Marco wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 2:47 pm
Picking up on the football analogies, excellent article in today’s IT by Ken Early, citing the difference Emery has made at Villa. 13 months ago Stevie G took them to Fulham and got annihilated 3-0, and he was sacked within an hour. In the weekend’s win over Arsenal, 9 of the same 11 Villa players who played in Fulham were playing, and won, a few days after outplaying City. This was a club record straight 15th home win in a row, with only two significant new signings. Surely this does say a lot about the impact, and in this case a sustainable one, that the right coach can make, even without many recognisable players to anyone outside the club. Dan would likely slot in very well elsewhere, so it would be a win win for club and individual alike if he moved on. Some big boy conversations needed if we lose on Saturday, will that be our Fulham result?
Honestly I don't think the Racing game will have any impact. If we get beaten there's some ready made excuses. "Europe is hard", "sure it was one of the big French clubs" etc.
Look at our run of fixtures though:
Racing H
Connacht H
Leinster A
Toulouse H
Harlequins A
It is honestly not difficult to see Ulster losing 4 of these 5 games.
Racing need to win, they will come full throttle.
Connacht we will probably beat
Leinster away is very rarely somewhere we get a result
Toulouse are Toulouse
Harlequins beat Racing away yesterday and are only 1 point behind Bath in the GP.
Just what is the atmosphere around Ulster going to be at the end of this bank of fixtures?
Marco wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 2:47 pm
Picking up on the football analogies, excellent article in today’s IT by Ken Early, citing the difference Emery has made at Villa. 13 months ago Stevie G took them to Fulham and got annihilated 3-0, and he was sacked within an hour. In the weekend’s win over Arsenal, 9 of the same 11 Villa players who played in Fulham were playing, and won, a few days after outplaying City. This was a club record straight 15th home win in a row, with only two significant new signings. Surely this does say a lot about the impact, and in this case a sustainable one, that the right coach can make, even without many recognisable players to anyone outside the club. Dan would likely slot in very well elsewhere, so it would be a win win for club and individual alike if he moved on. Some big boy conversations needed if we lose on Saturday, will that be our Fulham result?
Honestly I don't think the Racing game will have any impact. If we get beaten there's some ready made excuses. "Europe is hard", "sure it was one of the big French clubs" etc.
Look at our run of fixtures though:
Racing H
Connacht H
Leinster A
Toulouse H
Harlequins A
It is honestly not difficult to see Ulster losing 4 of these 5 games.
Racing need to win, they will come full throttle.
Connacht we will probably beat
Leinster away is very rarely somewhere we get a result
Toulouse are Toulouse
Harlequins beat Racing away yesterday and are only 1 point behind Bath in the GP.
Just what is the atmosphere around Ulster going to be at the end of this bank of fixtures?
I agree, think it could be 0/4 in European games this year.
Mentality and belief seems to be hovering around the same level of the annus horribilis of the end of Kiss era/ season with the trial/ basket case. When was the last time this squad managed to pull out a performance to win a game they truly weren't expected to? RDS with the Hume intercept maybe? Everything else that springs to mind are games that should have been closed out slipped away. LAR away, Leinster away against 14 men, Munster at home and Stormers away in the SF (timeline may have jumped about but point still stands)
If UR fails to sort this scrum issue, they’ll lose a damn sight more games than that.
Barclay had UR finishing 6/8 in URC….that could be generous. Inconsistent, a soft underbelly, with a habit of folding….was what he politely said reading between the lines.
A real issue is that they are gonna need MM and IH on the tight head side, neither are regulars for UR. Frankly it’s yrs since UR had a good consistent scrum, to play off. Scrum capitulations has cost UR big games, or we just about held on by our fingertips.
Genuinely I’d consider a squad rebalance. Poor scrums are game changers, and You can’t play off brad pitt ball. UR may have the backrow young guys on the verge of coming through next 12mths.
The second row?…I’d say no. There is a need for a 19st scrum/maul lock. I’d actually prefer to lose treadwell or AOC, if Dublin uses the “blocking argument”. If it means not recontracting a good back to generate the funds so be it. UR need a big unit behind TS and TOT.
IH saying people are “hurting” in the changing rooms….they should be embarrassed. 29 unanswered pts v Bath?….good side….but not that good. Starts upfront, and set piece is absolute basic stuff.
Much as I like Hendo, his BT article was pure pablum for the masses. All this doing it for themselves shyte. What about honouring the reputation of the Province, our historical legacy, great past players, and the fans that part with hard earned cash to follow home and away week in week out, only to be served up spineless mentally weak capitulations?
That Bath side may surprise a few this season, they are not a bad outfit, indeed with less clubs, apart from Newcastle, all the Prem sides are better than last year, due to the players they have picked off from Wasps, Worcester and London Irish.
Ulster don't seem to have an identity this season. Last couple of seasons it was all about the maul. With the plastic pitch, they've had to put their eggs into the "more attractive brand of rugby" basket which just hasn't clicked. We saw flashes of it with Doak's try but they couldn't sustain that beyond 15-20 minutes. In the second half they looked like they didn't have a clue what to do when they had the ball and that's really worrying.
