Lee reveals 'three things' he'd love fans to say about club this season

[Shugs]

Exactly Chunky. Quins
 win nothing if they don’t have Collier, Marler, Louw or Herrod.

The same front row when the team was getting battered under Gustard....hmmmm.
I'd bet the % of tries scored from a scrum or scrum pen is small in the overall % scored, most being attributed to open field play, which requires skill not brawn, so I'm not buying that.
Reads like 'if you can't coach a team to play, find the biggest strongest guys you can' to me.

Same backs that got battered under Gustard as well.

[Rossm]

Come on westwales. Your backs can't sparkle if they've got nothing but sparse, poor ball to play with.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

So let's turn this around.

What three things do you want to be able to  say about Wasps at the end of the season? What are the attributes you want to form the basis of our play?

For me it starts with ambition. I want running rugby to be the foundation of our game. I want our players to back themselves, I want them to see a chance, and believe they can exploit it. I want to see multiple runners coming on to the ball when it comes out of a ruck. Forwards and backs. I want teams to have to commit to the short crash ball defence, as well as covering the jinky centre, or the long pass to the outside.

I want other teams to fear our defence, and to be constantly worried about our ability to turn the ball over because they know we'll be on it like a shot when we do.

And I want to see the squad play with joy. I think enjoyment has been missing.

Yeah I don't want a set creaking set piece that loses us the ball all the time, and of course I want us to win, but I want to be able to be on my phone messaging my mates saying "Did you see that???" The idea that we can only do that from a game built around a dominant pack worries me.

[Heathen]

So let's turn this around.

What three things do you want to be able to  say about Wasps at the end of the season? What are the attributes you want to form the basis of our play?

For me it starts with ambition. I want running rugby to be the foundation of our game. I want our players to back themselves, I want them to see a chance, and believe they can exploit it. I want to see multiple runners coming on to the ball when it comes out of a ruck. Forwards and backs. I want teams to have to commit to the short crash ball defence, as well as covering the jinky centre, or the long pass to the outside.

I want other teams to fear our defence, and to be constantly worried about our ability to turn the ball over because they know we'll be on it like a shot when we do.

And I want to see the squad play with joy. I think enjoyment has been missing.

Yeah I don't want a set creaking set piece that loses us the ball all the time, and of course I want us to win, but I want to be able to be on my phone messaging my mates saying "Did you see that???" The idea that we can only do that from a game built around a dominant pack worries me.

We can do it. All down to mind set on the park.

[Rugbyintheblood]

So good to be reading posts that are talking about our 🐝 team.

Yippee sounds like we’ll be watching flair rugby this season with lots of tries. Our strong pack will give us faster ball.

Already bought my season ticket. So I’ll be there!

Cant wait💥💥🐝🐝🏉🏉

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Until our backs have demonstrated they have the confidence, I believe they have the skill, to fizz the ball out wide without dropping it 9/10 it makes sense to go for lineout drives and scrum push overs when you're 5-10m out.

I also want to see some of that famous Wasps running rugby, but given the parlous nature of the finances I also want to see a winning team that puts bums on seats and gets in to the Heineken Cup at the end of the season, with a shot of the play offs.

If that means a bit of winning ugly at the start of the season to build confidence, because winning is the only way to build confidence, I'll live with that. The backs can then show of their skills when we're 15 points clear. Once they have the confidence then they can mix it up during the rest of the game.

[mike909]

Having a strong and competent set piece is required given how the game is officiated. Until the scrum especially, becomes, again, a way of restarting after a minor infringement rather than a penalty op, there is little choice but to have a solid front 5. We've got that now - when we're fit of course. And it's no different from the packs that took us to Euro finals.

But whilst it's not really a choice to have parity in set piece - it is a choice how to play once ball is secured. We have a better selection of backrowers than most teams, experienced 9 and players who's instinct is to use the ball. And much as I want to see games where we score impossible tries - I do also want to win. Lol's teams had that balance of ambition and power. And I don't see it not being the Wasps way to use power to facilitate use of space and handling.

And I really do want to win games.

[Rossm]

We haven't won any silver since 2008. We've been in 2 finals in 2017 and 2020 and come up just short twice to Exeter. That's what pisses me off, end of.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Having a strong and competent set piece is required given how the game is officiated. Until the scrum especially, becomes, again, a way of restarting after a minor infringement rather than a penalty op, there is little choice but to have a solid front 5. We've got that now - when we're fit of course. And it's no different from the packs that took us to Euro finals.

