Bristol v Wasps: Post Match Thoughts.

[Wombles]

Beaten by the better team on the night

Lost the collisions.

Away form a big problem.

Everything looks too forced and too unnatural.

First off Bristol were well worth their victory, brilliant defensive effort with determination and forceful defence. When their chances came, they took them. Fully worthy of their win.
We ourselves got what we deserved, nothing. Where is that ferocity in defence that we started the season so well with? I think the problem still lies around not having a settled team for long enough, but does anyone else watch our team and feel uncomfortable. Rather than feel we are playing a game that is natural, flowing and understood by all the guys, we look stuttering and I find myself waiting for the next mistake to happen.

What also is proving our undoing this season is we simply are unable to put an 80 minute performance, it’s just not there and does not look like happening anytime soon. Until we do that then we will struggle to make top 6 let alone consider competing for silverware.

Much work to be done.

Chris

Once a Wasp ALWAYS a Wasp.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

If you look at the bare stats, which is all I have seen, we should easily have won:

[Shugs]

Apart from the last stat NWW. We really were pretty brainless at times. My post match thoughts are that it worries me how much poorer we are without the gritty, unseen work of Shields. Alongside that I think Umaga needs to play 10. As dangerous as he can be ball in hand from 15 I think fundamentally 10 is where he will give us more and he’ll be less exposed defensively there which is his problem at 15. Other than that we’ve got to address our group inability to start well. Maybe we’ve flogged a few willing horses (Stooke, Bassett, Alo, West) too hard and need to find a way of resting them. Cardall and Mehson may be a way for the first two. That result has been threatening for a couple of weeks. Hopefully the wake up call we need. And please, please work on the discipline.

[Covkid40]

Beaten by the better team on the night

Lost the collisions.

Away form a big problem.

Everything looks too forced and too unnatural.

First off Bristol were well worth their victory, brilliant defensive effort with determination and forceful defence. When their chances came, they took them. Fully worthy of their win.
We ourselves got what we deserved, nothing. Where is that ferocity in defence that we started the season so well with? I think the problem still lies around not having a settled team for long enough, but does anyone else watch our team and feel uncomfortable. Rather than feel we are playing a game that is natural, flowing and understood by all the guys, we look stuttering and I find myself waiting for the next mistake to happen.

What also is proving our undoing this season is we simply are unable to put an 80 minute performance, it’s just not there and does not look like happening anytime soon. Until we do that then we will struggle to make top 6 let alone consider competing for silverware.

Much work to be done.

Chris

Once a Wasp ALWAYS a Wasp.

Totally agree with all of that. We haven’t played well for quite a while but have found away to win so the last two results haven’t been a surprise. The horrible thing is we are turning into Bath the team isn’t equalling the sum of its parts we seem to lack intensity, creativity and determination. A few months ago most people were saying it will be ok when all the injured players come back, well  their back and what has changed? Next excuses will be they need time to get back up to speed. I don’t have the answers if I did I would be in Lee’s job but there seems to be a fundamental issues at the club that aren’t improving

[Covkid40]

Plus I’ve now got a 2 hour drive back to Coventry and back in work for 6.00am. Would have been so much easier if we’d turned up and put in a performance. My son jokingly send before KO “ how big of a head start will we give them” oh how we chuckled

[Covkid40]

Just got home after 2 1/2 hours drive from Bristol which has given me time to think rationally about the match. Problem is I’m more depressed about the result now, even after poor displays I can usually find some positives but tonight I can’t think of one player that really stood out, Maybe Porter when he came on?

[Hymenoptera]

Same as last season, we remain a mediocre side...regardless of what some on here like to maintain.
We remain less than the sum of our parts, still have no cohesion, no game plan, no creativity and no football skills.
Our coaching appears utter tripe and the inability to get the best out of the players remains a major obstacle.
I didn't expect a win as I'm a realist and can see past the 13 man/ 3rd team wins..but it's still disappointing to be served this product every week. Credit to those that do attend (Covkid, hats off mate) but it's no surprise no-one wants to give up their Sat to watch this dross in person...I'd begrudge a PRTV fiver, hell I begrudge the leccy i used to power my TV.

[Westy68]

It does look like we are a team of good players who can’t play as a team. Not sure we can wait for a 10 to learn how to play the game.

Surprised on how poor Dan has been since coming back from injury, a real concern.

I was so confident of the win and really thought we could push for top 4, now not sure we will get top 8. We have played poorly for weeks now and got lucky in a few games, which papered over the cracks.

Only 2 away victories all season but that was really poor. Is it really just a case of Brad not playing or is it a coaching issue.

I wouldn’t play many Bristol players over wasps players so why were we outplayed

[Vespula Vulgaris]

If our team can't perform without Bardbin it, then our team can't perform.

There is something fundamentally wrong somewhere.

[Heathen]

It does look like we are a team of good players who can’t play as a team. Not sure we can wait for a 10 to learn how to play the game.

Surprised on how poor Dan has been since coming back from injury, a real concern.

I was so confident of the win and really thought we could push for top 4, now not sure we will get top 8. We have played poorly for weeks now and got lucky in a few games, which papered over the cracks.