I hope they were watching Racing vs Quins, not just to do their homework but to see the style of rugby that can be played on an artificial surface.
Nevin Spence 26 April 1990 – 15 September 2012 gone but never forgotten
Dharper wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 6:30 pm
If UR fails to sort this scrum issue, they’ll lose a damn sight more games than that.
Barclay had UR finishing 6/8 in URC….that could be generous. Inconsistent, a soft underbelly, with a habit of folding….was what he politely said reading between the lines.
A real issue is that they are gonna need MM and IH on the tight head side, neither are regulars for UR. Frankly it’s yrs since UR had a good consistent scrum, to play off. Scrum capitulations has cost UR big games, or we just about held on by our fingertips.
Genuinely I’d consider a squad rebalance. Poor scrums are game changers, and You can’t play off brad pitt ball. UR may have the backrow young guys on the verge of coming through next 12mths.
The second row?…I’d say no. There is a need for a 19st scrum/maul lock. I’d actually prefer to lose treadwell or AOC, if Dublin uses the “blocking argument”. If it means not recontracting a good back to generate the funds so be it. UR need a big unit behind TS and TOT.
IH saying people are “hurting” in the changing rooms….they should be embarrassed. 29 unanswered pts v Bath?….good side….but not that good. Starts upfront, and set piece is absolute basic stuff.
AOC gets away with murder. He hasn't had positive carry in 3 seasons. He only soak tackles, and we don't see the upshot of his supposed leadership.
Dharper wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 6:30 pm
If UR fails to sort this scrum issue, they’ll lose a damn sight more games than that.
Barclay had UR finishing 6/8 in URC….that could be generous. Inconsistent, a soft underbelly, with a habit of folding….was what he politely said reading between the lines.
A real issue is that they are gonna need MM and IH on the tight head side, neither are regulars for UR. Frankly it’s yrs since UR had a good consistent scrum, to play off. Scrum capitulations has cost UR big games, or we just about held on by our fingertips.
Genuinely I’d consider a squad rebalance. Poor scrums are game changers, and You can’t play off brad pitt ball. UR may have the backrow young guys on the verge of coming through next 12mths.
The second row?…I’d say no. There is a need for a 19st scrum/maul lock. I’d actually prefer to lose treadwell or AOC, if Dublin uses the “blocking argument”. If it means not recontracting a good back to generate the funds so be it. UR need a big unit behind TS and TOT.
IH saying people are “hurting” in the changing rooms….they should be embarrassed. 29 unanswered pts v Bath?….good side….but not that good. Starts upfront, and set piece is absolute basic stuff.
AOC gets away with murder. He hasn't had positive carry in 3 seasons. He only soak tackles, and we don't see the upshot of his supposed leadership.
I've said elsewhere, Ulster's option beyond Hendy at lock are woeful for this level of rugby. AOC may be a "warrior" in some people's eyes but he's nowhere near good enough for this level. I reckon there must be about a dozen lock options across the other provinces who would be better than what we have as one of our starters.
If benching for Ulster hasn't given Tredwell the boot up the hole he needed then he's a lost cause frankly who very occasionally flattered to deceive and even then, mainly in the green shirt.
But what has Ulster done about this glaring problem......
I've said elsewhere, Ulster's option beyond Hendy at lock are woeful for this level of rugby. AOC may be a "warrior" in some people's eyes but he's nowhere near good enough for this level. I reckon there must be about a dozen lock options across the other provinces who would be better than what we have as one of our starters.
If benching for Ulster hasn't given Tredwell the boot up the hole he needed then he's a lost cause frankly who very occasionally flattered to deceive and even then, mainly in the green shirt.
But what has Ulster done about this glaring problem......
Harry Sheridan? He's about the same height as AOC, very abrasive, huge guy and massive work ethic.. no idea why he hasn't been involved I the last two weeks ..
Izzy seems to be missing as well..
McFarland seems to drop Treadwell frequently enough, which is fair. But what I don't then understand is if he can see Treadwell is not doing the job, why does he keep picking the likes of Matty Rea?
Why does he pick the likes of Moxham?
Greg Jones is surely going to get a run of games over Christmas.
I've said elsewhere, Ulster's option beyond Hendy at lock are woeful for this level of rugby. AOC may be a "warrior" in some people's eyes but he's nowhere near good enough for this level. I reckon there must be about a dozen lock options across the other provinces who would be better than what we have as one of our starters.
If benching for Ulster hasn't given Tredwell the boot up the hole he needed then he's a lost cause frankly who very occasionally flattered to deceive and even then, mainly in the green shirt.
But what has Ulster done about this glaring problem......
Harry Sheridan? He's about the same height as AOC, very abrasive, huge guy and massive work ethic.. no idea why he hasn't been involved I the last two weeks ..
Izzy seems to be missing as well..
It's perfectly plausible that Sheridan plays at lock at the weekend, but Ulster get well beaten and he carries the can for it, despite having hardly played all season. He'll get sent into exile whilst the likes of AOC, Matty and Greg clock up a few more appearances.
