Wasps v Northampton Saints: Post match thoughts.

[Neils]

Stooke, Koch, Willis and a fit Launchbury today and we would have won by 25 points.

+1

[Covguy]

Disappointing result think we all agree. But even with the off field distractions I would say this:

I actually think today was the best showing for sometime of attacking shape. We didn’t seem one dimensional or easy to read, add it first half Gloucester and bath displays and I would say we have provided more flair than last season combined. Atkinson is improving game by game. For me I can see glimpses of hope. Frustrated today, certainly. Totally despondent, definitely not.

I’ve seen some crazy tweets this evening from some of the public “big fan” accounts. The wasps report and the rob guy that runs it is unbelievable. Spend half the time complains about wasps fans, then slag the team off then complain they get abuse for it. I actually have seen none. One fan called Emma rightly pointed out differing with their opinion is not abuse.

[Beasties]

Those McDonald kick-off cock-ups were a killer today sadly. As costly as the Umaga red was, those were more of an influence. Really felt for the lads today, they deserved to win that.

[Rossm]

Attendance: 10249.

[HDAWG]

Stooke, Koch, Willis and a fit Launchbury today and we would have won by 25 points.

Potentially, but we just don't know. Was excited by Koch's arrival, until he was immediately removed.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Stooke, Koch, Willis and a fit Launchbury today and we would have won by 25 points.

I wonder if his contractual status is different if he never actually plays for us.

Potentially, but we just don't know. Was excited by Koch's arrival, until he was immediately removed.

[WonkyWasp]

Th at is good.  ''Pollyanna'' speaking here  trying to be positive:  Attendance increasing. Margin of loss decreasing.  Noise in stadium amazing.  OK -  still got injuries.  Background Beavers beavering away at finances aspect like mad. 

[WonkyWasp]

PS ...  Does Koch the Invisible Wasp really exist?

[Sliminator]

Glass half full, we've been competitive in every game so far. Each one I've been disappointed and frustrated that we could have won all of them.

Yesterday I think it was the re-starts that killed us, dropped balls and the final re-start, when we needed to get the ball back to win it, was far to long when we have players like Basset who are excellent at competing and disrupting in those situations.

We need to continue to get behind the lads.

[InBetweenWasp]

I'm encouraged by our attacking play seems to be finding it's mojo.

I'm not sure it's a coaching thing; but we do seem to switch off when receiving a kick-off, after scoring is when we look about our most vulnerable. 

Said to the person next to me that we should have gone for a short restart at the end.  I can kind of see why they went long; force them to play from deep and put pressure on but it meant Saints received the ball with time/space and gained momentum running it back.  I think we could have heavily competed for a short ball and put Saints under more pressure with less time to get that momentum back.

[Neils]

I'm encouraged by our attacking play seems to be finding it's mojo.

I'm not sure it's a coaching thing; but we do seem to switch off when receiving a kick-off, after scoring is when we look about our most vulnerable. 

Said to the person next to me that we should have gone for a short restart at the end.  I can kind of see why they went long; force them to play from deep and put pressure on but it meant Saints received the ball with time/space and gained momentum running it back.  I think we could have heavily competed for a short ball and put Saints under more pressure with less time to get that momentum back.

Your last point is something I mirrored too. I even said kick it short and take a scrum on halfway!

[baldpaul101]

Looks like deja vu all over again on the injury front.
Tom Willis will be out for a while with his appendicitis
From the game yesterday Wasps lost:
Umaga (red suspension as well as concussion)
Launchbury
Robson
Morris
Curran went off before the end, was that an injury?
Atkinson looked uncomfortable in the last 15 mins or so.

Not sure if anyone is expected back this week but its not looking great.

[Shugs]

Think we have cover everywhere save for full back. Might be utilising Hartley.

[Rossm]

BP: I think Curran had taken a head knock. He had treatment and looked a little groggy.

[baldpaul101]

Think we have cover everywhere save for full back

Hope so, although back row is looking like academy guys might be starting & scrum half is just Will Porter so expect an academy player on the bench.