Only 2 away victories all season but that was really poor. Is it really just a case of Brad not playing or is it a coaching issue.

I wouldn’t play many Bristol players over wasps players so why were we outplayed

In the glory years we were a team that had an inspiring leader, both on and off of the pitch. We had a number of 'team' players who would give 110% every time they pulled on the jersey. Not seeing that these days.

[Covkid40]

Same as last season, we remain a mediocre side...regardless of what some on here like to maintain.
We remain less than the sum of our parts, still have no cohesion, no game plan, no creativity and no football skills.
Our coaching appears utter tripe and the inability to get the best out of the players remains a major obstacle.
I didn't expect a win as I'm a realist and can see past the 13 man/ 3rd team wins..but it's still disappointing to be served this product every week. Credit to those that do attend (Covkid, hats off mate) but it's no surprise no-one wants to give up their Sat to watch this dross in person...I'd begrudge a PRTV fiver, hell I begrudge the leccy i used to power my TV.

Can’t argue with any of that. Most weeks I wait for Friday to see the team, generally I talk myself into believing it’s a decent squad and if they play well we have a good chance of winning almost every week they disappoint me. I have a season ticket and have been away to Worcester, Sale and Bristol and can honestly say I’ve only seen two quality displays from this team Leicester and Exeter at the CBS. I know we lost the Exeter game but they battled and fought for everything until the final whistle. That’s it for me with away matches now and if if wasn’t for my son who’s fanatical about the game id seriously be considering not renewing my season tickets for next year.

[Covkid40]

If our team can't perform without Bardbin it, then our team can't perform.

There is something fundamentally wrong somewhere.

Taking the salary cap into consideration so that you can’t just pick all the best players, how many of the Wasps best team would you swap? From the forwards I would suggest very few, from the backs maybe a 10 as neither Charlie or Jacob have really done it so far, 15 seems to been issue ever since WLR left and possibly 14. The point I’m making is we should be doing better than we are so is it time to start looking at the coaching. Apart from the COVID season which was just strange for so many reasons and we seemed to deal with better than most, under the current coaching team the only consistency we’ve had is how poor we’ve played. Maybe it’s time to look from the top down.

[Rossm]

Well that was a disappointment. I am always wary of Friday night away games. I don't like them and the team doesn't appear to either. Jacob really started to put himself about sometime into the second half. I couldn't keep up with the subs and positional changes and the match commentator couldn't either. Next week is our 2nd bye week and, I think, we really need it to have a bit of R & R and then have a hard look in the mirror and try and decide how we're going to end our erratic season.

Quite a few of our long term injured have returned but we've lost a few more on the way. Frostie's been out , Thomas Young's injury has been more serious than thought at the time and Rodrigo is now out long term, after doing his achilles in a warm up. We've missed Brad - badly. Those returning are clearly not quite up to speed yet. When you haven't played any rugby, competitive or otherwise, for 6/9 months or more, this is surely no surprise.

I think we've done better than expected in this block of games. If Jones had let us have Joe and Alfie back before the Quins game rather than just in time for last night's - when was the last time they both trained with us? Neither looked fighting fit last night. Charlie's game has gone backwards and Dobby has lost his edge. Are both carrying knocks? I was expecting at least one or both to be subbed at half time yesterday. Will Porter has looked sharp recently when he's called upon. BTW. All credit to Will for knowing  the laws and reacting quickly last night to score. Though the replay angles were wrong, I saw that Ryan Mills also spotted it and started to go for it. I'm not sure if anyone else did.

Finally Harry Thacker is a disgrace to rugby. A conniving little cheat. If that had been a Wasps' player I would have been hugely embarrassed. JTA couldn't have been gentler with him. I don't think I've seen a player in that situation be more careful. He should have been commended not penalised.

[Neils]

"Finally Harry Thacker is a disgrace to rugby. A conniving little cheat. If that had been a Wasps' player I would have been hugely embarrassed. JTA couldn't have been gentler with him. I don't think I've seen a player in that situation be more careful. He should have been commended not penalised."

Smirking little a..hole.

[hopwood]

I’d like to isolate an area I believe Wasps are struggling in.

We have a lot of players returning from injury. And the fans, the players and the coaching staff are really happy to see some quality players return.
However, things have become very disjointed.

And one particular area I’ve noticed is the clear out.
It takes huge amounts of technique, energy and fitness to get it right, time after time.
And I don’t think our returning players have the necessary fitness skills yet. And quite a few of our backs are too lightweight to make any difference at the clear out too.
It’s a problem area for us.

There are certain players in most top sides who you would tell to not carry the ball and to just be prepared to clear out rucks to keep the ball speed up.
With quick ball, darting runs….and excellent clear out skills, Wasps can be lethal.
But recently, it’s not until teams become really tired in the last ten minutes, that Wasps are creating those holes.

Many times our attack broke down last night because our clear out technique was poor.
It just shows the level at which Shields and Young played at.
And it also reveals the lack of true rugby fitness from returning injuries Wasps players. Launchbury included.
They’re not up to speed yet (and probably the reason released by England).

Anyway…that would be my work-on for this week.
To function we need quick ball.
To do that, we need better fitness, strategy and technique in the clear out.