Crisis what Crisis?

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:49 pm

And in the naked light I saw, 10,000 Ulster supporters maybe more.
Supporters cheering without speaking.
Supporters watching without looking.
Supporters singing songs that no one ever heard.
No-one dared, disturb the sound of silence.

The Terrace seemed a bit like this Monday week ago when we played Leinster. All those jaws set firmly, the grim expressions and barely sound from the usually more vocal multitude.

Difficult to guage why this was but it seemed that whilst there might have been a few Boxing Day blow ins, the Terrace faithful appeared to have lost confidence in what they were watching. Yet Ulster did not play that badly and where undone by a couple of sucker punches. Meanwhile we failed to take our chances. Perhaps this is what is maybe unnerving supporters, the lack of clinical finishing.

Tactically, Humph kicking for the corners and the forwards applying early pressure to get the 3 pointers seemed to have been replaced by a more free flowing style of ball in hand game, with the option of a lineout near the line instead of a 3 pointer early on being utilised and indeed when chasing the game as others have pointed out on the forum. We do not seem to be able to cope with the rolling maul, an old fault that one and it killed us against Sarries and by the sound of it at Galway at the weekend.

We have lost 3 games in a row, perhaps we should have won at least two of those but it is hardly a crisis. Should we lose to Glasgow on Saturday it will be the first time we have lost 4 competitive games in a row since 1998 apparently. Hopefully self belief that appears to be missing from the team will return and those chances that have gone begging will be cllinically taken.

I would love to see us return to forging out a platform up front and taking the 3 pointers and building an early lead before we open the game out in the last 30 minutes, with humph kicking to the corners and the team playing the game down in the oppositions half rather than trying to build from our 22 with ball in hand. It may not be as pretty as those moves which ocasionally end in spectacular tries but at least we would be getting back to basics of building up pressure before cutting loose. Another defeat on Saturday might generate some real calls for McCall's head and the belief in the team which appeared to be on the wane at the Leinster game might just turn into a landslide and generate it's own momentum on the team.

Huge performance needed on Saturday, not just from the team, but from the thousands on the Terraces in support.

Come on Ulsterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! We simply cannot afford to lose this one.

for dog and ulcer · Post by **for dog and ulcer** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:15 pm

Unfortunately BP I think it is a crisis and I seem to be almost alone in suspecting that the 1998 record will be beaten and that we will lose both legs to Glasgow. Indeed I expect our season to go into decline now after what I witnessed in Galway. No fire, no real win to win and a team that does not look like it knows what to do to score. As I have said elsewhere they look like they are following orders they don't agree with. Sideways attacks on Saturday resulted in lost ball and lost ground. Failure to cash in is our biggest failing, notable in both Leinster games and in the first half on Saturday.

Can't be there next Sat so support down 2. Actually I expect that the support will decline too if the team continue to make schoolboy errors and look disinterested in the outcome. In don't blame the supporters for the silence. Sometimes I think that that might be an appropriate way to voice displeasure at what is happening.

Hope I am totally wrong.

mid ulster maestro · Post by **mid ulster maestro** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:51 pm

Well BP I thought I'd never have to say this but in the last few outings our pack have failed miserably to take the game to the opposition. Too many standing off at the breakdowns and as for a driving maul. I'm trying hard to remember one that wasn't stopped after about 3 yards. Sorry metres. We appear to have lost the basic skills needed to stuff the ball up the jumper and grind out the hard yards. (Sounds better than hard metres). As those of us who travelled to Galway at the weekend witnessed, Connacht played a very simple but very effective game. Our pack are static when the ball is delivered to the scrumhalf and the backs I feel lie too flat. A certain recepie for disaster. I was at the autumn internationals and thought the Irish side were sufferring from the same problem. Are we being coached to play a certain style at all costs. If we are it ain't working.
Mum

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:29 pm

Are we being coached to play a certain style at all costs. If we are it ain't working.

I suspect that we have changed or style of play, though i don't know why we chose to do it during the season, as if it wasn't bad enough changing our defensive system mid season last time out and taking an age to find our feet after that.... Defence of the rolling maul was a problem in Solly's time, i think, as well with too many players hangin' off as it gathers momentum and then we can't stop it.

I'm glad i wasn't at Galway in some respects as you chaps have come back with a real bad hangover from it, not that I doubt what your saying mind, if it's true maybe it's worse than I thought.

Hey, we can put it to right on Saturday and inject some belief in the team and support with a win.

