New signings to come

[WonkyWasp]

Plus another one.

[DGP Wasp]

I think Bassett would scare defences if he received more decent ball. He has a good rugby brain and rarely makes poor decisions. I’d wager that he’d make the starting line up of the vast majority of Prem teams.

Without doubt.  But he will never be a player who creates opportunities from nothing in the way Wade could for example.  An excellent rugby brain, and I would not swap him for any other winger in the Premiership.  He's not getting the opportunities of previous seasons, and a livewire on the other wing who really keeps defences guessing would compliment Bassett's undoubted skills perfectly.  Not one of our current back 3 options could be said to do that.   Closest we have currently is Odogwu.

[Mellie]

I think Bassett would scare defences if he received more decent ball. He has a good rugby brain and rarely makes poor decisions. I’d wager that he’d make the starting line up of the vast majority of Prem teams.

-1

Josh is a decent player but not in the same class as Wade Varndell, Sackey, WLR, Daley, Voyce, Lewsey etc as a winger.

He runs hard and straight but is not particularly evasive. I don't think he has a natural rugby brain but his decision making has improved over the years.

Great as a squad player who can do a job but not someone likely to do something spectacular that wins games and championships.

[Shugs]

It’s unfair to compare him to those players. Different era’s. Different teams. Although if you’re criticising him for running hard and straight you can’t really then place Varndell above him.

[Hymenoptera]

It’s unfair to compare him to those players. Different era’s. Different teams. Although if you’re criticising him for running hard and straight you can’t really then place Varndell above him.

Of course its not, it's about strengthens. All of those players were creative due to a strength. I like Bassett but his only strength is his work rate.
He's dependable and reliable but you're kidding yourself by labeling him as a defence scarer...
For the record, Varndell scored because he was electric..

[Shugs]

Varndell was quick, very quick. But he did basically run straight and hard. Maybe he was quick enough that he didn’t have to step too much. Is speed bring creative? Was he put in more space by the team he played in - don’t know. For me Bassett is a fine winger. If I was the opposition I wouldn’t want him in the team.

[Westy68]

Varndell was quick, very quick. But he did basically run straight and hard. Maybe he was quick enough that he didn’t have to step too much. Is speed bring creative? Was he put in more space by the team he played in - don’t know. For me Bassett is a fine winger. If I was the opposition I wouldn’t want him in the team.

i like Bassett but his scoring rate recently isn't at all good. i would like him to maybe go looking for it a bit more

[WonkyWasp]

I see him doing a lot of 'preventative'  work and also try assisting.

[Hymenoptera]

Varndell was quick, very quick. But he did basically run straight and hard. Maybe he was quick enough that he didn’t have to step too much. Is speed bring creative? Was he put in more space by the team he played in - don’t know. For me Bassett is a fine winger. If I was the opposition I wouldn’t want him in the team.

Speed is being creative, it creates a positive result. He was lethal everywhere he played. He couldn't tackle for toffee but my point is he had a USP.
Nothing wrong with Basset at all, but i can't imagine he's highlighted by the opposition on a pre-game review, he's fine at most things but has deficiencies.

[Shugs]

Well I guess we’ve drifted slightly off the topic which is really that in terms of possible recruitment to our back three Bassett’s presence means it’s the least likely one to see a new face in. If we don’t sign a 13 it could mean Odogwu plays there and then we’ll need someone on the other wing. I think we’ll see more “depth” acquired in the back three but probably not a nailed on starter.

[Rossm]

I liked what I saw of Luke Mehson.

[Hymenoptera]

I liked what I saw of Luke Mehson.

Me too, i'd like to see what a run of games produced.

[DGP Wasp]

Varndell was quick, very quick. But he did basically run straight and hard.

Nothing wrong with that in a winger!  You'd be a bit one dimensional if your entire back 3 was cut from similar cloth, but a good, quick, hard running winger is an asset to any team.  Bassett may not have Varndell's out and out pace, but he does what he does very well.

The point is balance.  We've got the hard, straight running winger in Bassett, an "x-factor" (for want of a better term) player on the other wing or at FB would compliment this nicely.  Problem is, I can't think of anyone who fits this description and might actually be available (unless someone can be coaxed back across the Atlantic!) 

[HDAWG]

Varndell was quick, very quick. But he did basically run straight and hard.

Nothing wrong with that in a winger!  You'd be a bit one dimensional if your entire back 3 was cut from similar cloth, but a good, quick, hard running winger is an asset to any team.  Bassett may not have Varndell's out and out pace, but he does what he does very well.

The point is balance.  We've got the hard, straight running winger in Bassett, an "x-factor" (for want of a better term) player on the other wing or at FB would compliment this nicely.  Problem is, I can't think of anyone who fits this description and might actually be available (unless someone can be coaxed back across the Atlantic!) 

+1. That's what made Bassett and Wade a dangerous pair. One straight running, the other more elusive. we definitely don't have anyone as elusive as Wade (Odogwu potentially, but not there yet), but he was one of the best wingers in Europe in his prime. The only winger I think that could compare is Kolbe, and we ain't signing anyone like that. Who knows, maybe we can develop an academy talent like Wade in future.

[wasps]

I'm not sure I understand this about having balance in the wingers skillsets.
They're in the opposite side of the pitch 90% of the time so can't cover for each others weaknesses.
It's not like 6s and 7s or inside/outside centres who can complement each other

If you offered me 2 Varndells, I'd bite your hand off.
Genuine pace is a skillset of its own and is usually impossible to teach