But whilst it's not really a choice to have parity in set piece - it is a choice how to play once ball is secured. We have a better selection of backrowers than most teams, experienced 9 and players who's instinct is to use the ball. And much as I want to see games where we score impossible tries - I do also want to win. Lol's teams had that balance of ambition and power. And I don't see it not being the Wasps way to use power to facilitate use of space and handling.

And I really do want to win games.

That's what I meant by incentives matter.

If the punishment for a knock-on or slightly forward pass in an ambitious backs move is being marched back 40m and then being pushed over your own try line by a rolling maul or another pack in a scrum on your own 5m line you have to do something about it. if you're going to have to invest time and money in making sure your scrum is at least solid and doesn't give away too many penalties you may as well go the incremental step and get a dominant scrum that wins you penalties.

[Shugs]

In terms of style of play the three things I’d like to be able to say at the end of the season are
1) We played with fluency through 9,10,12 opening the opposition up.
2) Our set piece was generally on top.
3) We are very difficult to score against.
The outcomes we want (more wins) should take care of themselves if we can say that.
I do think if you’re playing great running rugby but losing you naturally tighten up and stop doing it. Conversely if you win a couple “ugly” confidence improves and you’re more likely to play good stuff anyway. The key for me is to win games. If we’re doing that the rest will follow.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

We haven't won any silver since 2008. We've been in 2 finals in 2017 and 2020 and come up just short twice to Exeter. That's what pisses me off, end of.

One loss was down to Nathan ignoring the ref and giving away a penalty in the dying moments. The other to a poor decision to go long at the line-out in horrific weather.

The first was arrogance, the second was naivety. Neither would have changed with a dominant pack.

[DGP Wasp]

We haven't won any silver since 2008. We've been in 2 finals in 2017 and 2020 and come up just short twice to Exeter. That's what pisses me off, end of.

One loss was down to Nathan ignoring the ref and giving away a penalty in the dying moments. The other to a poor decision to go long at the line-out in horrific weather.

The first was arrogance, the second was naivety. Neither would have changed with a dominant pack.

So you don't think a more dominant line out brings greater clarity of thinking when it comes to making the right line out calls?

[Rossm]

We haven't won any silver since 2008. We've been in 2 finals in 2017 and 2020 and come up just short twice to Exeter. That's what pisses me off, end of.

One loss was down to Nathan ignoring the ref and giving away a penalty in the dying moments. The other to a poor decision to go long at the line-out in horrific weather.

The first was arrogance, the second was naivety. Neither would have changed with a dominant pack.

That of course is simply conjecture. With a more dominant pack, we may not have found ourselves in those positions in the first place.

[matelot22]

There were 4 major things wrong with Wasps last season.

The scrum was terrible, conceding penalties & not providing a decent platform
The backs couldn't catch & pass
Winning positions were too often lost with minutes/seconds to go
Too many injuries.

We as supporters have moaned on here about these issues and wondered why the coaches haven't done anything.
All pre-season focus appears to have been on dealing with the first 3 and yet now we have people complaining we will become "Exeter lite"?
Would posters prefer to have the scrums be a massive area of weakness like they have been for a couple of seasons? Maybe go back to having the line out be a shambles like it was with Trevor throwing in in those good old days?

Lets give the coaching team an opportunity to show if they have made a difference. They'll be plenty of time in October to write off the season after a few games

I think you've taken my comment slightly out of context. My meaning is that I hope that is not all we will be. I hope that Chunky's description just prior to this post are what Lee is aiming for.

My own desire for team performance matches that of VV on page 3 of this thread. Of course I want to see us win, but not if it is by scrum pens and driving maul, week, after week, after week. Yes it's good to have in the arsenal and is a solid foundation, but if that's all we have I wouldn't be going out of my way to watch too many games.

All horses for courses, obviously.

[Shugs]

I’m hopeful our back play will improve from last year. But the reality is if you said to any other teams pick five players you’d want from Wasps you’d get replies that included Launch, Koch, Willis, Barbeary, Shields, West, Willis T, Stooke. Robson might feature. Our strength is in the forwards. So even if Blackett wanted to play with more flair he may not have the tools. I do remember him saying a good while back that he views our attack as being much better when we’re powerful up front. So I do think (and hope) he’s envisaging the forward strength as a necessary plank in getting the backs doing more exciting stuff.