What do we do about fly half?

[Neils]

Going to be interesting to see who is picked at 10 today!

[Peej]

It's not the coaching, it's the execution from the players. Players are making too many mistakes on the field, either basic errors or forcing things that aren't on. Then it becomes a cycle where the fear grips people and brings in a form of mental paralysis. It was exactly the same under Dai.

Jacob may come good, but at the minute he is making way too many mistakes. He's not the only one, but he's still making them. And frankly it's not good enough at this level. What is up to the coaches is doing something about it - either working on it in training effectively or selecting the players who aren't making such errors.

[Hymenoptera]

It's simple.

Players + Players = SUM-X
SUM-X  +  Coaching = SUM-Y

When SUM-Y is less than SUM-X...there's your problem.

Win or lose, it's arbitrary to the problem, the performances are a shambles.
People like to talk about tightness or executing the game plan..tightness related to what game plan I ask. I see more set moves or rugby IQ in 1 Irish, Northampton etc.. game than I do in half a season from Wasps and I'm not even exaggerating. We are so 1 dimensional , so who is taking ownership of that fact? If the players aren't following the game plan then the coaches need to fix that, if they are following it, then coaching need to fix that. If they are not going to fix it, why have coaches?

[Shugs]

Surely it’s over simplistic just to say fix it. Of course that’s the aim and I’m sure players and coaches are recognising that it needs to improve - Blackett said the dressing room post game on Saturday was akin to one of a losing team and after that display that was probably about right. For me we just have players out of form in some key areas - it happens to teams.

[Rossm]

It's simple.

Players + Players = SUM-X
SUM-X  +  Coaching = SUM-Y

When SUM-Y is less than SUM-X...there's your problem.

Win or lose, it's arbitrary to the problem, the performances are a shambles.
People like to talk about tightness or executing the game plan..tightness related to what game plan I ask. I see more set moves or rugby IQ in 1 Irish, Northampton etc.. game than I do in half a season from Wasps and I'm not even exaggerating. We are so 1 dimensional , so who is taking ownership of that fact? If the players aren't following the game plan then the coaches need to fix that, if they are following it, then coaching need to fix that. If they are not going to fix it, why have coaches?

I was never any good at algebra, if this is what it is

[Hymenoptera]

Surely it’s over simplistic just to say fix it. Of course that’s the aim and I’m sure players and coaches are recognising that it needs to improve - Blackett said the dressing room post game on Saturday was akin to one of a losing team and after that display that was probably about right. For me we just have players out of form in some key areas - it happens to teams.

I haven't said fix it.. Implement the processes to fix it. Provide the tools or direction to fix it. Ask yourself why we are delivering such crap and fix those things. But on that subject, If coaches are not employed to fix, then who is? A coach is meant to offer more than the average fan, so to say they recognize required improvement is a joke statement, because I recognise it too but I'm not in a position to action it, or dare I say I'm not paid handsomely to do it either.
Lets drop the excuses and the 'obvious statements' for a second. Out of form? - For two season, are you kidding me? We have been seeing this for two seasons now, this isn't a virus (can you say that?) that's crept up..we were shocking last season and let's be honest, the 'dead cat bounce' we got from Dai leaving appears to be an utter fluke because when questions have been asked, no answers have been provided.
Do you or anyone honestly think that an above average 12 and a top quality prop is going to in any way lift our game to the next level?
I've said it a million times and i'll say it again, I don't care about the result as I do the performance...I've honestly never been so bored watching a Wasps team. I can't wait for the game to be over so I can flip over to watch one of the other teams games. Imagine how I'd feel having given my 15 quid plus to watch that, probably the same as everyone else that is staying away.

[Shugs]

I agree I think there has been an element of being caught between two stools. Going back to the days of Wade/Beale/Le Roux etc etc we couldn’t win anything as we didn’t have a good enough pack. Dai tried to get more pragmatic and since we’ve had decent forwards and decent backs but no unique strength (apart from the Covid “turnover” period built on Willis) and a bit of a lack of identity. Looking at Blackett’s recruitment I think he’s shifting us towards the pack based game which probably won’t serve the purpose of increasing the entertainment but might win us more games. Whether fans are pleased with that depends on what they value most. I certainly agree performances have to improve soon as the just met in the car park look can’t go on much longer.

