who can win a race in a car that does not deserve to."

I really think you should have put Vettel in that list. He has certainly already achieved that feat.
Progress of sorts but England remain in flux 2:31pm on 22 Nov 2009 Geraghty 'constantly runs into brick walls.'

Thats because Wilkinson was calling for him to take crash balls - even though he was only just on the pitch. Another of JWs dubious decisions yesterday.
Progress of sorts but England remain in flux 12:29pm on 22 Nov 2009 I disagree Silkeskills - it was a very deliberate cross kick. He clearly looks where he kicks it. Improvised thinking - something we don't expect from England these days. It caught Matt Banahan napping.
Progress of sorts but England remain in flux 12:23pm on 22 Nov 2009 Flood doesn't sort out the main problem of being able to kick start an attack. It needs to be Geraghty, Cipriani or Lamb. Young attacking players. Back them.
Progress of sorts but England remain in flux 10:06am on 22 Nov 2009 Forgot to add -

Geraghty managed to provide some spark in his short cameo. Good improvised cross field kick that should have been taken. Lively in broken play and remains a key player for England to develop. I hope he isn't returned to the saxons when Flood returns.
Progress of sorts but England remain in flux 10:03am on 22 Nov 2009 Its pretty straight forward. A great effort from the players but today New Zealand were not at their best yet we weren't really in the game for the second half. We know we can send out a grizzly team that defends well - it tends to lead to a performance of effort that ends in defeat (eg Wales & Ireland 2009 6N) occasionally a suprise victory (France 2008 6N). However, playing this type of game at home is slightly depressing. Large lunks are picked instead of giving other promising plyers a run out, little is learnt and we don't develop in attack which as everybody who has been watching the last few knows is where the real problem lies. England have not been effective in attack.

Review of Coaches
Wells - defense was good yesterday but we had based our whole game around defending - players picked, marking, organisation, kicking tactics... it only adds to the feeling that Wells is too loud a voice in MJs head and attacking play doesn't stand a chance.

Smith - They may as well have given him the week off. There was no attacking intent from England. I'm pretty sure this can't of been his preferred game plan.

Ford/Rowntree - Scrum was pretty impresive in the circumstances. A large chunk of this might be attributable to the presence of Shaw though. Backrow had a decent feel to it.

Callard - kicking better than previous weeks.

Players

Frontrow - good performance from the stand ins. Glad Hartley has had a decent run out we need his fire - developing well. Thompson - good to see him back, playing well and being a pack leader.

Second Row - Shaw had a big influence on the game. I hope he stays fit for another two years!
Borthwick - the only improvement in performance was that you noticed him perhaps twice during the game, ok in the lineout. A poor series for the hapless captain. There seem far better leaders around him now - didn't anyone else note that Thompson led the post-match huddle with the team whilst Borthwick went off to sip his Ribena next to his masters side.
Deacon - Lawes a better impact sub surely!!!

Backrow - promising performances all round. Croft provided better pace and support around the park than Worsley would have and we already had enough tacklers on.

Hodgson - a stand-out performance for me. He looked international class yesterday. Good decision making, great tackling, defence and support, used quick ball when he could and made the odd effective snipe. Care was OK when he came on too.

Wilkinson - tackling aside, an average to poor game elsewhere. Didn't get the backline moving again. Turning down a simple three points and following it with a poor drop goal attempt whilst we had attacking momentum moments later was a desperately bad decision. Does JW actually know how to attack?

Monye - much better back on the wing. A few glimpses of his class.

Erinle - did the job he was picked for a s best he could. Another centre in the uncreative lunk mould. I'm not sure this is good news.

Hipkiss - I had high hopes for him over these three weeks. Alas, he has not looked good enough at this level. Neither solid enough in defence or bringing anything in attack. The opposition all seem to have worked out what he does already.

Banahan - 6 caps now and looks a long way short at this level. The All Blacks are rarely troubled by size alone. Terrible handling continued with his attack ending knock ons from simple catches and passes. Strettle & Sinbad would be better options for me - or the saxons guys. Cueto will take his place here when Armitage returns.

Cueto - much needed reliable presence. Just wish he had an extra yard of pace.
Moody seeks to banish England's blues 10:52am on 19 Nov 2009 Hermmy,

Foden wasn't even on the tour so a bit harsh tainting him with such accusations! The bloke has a bit of swagger about him when he plays as befits a swashbuckling counter attacker... perhaps this is something Johnno and Wellsy don't like!

Strettle and Care were the poor blokes dragged into the mess by poking their heads round the door to tell Ojo and Brown to come to training. The latter two will not be picked again whilst the former two are squad members - hopefully Strettle can get back in the team soon as he is silk to Banahans sows ear.

Tom - odds on the Kiwis will target and expose Banahan for the lumbering chap that he is. However, maybe not so many kicks behind as they may be camped well in our 22 for long periods!
Moody seeks to banish England's blues 10:28pm on 18 Nov 2009 I'm a big Geraghty fan but the match up with Nonu was always worrying...

That said - I really can't see how we are going to score a try now with two lumps in the centre, an old winger who can't kick as FB, one winger with shot confidence and another who turns slower than a super tanker - and lets not forget Jonny who seems to love kicking ball to the opposition at teh moment. Stranger things have happened but that is not a team to set the pulse racing and the All blacks will lose little sleep.
Purple England left with red faces 3:38pm on 16 Nov 2009 In the near future the captaincy clearly has to go to a long term contender... however, none of these guys have really nailed down a place yet (except D. Armitage and he isn't a captain).

The best answer for me would be Simon Shaw until after the next six nations then see who has put their hand up - Hartley, Haskell, Croft, Hodgson/Care.

This is all rather pointless though as you feel it will be a cold day in hell before MJ shifts over Borthwick. Highlighting one of his major managerial flaws - being unable to see/admit a mistake and act upon it.
Purple England left with red faces 11:17am on 16 Nov 2009 Johnson is most certainly secure. After the PR catastrophe of Ashton's shabby removal Andrew's head might well be on the block if Johnson fails. He couldn't be safer whilst 'wots my job' Andrew remains.

Very interesting to hear Ashton wanted to bring in Toby Booth... seems clearer and clearer that the wrong man took the bullet 18 months ago but then again a large number thought that then and there was nothing that could be done to stop the rugby catastrophe that is now unfolding.

Another interesting comparison with the Ashton reign is discipline and authority. BA famously wrapped Cipriani on the knuckles and suspended him for a game for being out late. Cipriani then came back a fortnight later and produced his best game for England.

Johnson seems to have exiled him and others to the wilderness. This combined with the evident fear paralysing many of our players points to a draconian regime preventing players from flourishing. It obviously wasn't perfect under Ashton (see 2007 WC comments from Dayglo and Catt) but you didn't have a backline looking terrified.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

Hookers_armpit