What do you think of the show so far, folks?
By Whaley Shark
November 11 2009
One of Eric Morecambe’s catchphrases was “What do you think of the show so far, folks?” The answer, from the audience, was a roar of “Rubbish”. So, about a third of the way through the season, and with considerable debate over the way Sale are heading, the Whaley Shark thought he’d ask the same question…..
In what was always going to be a rebuilding season, the picture seems mixed to me.
Pros-
Seven games played, and we are seventh in a Premiership which seems to be separating into two groups. With 13 points, we are towards the front of the trailing group.
We have only once failed to pick up at least one point in a Premiership match. So while we may lose quite a few games, we aren’t losing badly and we keep inching towards security.
Brian Kennedy’s recent statement, giving us confidence that he remains committed to Sale.
The continuing development of a group of younger players- James Gaskell in particular, but also Marc Jones and David Tait
The return of a couple of long-term casualties, Sean Cox and, hopefully soon, Kristian Ormsby.
The raging bull, Sisaro Koyamaibole, who seems to specialise in sorting out scruffy ball at the back of the scrum and is always looking for the offload
Cons-
The playing style seems limited- we are, as the Americans might put it, the “kickingest” team in the Premiership. Interestingly, top-of-the-table Saracens aren’t far behind us, so that must be telling us something. Whether it’s a safety-first gameplan, or a lack of confidence among the players, I don’t know, but it’s certainly creating discontent among the punters.
The lower half of the Premiership is very tight, with only six points separating us and the tail-end Charlies, Leeds. We can’t afford to slip up, so this presumably increases pressure and encourages a safety-first style.
Leeds have found their Mojo in the last couple of weeks and started winning. Playing them twice in the next fortnight could make or break our season. While Friday’s Cup game might not be critical in its own right, losing at home to Leeds would really fire them up for the following weekend’s Premiership match, and they must see us as a scalp they can collect. Sunday 22nd November is going to be a biggie.
For a club with financial pressures, messing up at Newport in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, which has a big cheque for the winners, wasn’t a good start to that campaign.
Much as expected-
The Heineken Cup. In a tough group and rebuilding the squad, this was always going to be tricky. Losing away to Toulouse was hardly a surprise, but some of the individual performances were a big plus. You’d have hoped for a win at home to Cardiff, which we got. So respectable in the HC, I feel, though I am not optimistic about progressing.
All in all-
I’d have taken mid-table before the start of the season, the Heineken was always going to be difficult though I may yet be pleasantly surprised by what happens next there, and I consider the Anglo-Welsh Cup as an optional extra, so I am not too disturbed by our ropy start in that. Like many, though, I’d like to see a bit more rugby to set the heart racing, and a bit less rugby to mess up aircraft approaches into Manchester Airport. Hopefully, if we can claw our way to relative safety in the Premiership, and the squad settles, we will start to see a bit more adventure. But I have the feeling that our next two games against Leeds will be season-defining. Watch this space.