Van der MoodHoover

Crewe with 2/3 possession according to the BBC text feed. Is there any sign of our pressing game?

My toes are chilly in Hampshire......

Makes me so angry that our Union, uniquely it appears, will deny us having him in the national team for what seem increasingly to be irrelevant reasons. With the near collapse of premiership rugby, the idea of restricted access to the national squad increasingly looks parochial and self-defeating. We managed to swallow hard and appoint Eddie. surely time to review the rule about eligibility for the national team.

I think up to this point it would be more accurate to say that we have given a few formations a go without showing much ability to play any of them. We appear by a process of elimination to have landed on a starting 4231. But we have them had games in which we have swapped it around more than once. Didn't nyambe play 3 or 4 different roles within one half recently? Somewhere between the McLaren and Warne extremes will do fine 🤙

Presumably even if they don't, most of the first team squad will be rested?

Need to establish a decent cushion for our habitual Feb-May collapse......😉

Will there be a pre game announcement?

I agree. The results have been good this week. The performances have been better, but we were coming off quite a low base and seeing things sustained is what will endear the management to the public. There seem to be fewer questionable pressers as well, but maybe that is because of the better results. The highlights package put up yesterday suggested Barnsley had the better chances up to the penalty, which seemed to be "one of those you've seen given" according to the commentary. Derby had the second half tho....even though the goals were both "route 1"-esque.

B4 touched many lives. Always in a good way. Mrs VdM always condemns me for what I say is stoicism, but she regards as unfeeling. But I've shed a tear or two reading these tributes after hearing the news. Thoughts with B4s family and thanks for contributing a remarkable young man, whose presence will be greatly missed. RIP Daniel

The home form has certainly turned around from the quite poor start to the season. Need to get the away form back after a few iffy results and then we will be able to make inroads on the top teams.

TBH I haven't ever been a vociferous "he must go". But I have been a critical "he has to do better" voice. It IS better, of that no doubt. but like the poor form went on for a few months, we need to sustain improvement for a similar period, so build upon the last couple of games.

Not seen any humble pie dishes being served personally. Nor would I expect to after 1 or 2 games. The poor run we had been on stretched back some months, so that's the sort of sustained improvement I'd like to see. But every little helps and the 2nd half in particular sounds pretty decent.

My complaining has sunk to such low levels Mrs VdM thinks I'm ill......🙄

You mean he might have balled it up? So instead he ballsed it in.......🤣

How do you tell them apart.....?

Two very fortunate goals, we'll be extremely lucky to hang on from here...... ....am I doing this right? 😉

Altogether now..... "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam...."

Ftfy.....

Actuary statto speak......I'm not the only one of these on the forum......cough.... @Millenniumram....cough....

Is that one back to us after all the harsh calls against us? Is reversion to the mean a thing after all?😉

My grandad also served, but because he refused to bear arms he was in the medical corps. He always said to me that the "land fit for heroes" stuff was utter nonsense and most people he knew joined up purely because their peacetime occupations were decimated so they had to earn...

Yeah... let's boil Warney. And that Barker bloke....he looks meaty....😉

made it more palatable....😉

@Comrade 86...I know we had our differences over Steve Borthwicks style etc, but putting all that aside.... ...I was impressed with the improvements shown during the WC - so what are our hopes for the rebuild and the 6N? For me, is like to see arundell integrated. I'd like to see us invest and develop a scrum half. If that's Alex Mitchell then fine. I'd like to see us develop a more mobile pack.

Did you watch his BBC interview? As you might expect, he was extremely articulate. I am generally a bit bothered by the slow erosion of respect for the officials. The sanctity of the referee and the strict protocols around interacting with him defined rugby for me. I very much hope this can be recovered.