Stu M:



I think us match going fans have been resolute on the whole. The away end at Wigan was superb even though I doubt anyone thought we would win that game. We've gone away in large numbers all season although last night was a bit of a tipping point. Whether it was the fact its a Thursday or that we've played them 3 times in 6 weeks but only 1250 is a poor number. 

The issue with Wellens is that he is a club legend. We did it with Cunningham and are now repeating the same mistake with Wellens. No doubt Lomax or Roby will be given a go at some point. Just stop it.


However despite the fact that he is out of his depth as a Head Coach he has also been given a bad hand. Woolf could see it coming and got out at the top after maximising every last ounce of effort and talent from the players. We now have an ageing team and the recruitment and retention has been a shambles for years


You can see that the likes of Whitby and Robertson have the potential to be great and Dagnall will show his class too but its not enough. I feel sorry for Stephens who has now played a grand total of 19 mins all season. His use of subs is absolutely criminal and yet again Stephens is suffering despite Paasi and Walmsley looking all but finished. 


The only two forwards of note have been Delaney who has carried strong all season and Knowles but even with Knowles he is showing lots of frustration and was even shouting at fans last night at the end of the game to come and have a straightener with him! 

Phuzzy:

I wouldn't say Percival is in his prime. Still a very good player when fir, of course, but injuries and his style of play have definitely left their mark. 


Taking nothing away from him but I think a player in their prime can't, by definition, be injured as regularly as Percival is. 

Phuzzy:

I wouldn't say Percival is in his prime. Still a very good player when fir, of course, but injuries and his style of play have definitely left their mark. 


Taking nothing away from him but I think a player in their prime can't, by definition, be injured as regularly as Percival is. 

MadDogg:

The challenge Saints have is very clear when you look at their squad and ask yourself how many players are currently in their prime. I would say four in Welsby, Lees, Percival and Knowles (and he's leaving). The rest are either young players early in development or older players past their best. Ask yourself the same question about the Wigan squad and you're looking at 15/16 players of our best 17 who are in their prime.

Stu M:



Agree with you there, he is on the downward curve although to be fair was superb last night. He has been used as a battering ram for years and is most certainly injury prone. 

Also agree with our set up. We have very few 22-28 aged players, Welsby and Lees being the only ones of note. We either have ageing players past their best- Lomax, Walmsley, Paasi, Clark, Sironen, Percival etc or ones who are very young with potential- Whitby, Robertson, Dagnall, Stephens. 


It's the 22-28 age range we desperately need.