Reading McClennans weekly previews - [url=http://mcclennan.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/super-league-xiv-round-eleven-previewsHERE[/url he raises some points that stun me to be honest.



I know we are a game (or two) ahead of the rest of the league but quite stunned by that.

As McClennan says though we are under performing.

If only we could structure those metres and offloads into a gameplan......

In terms of metres, on a pro-rata basis, you would be 4th, behind Saints, Hull KR and Quins.

You would still be well clear in offloads.

How many metres have your team ran backwards then?

Twice as many as forwards of course

Just shows we haven't put them to good use.

As someone once said...."there are lies, damned lies and statistics" !!!

I still firmly stand by the statement that we have a good team with plenty of good players but Noble really isn't getting the best out of them.

Every single player in the first team can play to a much higher standard than what they are currently doing.

I agree.

The main aim of any coach has to be that he gets the very best out of his players both as individuals and as a team.

Noble is achieveing neither tbh.

I don't think i can name one player thats played consistantly to his best during the last couple of years. We've seen flashes from different players but not for long enough periods.

It really hits home when you look at teams like Hudds, Castleford & Wakey who imo haven’t got as good of a squad as us but yet they play to a much higher level?

A lot of it Is down to the coach and the way they motivate and get the best out of the players

Me thinks they are getting 'offloads' confused with dropped balls.

I get the feeling that at clubs like Wakey, Cas and Huddersfield the coaches will trot out the old line that they're being written off by everyone as small clubs with no chance of achieving anything which will motivate the players to prove the critics wrong.

Noble doesn't have that line here at Wigan but he should be able to get them fired up enough to rise to the challenge of taking such a big club back up where they belong.

I was fairly surprised to see you 2nd in the tries and points scored stats too considering your league placing.

We've lost the majority of our games by a close margin and when we've won we've won very well in 3 out of the 4 games by around 30points+.

Defo

'Big' clubs still need high levels of motivation just look at Leeds and Saints for perfect examples. We seem to have none for 90% of the regular season

We've not had a good consistent run since the end of the relegation season which is definitely not good enough no matter which way you look at it or who you want to blame for it.

If you looks at Leeds or Saints they have a game where they seem to lack motivation every few months or so whereas we seem to have them every couple of weeks.

To me overall it's a coaches job to get his players up for every game and you can forgive him and put the blame on the players if they fall short of the required level once in a blue moon like at Saints but when that motivation deosn't seem to be there every other week then thats really when you have to start questioning the coach.

We are consistantly under performing this year, our players are better than they are playing, and we dont appear to be playing fully as a team. We do not play to our strengths and we often make our weaknesess clear.

Those stats prove that something is really wrong somewhere. We are up there in the top few for Tries, Points Scored, Tackles Made, Metres Gained, Tackle Busts, Offloads and Clean Breaks.

Surely if that the case then we should be looking slightly better than we do now.

But..... When you then look and see we are second in the missed Tackles Ranks then you see why we might not be sitting so pretty in the table.

All I can think is its a matter of Discipline/Motivation/Team Spirit because the team above us in the Missed Tackles is Saints. The big difference is they are a well drilled team who are exactly that, a TEAM in defence so those misses dont hurt as much.

I was about to post something similar.

Top metres and second top tries scored SHOULD indicate a top four side.

We are not a million miles away but maybe we do need a new man at the helm. I've stood by Noble for a long time now but something is just not right.

One thing for sure is that the next month is vital to Wigans season. A loss in the Cup will an all probability see Noble gone.

Our mob have debated it to death and still can't find an answer, and no doubt at tomorrows academy game the debate will continue.

The one thing the stats should dispel is that we are a 5 drive and kick team.

Me too, the big question is though Brian, if/when Noble goes, who gets the job?, it will be IL's biggest decision yet, does he go for a top Aussie like Bennett ( if available ), promote from within ( Wane ?, is he up to the job ?), Lam ( limited experience ), Ellery ( success at Saints, but was it on the back of others good work ? ), a name I've heard he's apparently keen on is McDermott at Quins ( a Noble clone ? ),one things for certain, it's a call he must get right, its been too long between drinks for a growing section of our supporters, still, its never boring !!!!

That a Noble-ism?

Id be happy to take a chance on Lam if a top aussie wasnt available, im sure Lam would bring fresh ideas and brighten the place up abit.

Stolen from Stevo !!!



If Lam got the job, who would you make his assistant ???

Wanes a good candidate from whats been said, hes got the players respect and maybe the man to sort this defense out.

Vievers would have to go with BN for me, dont get good vibes about what he does and IIRC hes been the main coach of the defensive strategy/arm wrestle tactics we use.

Too soon for Rads IMO and i dont think anyone else in house should get it unless Lam was to ask for them specifically. Could be a matter of if Lam wants to bring anyone with him or he would have an idea of someone over here. Another interesting decision and as you said before these decisions could make IL an instant hero if he selects well.

Whoever he choses he wont please everyone, it really is a difficult choice, the lack of recent success, the stadium debacle, dissapointing big money signings, it's been a pretty miserable time recently,we need a kick start to get the club back were we should be, competing for the top honours, lets hope IL is the man to make the right choice..........only time will tell.