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:09 pm

Hey, we can put it to right on Saturday and inject some belief in the team and support with a win.
Well congratulations to Ulster on the win but that's about all that really can be said for another poor performance. There are tired bodies out there but worse fatigue of the mind has set in.

I saw players go into contact with no conviction, as if going through the motions, players running laterally, Tommy Bowe has all but lost it in this respect. Humphreys' mind appears to be on contract negotiations he's running laterally and not playing with too much conviction. The back row appear to have gone into their shell although Neil Best appears to be getting his old up and at 'em verve back after illness. Harrison & Frost appear at least to have lost no momentum and Harrison keeps on plugging away on behalf of others.

Crucially the worst aspect is the missed tackles, Rory Best missed one outside the Glasgow 22 and before you could say 'what was that' Glasgow were knocking on the Ulster line, simply by putting numbers into the gap in the defence and playing the ball out of the tackle. In fact that wasn't the only one he missed and he looks jaded. We are short on ideas of how to score and it doesn't bode well for Friday night. Talk of us getting a bonus point is a mite premature, a losing bonus point maybe but I cannot see us scoring four tries whilst we contiue to run laterally in the backs and spill ball in contact

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:13 pm

They do look really exhausted. With one of Humph's missed kick, he looked absolutely shattered as he (mis) hit the ball. Are they being trained too hard or not hard enough?

browner · Post by **browner** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:27 pm

I think BP has got it just about right, we look like a team that is out on their feet. Our phyisicality has been left on the training ground and mentally we are bereft of ideas.
Let's hope we can come out of this trough sooner rather than later.

Forever Ulster.

cables · Post by **cables** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:40 pm

A number of times on the Prom side (when attacking) there appeared to be no awareness of a man on the outside.

Thought Bryn played well generally and took some great high balls.

browner · Post by **browner** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:53 pm

Awareness is the key here Cables, we seem to be shipping the ball for no apparent reason.

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:16 am

On the ball donegal bp. right on the money. pants is what i would say.

Colin

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:31 am

It is quickly developing into a serious crisis. A defeat tonight would have caused movement prioer to it being necessary but instead the cracks are papered over and time is bought. Hump will play a blinder next Fri against biarritz to snatch the agme in the last quarter; at least thats the script as has been in the last home game in the HEC for several seasons now. And we will live to fight another day followed by the master of rubgy spin Allen Clarke, telling us how well Ulster have done and how unlucky we have been.

However my ailing memory brings me back to Ravenhill this evening when I had the misfortune of witnessing an Ulster pack cowered on their own lineout ball . Heads were up and body positions were poor. That is poor coaching. When is the last time we saw a decent Ulster maul or a decent Ulster go forward movement in the pack. The players are there and some are the best in the world. So what is the problem?

Colin

cables · Post by **cables** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:45 am

To answer when is difficult colinh. However I do have many recalls of GL, in middle of rolling maul, back to opposition, erect, pointing, shouting and us moving forward. Does that help even a wee bit?

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:05 am

When is the last time we saw a decent Ulster maul or a decent Ulster go forward movement in the pack. The players are there and some are the best in the world. So what is the problem?

Wish I knew the answer Colin, but the body language is such that the players look like they have been told to do something they don't believe in. Watched Leinster totally outplayed tonight but fought magnificently through the skills of their backs and could have snatched a draw which would have been harsh on the Scarlets. Point is though that the game plan these teams, ie Leinster and Ulster are playing to appear to be removed from the ones that suit their natural style.

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:14 am

Point is though that the game plan these teams, ie Leinster and Ulster are playing to appear to be removed from the ones that suit their natural style.

Very interesting point Bp. Without being flippant the style Ulster play is removed from the suitability of most teams. At schol we were told that rugby is a very simle game and indded it is. However it appears to be over complicated in the pursuit of appearing to be clever and you get into a clearing the swamp but there are crocidiles in the swap and how do you get rid of the crocodiles. then you loose sight of the aim which is to clear the swamp. I fear greatly for the future or more especially Barritz. But no doubt Hump will pull us out of the mire and we will be great fellows but gallant loosers for another year. e desperately need a new and good forards coach and probably an outhalf as well. I take no pleasure in that.

Colin

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:25 am

cables wrote:To answer when is difficult colinh. However I do have many recalls of GL, in middle of rolling maul, back to opposition, erect, pointing, shouting and us moving forward. Does that help even a wee bit?

Where were you tonight. We were looking all over the place for you to say Hello.

Colin