[baldpaul101]

It's not the coaching, it's the execution from the players.

Sorry, but its both.
You can't blame the coaches for Umaga missing touch, or passes being dropped.
likewise you can't blame the players if the game plan isn't working unless of course they are not following it, but I don't think that's the case for Wasps.

Remember Quins looked terrible a couple of years ago. Players arguing on the pitch, talk of Smith & Care leaving, Brown & Robshaw actually leaving. Coach left. Players started playing a way they enjoyed & they won the prem. The quality of the players is there, as is the willingness to graft for a result. Wasps need to find a way of playing the players can buy into & enjoy & the wins will come.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Sorry, but its both.
You can't blame the coaches for Umaga missing touch,

Yes you can.  If his natural game wouldn't have been to kick for touch then, or at the distance he is being told to do so by the coaches.  If the game plan he has been instructed and coached to play doesn't fit his physical ability, or his psychological belief then he's far more likely to mess it up, and that is 100% down to the coaches.  As an extreme example if the coaches told our front row to attempt a drop goal every time they got the ball in the opponent's half would it be JTA's fault he kept missing?

Remember Quins looked terrible a couple of years ago. Players arguing on the pitch, talk of Smith & Care leaving, Brown & Robshaw actually leaving. Coach left. Players started playing a way they enjoyed & they won the prem. The quality of the players is there, as is the willingness to graft for a result. Wasps need to find a way of playing the players can buy into & enjoy & the wins will come.

Their turnaround was caused by getting a new coaching team.  That sounds like it was the fault of the coaches to me.

[Peej]

If he's kicking too far because he's supposedly been told to, rather than deciding on the pitch what he can actually achieve, that's even worse, frankly.

The game is played on the pitch. You can have a plan but if you don't have enough intelligence to flex it when you need to, or adapt to what is happening around you, what are you doing being a professional player?

[Vespula Vulgaris]

It seems odd to me that people are very willing to believe he is messing up because he isn't inherently skilled, but not that he might be messing up because he's been told how to play and he's trying to do it even though it isn't a good fit.

"Jacob, you're starting at ten, our game plan is built on territory, we need to be playing in their half, and so it's absolutely vital you push those kicks to touch as far as you can. Every metre is important and could be the difference between us winning or losing."

Feasible?

[Rossm]

It seems odd to me that people are very willing to believe he is messing up because he isn't inherently skilled, but not that he might be messing up because he's been told how to play and he's trying to do it even though it isn't a good fit.

"Jacob, you're starting at ten, our game plan is built on territory, we need to be playing in their half, and so it's absolutely vital you push those kicks to touch as far as you can. Every metre is important and could be the difference between us winning or losing."

Feasible?

Very feasible. As I posted in the game thread, Tom Cruse, who was in the commentary box, said that the kicking coaches were very greedy.

[JonnyD]

After last night, Miller might have just cemented himself in as experienced 10 option.

He started there of course years ago, now perhaps a bit off the pace at FB compared to Watson, Crossdale etc. perhaps his career has gone full circle and he’ll finish as a wise head at 10.

[Sliminator]

Miler has always deputised well at 10. I'm never disappointed to see his name on the timesheet.
One of those often unsung team players that are so important in the makeup of the squad.

[Peej]

It seems odd to me that people are very willing to believe he is messing up because he isn't inherently skilled, but not that he might be messing up because he's been told how to play and he's trying to do it even though it isn't a good fit.

"Jacob, you're starting at ten, our game plan is built on territory, we need to be playing in their half, and so it's absolutely vital you push those kicks to touch as far as you can. Every metre is important and could be the difference between us winning or losing."

Feasible?

Very feasible. As I posted in the game thread, Tom Cruse, who was in the commentary box, said that the kicking coaches were very greedy.

Not feasible at all. You think he has no independent thought and can't appreciate a difference between 'kick it as far as you can to give us the best attacking platform' and 'just hammer it and hope it goes into touch, and if it doesn't nevermind'? The man knows how to play rugby.