Centre pairing

[Shugs]

Looking back on yesterday how do others feel the Fekitoa/Odogwu experiment shaped up. Obviously at 1 game in its far too early to make anything like definitive statements. But first impressions for me were that it may cause us more headaches than benefits. Positionally and defensively it will need a serious amount of work to come off. Going the other way both showed power and promise but it's just unrealistic to play that way. The quandary is that we want Odogwu on the ball more but the only way of doing that is to sacrifice so much else at 13 by moving Fekitoa in one. For me Odogwu starts at wing and is a very useful cover for Fekitoa and probable long term replacement for him. Might sound odd (and probably is) after 1 game but I sort of feel it will see more days like yesterday than not if we stick with it.

[Neils]

Simply wasn't convinced beforehand and yesterday didn't change my mind. They might grow together but do we have the time to experiment.

[Rossm]

It clearly didn't work yesterday. Both Paolo and Malakai are good players but collectively, no. I honestly don't know whether it is worth continuing with the experiment.

I wish I knew what was up with Zach. He's definitely nowhere near the player he was last season. But why? I haven't a clue.

[HDAWG]

I think the thoughts above are correct. To be fair to Poalo on the wing, he often comes to the midfield regardless.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I wish I knew what was up with Zach. He's definitely nowhere near the player he was last season. But why? I haven't a clue.

Zach simply did not seen to have turned up for quite a few games now. I think there must be something wrong with him. It may be the reason the centres did not work. They need time on the practice turf to bed in. I don't think they got that. By the same measure, I think you could say Miller had a bit of a mare on Sunday.

[HDAWG]

By the same measure, I think you could say Miller had a bit of a mare on Sunday.

I feel like this wasn't addressed too much yesterday, he was awful in the first half at times. Last few games he's been reliable but yesterday he made several mistakes. Most due to highball errors. One led to the Marchant try.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

I think the thoughts above are correct. To be fair to Poalo on the wing, he often comes to the midfield regardless.

I still like him at 13, but understand the problem Wasps face I’ve said before, as winger he needs to learn from Chris Ashton and go hunting for the ball a lot more. 

To be fair to Paulo, coaches need to decide what to do with him and Eddie really did muddy the waters just when it looked like he was comfortable in his role.

[Peej]

Is Paolo even going to be fit? He's carrying a hell of a lot of strapping on his leg.

I think we need to decide how we want to play. If we want to run everything off Dan and Jacob/whoever is at 10, then you can have Malakai and Paolo as 12/13. But there is no real tactical kicking option there, which has been so successful for us before.

[PestNproud]

I wish I knew what was up with Zach. He's definitely nowhere near the player he was last season. But why? I haven't a clue.

Zach simply did not seen to have turned up for quite a few games now. I think there must be something wrong with him. It may be the reason the centres did not work. They need time on the practice turf to bed in. I don't think they got that. By the same measure, I think you could say Miller had a bit of a mare on Sunday.

Has Zach ever remotely recovered as a player from that awful last Yarde at Sale, when he seemed to get trapped in sand?

Not convinced Marcus has ever really got over his injury, either.

Some players like Fiver takes ages to get over nasty injuries, others fly back (Christian, if I recall quickly, and perhaps higher proportion of forwards). Clearly, can be mentally as well as physically horrendous.

[Rossm]

Interestingly, Malakai was one of the centres in Flats XV of the week. Along with Dobby and Will Rowlands.