After last nights miracle win i believe we are missing several key players/positions in my opinion we need these positions strengthening for next season with more than average players. We need a number 7 who can direct play who has a kicking game, a left centre who can tear through defences like hulls ripped through ours, a left winger to take manfredi's place as he is out for 12 months, because Tierney isn't good enough. Also we need either a new head coach who as a plan b in his locker or a number 2 who can coach the attack.

To be honest I don't even know. We seem to struggle keeping hold of the ball doing the basics at the moment, let alone attempting to move the ball around. I don't know if it's tactics or confidence that's lacking, or both.

16 more Taulima Tautais

I'm sure all the forum experts said he was rubbish..

I was one of them. Massively improved player.

I would agree..... But not many players slot in quickly. Many would have shipped Richards out after his first season with us.

They showed one of Frano Botica's early games for Wigan on Wigan TV a while back.

Couldn't kick a conversion to save his life!

And Craig Smith and a few others over the years.

Going back to the original question though we don't seem to have anyone who will suddenly spring into life, do something unexpected or leg it down the field for a long distance try like we have had in the past being structured is good but we also need some kind of surprise spark element

Gelling does all of those

The last tackle. Hull peppered Wigan with kicks time and time and time again. To Wigan's credit they held it out but Hull had the chance to kill the game first twenty second half. Wigan's last tackle was awful in comparison. That was the major difference I thought.

Last tackle options and complete lack of dummy runners.

Sort those out and we finish in a good position and make our attack harder to read.

We have to stop passing the ball sidewise when we have no options to straighten up the attack.

I think MM is a massive loss. By no means the best hooker in SL but he fits us so well. His distribution is quicker than Sam Powell (That's not to discredit Powell this year, it's just clear he's a HB) and he leads by example in defense.

You don;t seem to have much structure in attack. At times last night, all of your players were within a narrow band about 10 metres either side of the ball and all bunched together. Really, you need a new coach

Getting to the last tackle would help.

Ideally a new coach but if lenegan isn't prepared to fire wane off then at least an attack minded assistant maybe from the Nrl to help Wane. Personally I'd like to wane replaced I can't knock his passion for Wigan but he has taken us as far as he can

It seems to me that it's clever leadership on the field that is missing. The structures are there, mostly, but too often we don't play what's in front of us, which is more of a captaincy issue than a coaching one. Too often we take the wrong option, or don't have a plan before we get to the last tackle, based on the opposition defensive structure at the time.

Last tackle options and complete lack of dummy runners.

Sort those out and we finish in a good position and make our attack harder to read.

We have to stop passing the ball sidewise when we have no options to straighten up the attack.

Our problem is that we have a game plan that completely omits any natural flair, it's game plan or bust and that is it.

Our game plan is to stop the opposition scoring. That seems to be it.
A good result at Hull but the issues that have been there for 3 years still remain.
Really pleased for TT who should being doing more minutes.

Too many issues with basics is what is killing the attack,

line far far too shallow - players need to learn to line up with depth so they are running on to the ball,
dropped ball and too many head down and barge,
loopy passes from dummy half and the half backs - can no one pass flat anymore in this team?
lack of runs from dummy half
absolutely awful kicking on the last tackle - often rushed due to lack of depth (see above)

all these are basic skills/tactics that professional players should be capable of - every other club can do it.

(and the injuries excuse annoys the hell out of me - other clubs eg Castleford have had a lot of injuries but have still played good rugby)

I hope there is someone on here who can put down word for word what John Wells and Sam Powell said when Wells brought up the try that George Williams scored on Friday in the post match interview.
If my memory is right it went something like this, after Wells mentioned Georges try Sam said George very much likes to play off the cuff, but we are a very structured team. Wells then said something along the lines of does that mean structure takes precedent over off the cuff play. Sam really didn't give a reply to that.
That is how I remember the conversation going.

It made me wonder if Sam Powell was always a structured player as a junior, or did he play with more freedom.

There's no doubt whatever is missing involves our attack. There are no issues with the defence or team spirit. To pinpoint exactly what the problem is a different issue.

Ultimately the head coach has to take responsibility. There has to be some sort of change in the coaching department and IMO an outside influence with different ideas needs to be brought in. Whether that is in the form of a new head coach or an assistant or two depends upon who is available. Tony Smith at Warrington admitted earlier this year that bringing Agar in reinvigorated the squad and had made a big difference.

The players have to take some of the responsibility too. Poor errors and stupid penalties have often either cost us or made games very difficult. We often lack composure at crucial times. I'm hoping rather than expecting TL will make a difference in terms of leadership and the ability to control a game an organise a team. Assuming TL is replacing Smith then Williams needs to step up and support his scrum half and offer more than the occasional good grabber kick and eye catching run. Though still young He's had enough experience now not to be classed as a 'kid' anymore.

one thing we really miss is a hooked that can come on from the bench and give us some real go forward. maybe that will change when Tommy arrives

Spot on. This is nothing against Sam Powell who has been superb all season long, but we are lacking a spark and drive during the latter stages of halves usually. An example of this would be Wire, who have Brad Dwyer to come on to replace Daryl Clark and he gives them an added edge IMO. Tommy coming in probably gives us that option for next year but whether he has the legs anymore is another question.

What's missing are dummy runners, more offloads, off the cuff attacking, scoots from Powell in the Higham style to pinch a few yards from lazy markers, an ineffective fullback (IMO Tomkins needs to go into the halves as he is a passenger at 1)